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
Journey in Faith Also known as the RCIA, this is a course that started on Thursday 30th October, in the parish for any who wish to consider becoming a Catholic. Some brochures are available. As an approach to this faith journey, We really recommend watching the excellent free YouTube series on the life of Jesus called The Chosen. On prayer and devotion watch the free sessions of Sycamore.fm as an introduction to a life of faith. These are quality resources for any parishioner but especially those seeking to deepen their faith.
All young people aged 13–17 are warmly invited to the Emmaus Discover Youth Retreat on Sunday, 23rd November 2025 , from 10am to 5pm at St David’s College, Cardiff. The day will include Holy Mass with Archbishop Mark O’Toole, time for reflection, fellowship, and prayer. Lunch is included, and transport assistance is available. The registration deadline is 11th November, and the cost is £10 per person.
The SVP is asking for the following donations of food to help the poor; cooking oil, tuna, beans, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, long life milk, Weetabix, coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, biscuits, soup, tinned tomatoes, rice pudding & sugar. The 16th November is “The World Day of the Poor” and we are asked to love not only with words but with deeds.
St. Peter's Bereavement support group have a meeting Sunday 9th. 2:30 to 4pm St David's chapel. If you would like some support or feel able to support others, Phone/Text 07566735162 please join us for a cuppa and a chat.. just come. Email stpeterslisteners@mail.com Use the side entrance please on Bedford Street
With deep sorrow, we hear of the news of the passing of Br Brian, who peacefully went to be with the Lord on last Sunday 28th September. Please remember his family in our prayers. The Reception of Br. Brian into the Church will be on Sunday 12th October at 6:00pm in St. Joseph's Cardiff, followed by Mass. His Requiem Mass will be on Monday 13th October at 9:30am at St. Joseph's, followed by burial at Western Cemetery at 11:30.
Eucharistic Adoration (2) You may think: "I do not have this true, great love for Jesus. I don't think Adoration is for me..." Do not worry. When one of St John Vianney's Parishioners being asked by the Saint what he said to Our Lord during those long silent hours in front of the Tabernacle, he replied: "Nothing. I look at him and he looks at me." Sometimes, when it comes to love, simple things are the best. Within this intimate moment with Jesus, you just simply be still and quiet whilst gaze on Him, open your heart and let Him do the rest. So even you feel you have little love, just go to Him! Even you are in trouble, just go to Him! Because Our Lord really is hidden there in the Blessed Sacrament, waiting for us to go and visit Him. Remember Jesus said in the Gospel: "...I was thirsty and you gave me drink… I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me." (Matthew 25:35-36) Isn't it true that Our Lord is thirsty for souls, and by us going to Him His longing for us can be quenched? And isn't it true that He is wounded for our iniquities and bruised for our sins, and by us visiting Him so we can console Him for all the outrages He receives in His Most Sacred Heart? Isn't it true also that for our sake and His Love for us He becomes a Prisoner of Love in the Tabernacle, and by visiting Him we can show our gratitude and thank Him for dwelling amongst us and stay with us day and night until the end of time? And when we leave the Church, how can Our Blessed Lord, our God who is so generous and merciful, would let you leave empty-handed after your visit? Even your friend would treat you with maybe tea and biscuits when you go to visit. Therefore He would definitely shower you with abundant Gifts and Blessings. Blessed Carlo Acutis once said: "When we face the sun we get a tan… but when we stand before Jesus in the Eucharist we become saints."
Tuesday 7th October Mass at 10am Rosary at 10.30am All are welcome ! A plenary indulgence may be gained by reciting five decades of the Rosary in Church, as a family at home, as a religious community, or as a pious fraternity, or in general whenever several persons have gathered for a good purpose; in other circumstances a partial indulgence may be gained.
“The Apostles said to the Lord, ‘Increase our faith!’ And the Lord said, ‘If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea”, and it would obey you.”’ (Luke 17:5-6) Almighty ever-living God, who in the abundance of your kindness surpass the merits and the desires of those who entreat you, pour out your mercy upon us to pardon what conscience dreads and to give what prayer does not dare to ask. 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.
Family Fast Day was on Friday 3rd October. CAFOD is highlighting its work with communities in Ethiopia facing climate challenges, where their donations fund vital water infrastructure projects. This is alongside CAFOD’s continued response to urgent needs in the Holy Land, Ukraine and Sudan. Over recent weeks, the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan especially have been getting worse, CAFOD wants to reassure you that through their local Church partners, your support – donations you have made in our previous Fast Day collections - is already reaching our neighbours who are caught up in these emergencies. And your support enables CAFOD to provide practical assistance for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters worldwide. Please use the envelopes provided or go online cafod.org.uk/parish . There is a Second Collection this weekend for this appeal.
Eucharistic Adoration (1) The worship of the Eucharist does not stop after the Holy Mass, Adoration during the Eucharistic Exposition is another way of public worship. When there is true love, and it increases to a certain point then adoration happens. Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is adored by those who truly love Him, and He is loved in the highest manner by whoever adores Him. It is an adoring love and loving adoration. One may ask: "How can I love which I cannot see?" This, as St Thomas Aquinas said "cannot be apprehended by the senses, but only by faith..." To strengthen this, St Cyril of Alexandria said: "Do not doubt whether this is true, but rather receive the words of the Saviour in faith, for since he is the truth, he cannot lie." Therefore, when we go to Adoration during Eucharistic Exposition, we are spiritually seeing and visiting Him face-to-face. Jesus awaits us in this Sacrament of love to stay and be near with Him, since the Eucharist is the true and real evidence of the Love with which He loved us 'to the end'. In His Eucharistic Presence He remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us. If sports fans can make time and flock to the stadium to support the team they love, can we do the same when this special event of Eucharistic Exposition happens in the Church to show our love to Jesus? (References: *Catechism of the Catholic Church *Jesus Our Eucharistic Love by Fr Stefano Manelli)