Donkeys'n'Drama covid-friendly school project
Webmaster • November 21, 2020
Dear Friends and Supporters,
THE BAD NEWS...
...Last year was our tenth year at Tabernacle on the Hayes... Fantastic - and such a tribute to all of you who have given, in so many different ways. (Especially Tab!)
However, I probably don't need to tell you that we can't be there as usual this year. ... And nor can our puppet Nativity project go ahead.
THE GOOD NEWS...
Instead, we are taking our project out to the schools....
DONKEYS'N'DRAMA is a Covid-friendly project which can happen in school halls or in the playgrounds -- much needed and very welcome.
We're taking Toby and Thomas, and their pen to primary schools for three weeks in December.
We'll also be taking a giant and very beautiful crib scene... using the puppets we have had made for the venture at Eglwys Dewi Sant.
There'll be a soundtrack with music and a simple retelling of the story.
We'll also be taking along some costumes to add to the school's own nativity hoard, so that each child can have a Christmas photo to take home.
We've been working like crazy to make sure it can happen. For a start we've made replicas of eight puppets so that we don't have to worry about them getting damaged as they get moved from school to school over three weeks. We've had music composed for the soundtrack, and a fresh re-telling of the story scripted and narrated - in both languages, of course. And we're videoing it (the puppets will perform limited movements of their heads and hands, to bring the scene to life.)
Skills have been given freely to enable all this to happen - and that's not all that's been given.
We'd love the entire project to be free to schools - as it has always been - but without a presence in the city centre to enable us to attract donations, that isn't possible. We will have to charge the schools for this (£175 for half a day) because our donkeys need proper transportation, insurance and supervision. This meant that schools serving the very poorest areas of our city would struggle - until a friend, who for many years had been a single parent, surviving on her wages as a shop assistant, heard about it and handed me £500 to help subsidise schools in deprived areas. Since then another £250 has been added to that pot by a variety of generous souls. Every pound given is a pound off the amount that these schools will have to pay. What a blessing...
Oh, and in addition, a church school has offered us the use of a large people-carrier to move our kit around!
Our video of the crib scene will be available for all churches to use this Christmas. Any church that would like to put display a crib - using existing figures or making their own - outside their own church building, can use our soundtrack to go with it.
We'll send you more details, and lots of pictures, as all this unfolds over the next couple of weeks.
And with the vaccine in sight, we can look forward to next year... This new project has re-energised us - demonstrated that there are all sorts of ways we can get this wonderful story out into our city at Christmas - even when ther are trillions of viruses rtying to stop us!
If you've got a sewing machine and you'd like to help sew costumes for the younger children in schools... get in touch. We're only doing Mary and Joseph costumes - and they'll be easy peasy - I promise.!!
God bless you all. This is a Christmas like no other... I cannot tell you how much your loyalty and support has meant over the past decade...
May God be with you all,
Love Sally
Archbishop Mark O’Toole’s Letter The Archbishop has written to Catholics in Wales urging them to vote in the upcoming Senedd Election. His letter called on Catholics to “participate actively in these elections and to fulfil their civic duty by voting for candidates who will best uphold the dignity of the human person and the common good.” He also wrote: “This is your opportunity to shape the future of Wales through a Catholic lens for the good of all. As you discern among the candidates and their approach to these and other important issues, I encourage you to pray for those who are seeking election and those who govern. May their decisions be always guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and a true desire to serve the people of Wales, especially the most vulnerable.” Five Key Areas of Importance Ahead of the election, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales has issued a document outlining the work of the Catholic Church in Wales as well as the Catholic community’s main policy requests. The document highlights five key areas of importance for the Catholic Church in Wales: Education, Life Issues, Historic Churches, Healthcare and the Environment. To read/download: www.cbcew.org.uk/2026 -senedd-election/ Guide for Catholics Caritas Cardiff-Menevia has produced a guide – The Senedd Election 2026: Every Vote Counts – to help explain the new electoral system, who can vote, and how to make an informed choice. Every Catholic in our Diocese to read the guide, reflect carefully, and use their vote. Visit: https://rcadc.org/wp-content/ uploads/2026/03/Caritas-The-Seneddelection-2026v3.pdf
Priest Training & Discipleship Appeal 25th/26th April Next weekend there will be a second collection for this Appeal. The annual appeal supports work fostering a deeper culture of vocation and discipleship within the Archdiocese of Cardiff-Menevia and the Rosminian Community. Alongside supporting seminarians, the appeal also funds youth ministry, catechetical formation, leadership training, and other evangelisation initiatives. Please support this appeal to the best of your abilities.
Holy Hour for the Dignity of Life Sunday 19th April 4:30pm The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales will hold a Holy Hour to pray for the dignity of life. This is an opportunity for the Catholics of our two nations to unite and pray for the promotion of a culture of life in our lands. While peers in the House of Lords continue to debate whether to make Assisted Suicide law, please join the Bishops in prayer so to offer this petition to Our Lord for the dignity of life from conception to natural end and to pray that assisted suicide will not become law. CBCEW have produced a PDF that can be printed and used to pray in this Holy Hour. But if you wish to observe a personal Holy Hour at home (i.e. where the Blessed Sacrament is not exposed), then the use of readings and reflections in the document can help guide this. Visit: www.cbcew.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ sites/3/2024/11/HH-Dignity-of-Life.pdf
When he was at table with them, he took the bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognised him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?’ (Luke 24:30-32) May your people exult for ever, O God, in renewed youthfulness of spirit, so that, rejoicing now in the restored glory of our adoption, we may look forward in confident hope to the rejoicing of the day of resurrection. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Divine Mercy Sunday 12th April 2026 On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The soul that will go to Confession and receive Holy Communion shall obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment…” (Diary 699)
Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ (John 20:27-28) God of everlasting mercy, who, in the very recurrence of the paschal feast kindle the faith of the people you have made your own, increase, we pray, the grace you have bestowed, that all may grasp and rightly understand in what font they have been washed, by whose Spirit they have been reborn, by whose Blood they have been redeemed. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Rosminian Fathers in St Peter’s Parish would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter!
“So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb. Both of them were running together… Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” (John 20:3,4,8,9) O God, who on this day, through your Only Begotten Son, have conquered death and unlocked for us the path to eternity, grant, we pray, that we who keep the solemnity of the Lord's Resurrection may, through the renewal brought by your Spirit, rise up in the light of life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Palm Sunday 29 March at 6pm St Peter’s Church Peaceful service of music & Lent readings led by the 9.30am Sunday Mass music group
Mass Times Palm Sunday (29th March) 9:30am 11:30am Maundy Thursday (2nd April) 7pm Good Friday (3rd April) Children Station of the Cross 10.30am Liturgy at 3pm Station of the Cross at 6pm Holy Saturday Vigil Mass (4th April) at 8pm Easter Sunday (5th April) 9:30am 11:30am