Parking Ticket Shock!

Christmas worshippers leaving Sacred Heart Church, Jasper
Street, Hanley on Christmas Eve discovered an unexpected present - not
from Fr Christmas, but from traffic wardens who had visited the area
around the Victorian Church and issued up to 50 tickets to worshippers
at the Christmas Mass.

Parish Priest, Fr Peter Weatherby, is livid.

"We
are calling on those issued with tickets not to pay the fines but to
appeal, " he said. "What is especially annoying is that Mass began at
5.45pm, just 15 minutes before surface parking becomes free in the City
Centre, so most tickets must have been issued just minutes before
traffic charges for surface parking in Hanley are lifted at 6pm. All
the shops were shut - clearly the wardens must have known that the cars
belonged to families worshipping in the Church."

Church wardens
reported that a vehicle carrying several traffic wardens arrived after
a complaint had been made about a vehicle which was causing an
obstruction. "The church wardens tell me that the scene appeared like a
raid - fines were being issued to worshippers, just as we were singing
'in the bleak midwinter'! " said Fr Weatherby.

"It is such a
shame that Christmas began for so many people like this," said the
priest. "We had our largest Christmas congregation for many years -
nearly 400 people - and it was wonderful for us to welcome the Bishop
for this celebration. We are the only mainstream Christian Church left
in the City Centre, yet action like this will drive good people away.
This is so sad."

Fr Peter has written a letter of protest to the
City Council. He is also calling upon all those who receiving a ticket
to appeal the fine and to contact the parish so that a full list can be
drawn up of those affected. Worshippers can use the website
www.sacredhearthanley.org.uk or write to Sacred Heart Catholic Church,
1 Eastwood Place, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3DB.

UCM Christmas Dinner

Members of the Sacred Heart UCM had an enjoyable evening for their Christmas Dinner at the Toby Carvery, Festival Park, Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent on the evening of Wednesday December 10th.

More photos here: http://tinyurl.com/68j65v

Journey in Faith - Shirley's studies

Shirley Weatherby - pictured right - leads the Journey in Faith group at Sacred Heart Church on the topic of Our Lady. This is part of a series of three sessions Shirley is leading entitled "Do not be afraid to be saints" which she has planned and is delivering as part of her course for the BA in Applied Theology at Maryvale Institute, Birmingham.

Shirley is in the fourth year of a five year course for the BA and hopes to receive her degree in 2010.

Heavy snow at Sacred Heart!

Snow on Tuesday December 2nd fell heavily in Stoke on Trent. The prayer group was cancelled, but the Journey in Faith carried on despite the weather. Below you can see Journey in Faith hard at work.

Candida at work

Parishioner and UCM member Candida Hitit can be seen on youtube. See the video here: http://tinyurl.com/5bs7t7

It's snowing!

December 2nd, and the snow falls heavy on Sacred Heart, Hanley. The prayer group is cancelled this evening, but the Journey in Faith (on a sled, perhaps) continues as usual.

History of the Diocese now avaiable

A wonderfully illustrated History of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, with extensive photographs of every Church in the Diocese, is now available from Sacred Heart Church, Hanley (or your nearest Catholic Church in the Archdiocese). The book is only £20, and would make a wonderful Christmas Present!! (The History of the Diocese of Birmingham, 1850-200, edited by Professor J Scarisbrick, published by Editions du Signe)

Shirley elected as UCM Secretary

On Wednesday November 12th Sacred Heart hosted the AGM of North Staffordshire Union of Catholic Mothers. Shirley Weatherby from Sacred Heart was elected the Secretary to the Deanery UCM.

More photos can be seen here: http://tinyurl.com/ucmagm

Operation Christmas Child at Hanley

Parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Hanley collected shoeboxes of toys for children, which will be sent to the Crimea and Romania as Christmas Gifts for children who might otherwise receive no presents.

The shoebox appeal is run by Samaritan's Purse (www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk) and involves groups from all over the country who collect toys, toiletries and other small gifts for children in parts of the world which are in extreme poverty at Christmas time.

The is the third year now that Sacred Heart, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent has taken part in the appeal.

Pictured are Tina Natallelo and Shirley Weatherby, members of the Union of Catholic Mothers at Sacred Heart.

More pictures - at higher resolution - are available at http://tinyurl.com/opxchild

Operation Christmas Child at Hanley

Parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Hanley collected shoeboxes of toys for children, which will be sent to the Crimea and Romania as Christmas Gifts for children who might otherwise receive no presents.
The shoebox appeal is run by Samaritan's Purse (www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk) and involves groups from all over the country who collect toys, toiletries and other small gifts for children in parts of the world which are in extreme poverty at Christmas time.
The is the third year now that Sacred Heart, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent has taken part in the appeal.
Pictured are Tina Natallelo and Shirley Weatherby, members of the Union of Catholic Mothers at Sacred Heart.

More pictures - at higher resolution - are available at http://tinyurl.com/opxchild

Operation Christmas Child at Hanley

Parishioners of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Hanley collected shoeboxes of toys for children, which will be sent to the Crimea and Romania as Christmas Gifts for children who might otherwise receive no presents.
The shoebox appeal is run by Samaritan's Purse (www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk) and involves groups from all over the country who collect toys, toiletries and other small gifts for children in parts of the world which are in extreme poverty at Christmas time.
The is the third year now that Sacred Heart, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent has taken part in the appeal.
Pictured are Tina Natallelo and Shirley Weatherby, members of the Union of Catholic Mothers at Sacred Heart.

More pictures - at higher resolution - are available at http://tinyurl.com/opxchild

UCM AGM at Sacred Heart

On Wednesday November 12th Sacred Heart hosted the AGM of North Staffordshire Union of Catholic Mothers. Shirley Weatherby from Sacred Heart was elected the Secretary to the Deanery UCM.

More photos can be seen here: http://tinyurl.com/ucmagm

Social Centre - Bar to reopen.

This weekend (2nd November) the Social Club will agree terms and sign a contract for the Bar in the Centre to be run as a franchise. The bar is likely to reopen in about a fortnight’s time.

Credit Crunch

Fr Peter was interviewed this morning speaking on Radio Stoke about the effect of the Credit Crunch on Churches. You can listen again here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/faith

BBC invite BNP to SOT?

It is reported that the BBC have invited Nick Griffin, leader of the racist BNP, to Stoke on Trent for a recording of the Question Time programme on Thursday 16th October. At present the BBC are not disclosing the location for the recording. http://tinyurl.com/3h6nkx

BNP invite BNP to SOT?

It is reported that the BBC have invited Nick Griffin, leader of the racist BNP, to Stoke on Trent for a recording of the Question Time programme on Thursday 16th October. At present the BBC are not disclosing the location for the recording. http://tinyurl.com/3h6nkx

The Icon of St Paul

Sacred Heart is a minor place of pilgrimage to St Paul over the next
week.  The Diocesan Icon of St Paul is now in the Church. There will be
prayers at Mass each day, and an afternoon of prayer on Saturday
October 11th, beginning after the 12.05pm Mass and ending with
Benediction at 4pm.

Ad multos annos!

Fr Peter celebrates his 50th birthday on Friday. There will be a party (open invitation) in the Parish Hall on Sunday after Mass.

Sister of Bishop McGough dies

Please pray for the soul of margaret Green, sister of Bishop David
McGough who died this weekend.

Fr Peter Weatherby

Sr Rose Confidence's Jubilee

Sr Rose Confidence IHM celebrated the Silver Jubilee of her profession at a Mass on Saturday 26th July at Sacred Heart. The principal celebrant was Bishop David McGough, assisted by Fr Peter Weatherby (parish priest), Fr Nazarius Mgungwe (Birches Head) and Fr Michael Ho (Episcopal Vicar for Religious).

Lourdes documents now available

Tickets and other documents for Lourdes pilgrims are now available (from 25th July 2008). Please collect from Fr Peter. The pilgrimage leaves Church (pick up at corner of Regent Road and Downey Street) at 5am on Monday 4th August.

Blurton Parish closes

The final mass in the Good Shepherd, Blurton, takes place this Sunday 27th July at 11am.