December Newsletter now available
I am delighted to be writing to you as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. We prepare for Christmas with the attitudes of Elizabeth and Mary. Like Elizabeth we are open to receive Christ with wonder and joy. Like Mary we are ready to do the will of God as it is made clear to us. in these final days of Advent we wait in patient hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
As the CGA looks forward to the Feast of the Nativity and the New Year, we do so with great hope and in thanks for another wonderful year of our ministry to Grandparents. It has been a year that has seen us celebrate the first ever World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. It has also been a year that has seen extraordinary fruits grow from our Grandparents’ Faith Café and our Grandparents’ Pilgrimages.
We are very grateful to everyone who has played a part in bringing us through another year of the Covid-19 pandemic. I am very conscious that there are many empty chairs at tables this Christmas Day. There are many families grieving the loss of a loved one. There are many families who will have someone ill in hospital at Christmas and there will be Grandparents who once again are unable to see their grandchildren over Christmas. We are with all of you in spirit and will keep you in our thoughts and prayers.
As we celebrate Christmas and prepare to enter into a new year we do so with hope and with a certain sense of positivity. Please see below the December issue.
CGA NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2021 (1)
Please see some brief notices below:
January Ministry Resource
Our one page ministry resource for January is now available on our website. We encourage you to download this resource which offers some tips for CGA meeting discussions and some other useful resources.
Diploma in Catechetics – we want to sponsor a Grandparent
We are delighted to share information on a fantastic Diploma in Catechetics hosted by the Archdiocese of Edinburgh and Saint Andrews in Scotland which is open for applications now for 2022.
The course is delivered online via Zoom and can be audited out of interest or to receive a diploma at the end. It takes place each Thursday over Zoom but if you can’t make the online lecture then a back up video is made available for you to watch.
Full details on the course are available on our website and social media pages.
The CGA is also delighted to announce that we are going to sponsor a Grandparent in our network to do this course next year. If you would like to apply to be considered for sponsorship please email us with your details and also tell us why you would like to do this course (in no more than two – three sentences).
The closing date for receipt of applicants is 31 December. We look forward to hearing from you. Please note we can only consider you if you drop us an email.
Ministry Seminar and Amoris Laetitia Seminar
Looking forward to 2022 it promises to be another busy year for the CGA. We are planning our next Ministry Seminar in the first quarter of next year and we are also looking at an event to mark the Amoris Laetitia Family Year. 2022 is also the year of the 10th World Meeting of Families which is going to take place in Rome and online. We are very much looking forward to being part of the preparations for WMOF2022. We can also look forward to the second celebration of the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly which will be celebrated on Sunday 24 July. We will have lots of resources available for parishes and ministry groups.
Make a donation
The CGA is looking for your help so as we can continue our vital ministry of evangelisation and support of Grandparents in their faith. We are asking for a donation so as we can continue to plan events and resource you with materials into 2022 and beyond.
There are many ways you can support us: You can use Paypal, request our bank details for a bank transfer or send us a cheque. Please email us and we will make sure that you can send us a donation in the cost convenient way for you.
Thank you in advance and Happy Christmas!
ENDS