The Mothers Union Diocesan Council meeting held in Kilkenny College (by kind invitation) was well attended. Our Diocesan President coming to the end of her term as Diocesan President reflected on her three years to keep alive the spirit of the M.U. in every member and Branch and to uphold the five Objectives and she reminded us of our mission statement to promote the well-being of families worldwide
- by developing prayer and spiritual growth in families
- by studying and reflecting on family life and marriages and their place in society
- by resourcing our members to take practical action to improve conditions for families both nationally and in the communities in which they live
As we approach the Christmas season Lesley Sandes reminded us of our commitment to the Midlands Prison Visitors’ Centre. Each year part of our donations to S.C.I.P have been used to help purchase Christmas presents for the children who visit.
Tributes were paid to Margaret Stephens who comes to the end of her six year term as elected member of M.S.H. also to Betty Rothwell who was our Diocesan Treasurer for 11 years.
Our outgoing President, Hazel, announced that our new Diocesan President from 1st January 2007 will be Mrs. Phyllis Grothier.
Mrs. Joan Dier thanked our Diocesan President for all that she had done for the Mothers Union during her three year term. She said that Hazel was an excellent leader, worked hard, travelled near and far answering God’s call in the name of the Mothers Union.
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SCIP
Support for Children and families affected by ImPrisonment.
For the past four years now we have been supporting the Midland Prison Visitor Centre in various practical ways. The centre is now a much more welcoming place having been redecorated, with our help and being now much better stocked with toys and items of interest to children and adults. The high chair we donated is in regular use as are the small work table and chairs for the crech area. The fish tank, a gift from the MU, is presently occupied by three goldfish which are of great interest to the children. Each year part of your donations to SCIP have been used to help purchase Christmas presents for the children. The staff and volenteers at the centre are very appreciative of your generousity.
A year ago I was asked to join the small team who visit the prisoners on a monthly basis. Each Monday a different wing of the prison is visited by a different team of people. At least two people must be on a team, preferably four. We sit or stand in a very bare room and any prisoner is welcome to come along and talk to us. Some want to talk about themselves, others about their family, one man wanted to tell us all about his little baby daughter, whome he had never seen, as she had been born prematurely and could not travel and she was now facing surgery! We have seen some excellent craft work done by the prisoners. Many of the prisoners are learning challenged with literacy and numeracy problems, many of them hope and intend to make a fresh start when their time is done, others seem to have very little conscience about their life of crime and only see themselves returning with a further sentence. Prisoners refer to themselves as "an honest criminal" if their crime has not involved violence. For me the most difficult thing about visiting is hearing what is said to me, the room being so empty echoes a lot and some of the men's accents are not easy to catch. The prison visiting teams are currently quite short of volenteers, both men and women, if you feel you might be interested in undertaking this work please contact me at 0876381199.
Lesley Sandes.
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LEIGHLIN GROUP
INDOOR MEMBERS TEA PARTY
SEVEN OAKS HOTEL, CARLOW
Tuesday 5th December 2006
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
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Diocesan Tour 30th April to 4th May 2007.
Diocesan Tour Re-union Lunch Tuesday, 6th February 2007 in the Ormonde Hotel, Kilkenny.
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