Southwark Report Internals final single

Clergy Reflections
We hoped and thrived at
St Margaret's, Carshalton
(A Post-Pandemic Pastoral Response)
It is so difficult to reflect on our pastoral stewardship
of 2021 without an exposé of our gracefilled strides
in the year 2020 when it seemed our Imminent and
Transcendent Lord was silent. But we hoped and thrived
for He says, Fear not, I will help you (Isaiah 43:13).
And so, with the Lord’s help, our Pastoral Council and I
agreed in 2020 to revitalize our faith, re-enlighten our
local community and herald Archbishop John Wilson’s
messages on the Word and Love of God.
But we were halted by the consequences of Covid-19,
and then came the first national lockdown in the UK.
In consonance with the Government’s guidelines, the
Catholic Bishops Conference of England and Wales
posited measures for the safe use of parishes and
encouraged digital celebration of Mass and other
devotions.
booking of Masses, which also necessitated creation of
Facebook and YouTube channels for live streaming and
fundraising. And of course, licenses were obtained for
our digital operations.
From the look of things, it seemed we never closed
shop. In fact, by the time we partially reopened in
2020/21, guided by the Bishops’ guidelines, we had a
formula for implantation of the Government’s roadmap
out of lockdown. Firstly, a projector and screen were
bought and installed for visual display of liturgical
celebrations. Secondly, over fifteen volunteers were
recruited for stewarding and implementation of
Covid-19 rules; thirdly, Mass times were increased
(5.00pm & 6.00pm on Saturday and 8:30am, 10:00am,
& 11:30am on Sunday), and lastly, our catechists were
encouraged to teach online.
Having patterned our pastoral life in consonance
with Covid-19 rules, 2021 Lenten, Easter, and
Christmas celebrations were either doubled or
tripled. And reception of First Holy Communion and
Confirmation were celebrated based on stipulated
figures for public worship.
Again, with faith in the Lord’s help, we developed
a pastoral guide for digital evangelization. Firstly,
WhatsApp and Zoom platforms were setup for our
meetings. Secondly, we fundraised online for the
purchase of cameras, which were bought and installed
for security and live streaming. Lastly, our website
was redesigned for online evangelization, payment and
In order to uphold our financial base, the Finance
Committee agreed to buy SumUp card readers for
offertory collections, and parishioners were also
encouraged to create direct debits and standing orders.
Having thrived in God’s glory, we fundraised and
erected a grotto in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes, and
relayed concrete slabs around the church.
Obviously, we hoped, stood erect, raised our heads to
thrive believing that our deliverance was near
(Luke 21:28).
Fr Anthony Uche, OP is the Parochial Administrator of
St Margaret of Scotland Carshalton Beeches, Surrey.
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