ANNUAL REPORT FINAL 10 Nov 21

A great number of my fellow priests
have welcomed the Commission
and, at the time of writing, a clergy
questionnaire review of the parishes is
currently underway in Southwark.
As a Church, we are mapping out a
new route for digital evangelisation as
we adapt to these changing times for
Camberwell and for the Commission.
I believe this form of communication
will remain a blessing now and beyond
the pandemic. Even though, IT has its
limitations, and community is essential,
I see this as a new way forward: our
parish will continue to reach out to
people within Southwark and from
all over the world. Thanks be to God,
parishioners are returning to church in
person, but a huge number still follow
Masses and prayers online. Going
forward, I will continue to acknowledge
the presence of online parishioners
and non-parishioners following our
livestream Masses. I still receive emails
and Mass requests from people all over
the world, some even make financial
contributions towards the support of
the church online. Our catechetical
programmes will also continue online.
People are in different places in their
journey through life, and Camberwell
parish is prepared to accompany them
by meeting them where they are. Those
who are now wishing to come back
to Church will be warmly welcomed,
whilst those who are still struggling
with health issues, or discouraged or
simply contented with online services
are welcome too: we all are encouraged
to receive Jesus at whatever stage of
our journey through life. He walks this
challenging road with us, as He did with
the disciples on the road to Emmaus.
This new vision of Church is a blessing
within this global pandemic and beyond.
Fr Victor Darlington
Episcopal Vicar for Promoting Racial
and Cultural Inclusion / Parish Priest of
Sacred Heart RC Church, Camberwell
FUNDAMENTAL PARISH ACTIVITIES
DURING LOCKDOWN
In some ways, lockdown was like a great wave capsizing
a boat full of people. Our first task was to reach out to
as many as possible and get them back onboard.
If people couldn’t come to us, we had to find a way of getting to
them. We moved our Masses online and asked parishioners to
send photographs of their Sunday celebrations. Photos arrived
from all over the world, often accompanied by accounts of how
this new experience of Mass helped them enter more deeply
into its meaning. In years to come children will remember that
during the pandemic the celebration of Sunday Mass was a special
moment of family togetherness and intimacy.
Three activities are fundamental to parish life: evangelisation,
nourishing God’s people through Word and Sacrament, and the
witness of charity. We offered Mass online but had to close our
Night Shelter so what about the witness of charity? How could we
reach out to those who might not have the internet or who might
be alone and isolated in their homes. We developed a network
of Guardian Angels, parish volunteers who telephoned everyone
without internet access. Often the people they called were well
looked after, sometimes they were lonely and welcomed a friendly
conversation, occasionally they needed help with shopping or
collecting medication. It was a simple and practical way of living
the charity that binds us together as a Christian community.
What about evangelisation and formation in this Year of the
Word? Lockdown gave us opportunities to do things in a new way.
Once we learned to harness the power of social media, the reach
of our online ministry grew exponentially: Alpha, Bible Studies,
Prayer Courses, Catholicism 101. Our ‘Digital Monastery’ enables
people to come together for Morning and Evening Prayer and for
daily Rosary. We even developed an online youth ministry!
We will never go back to the way things were. Our “hybrid church”
is here to stay.
Fr Stephen Langridge
Parish Priest of St Elizabeth
of Portugal RC Church
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