Thank you to all those who stayed for the parish meeting after the 9:00am Mass at English Martyrs last Sunday. It was good to be able to talk about plans for enlarging our parish room and the benefits that will bring to the parish, and also to think about the financial implications of the project.

The positive reception of the project means that we can now continue with the next steps in making it a reality.

George O’Neill will speak briefly at the end of Mass this week about the finances, particularly for those who were not at the meeting last Sunday.

Work at Saint Augustine’s about possible proposals for changing the entrance to the church are still ongoing. A number of possible options should soon be available for further parish discussion.

While realising that the Church is the people rather that buildings, it is good for us to reflect that our church buildings are both a home for our communities and a witness to the world of who we are and what we believe.

We need to do what we can to ensure that they are welcoming places, which are also help us with our aim of deepening prayer, enabling communion and strengthening mission.

In October we celebrate the Solemnity of the Anniversary of the Dedication of our Churches (Saint Augustine’s on 16th October and English Martyrs on 28th October), and it is good for us to give thanks to God for our parishes and commit ourselves afresh to being the people of God in these places and at this time.

We celebrate Education Sunday this weekend, and this has an particular importance this year when we are celebrating the Year of Catholic Education, launched when the Holy Father was at the Big Assembly last September and running until this October.

Bishop Declan has issued a Pastoral Letter which is being read at all Masses in our Diocese. Copies are also available near the entrance to our churches. The letter can also be read or listened to on our Diocesan website.

We are fortunate that our parishes are served by two excellent schools: Saint Peter’s Primary School and Saint Peter’s High School.

Six pupils from our Primary School were recently interviewed by our Diocesan Communications Officer,Tom Bigwood, for a podcast celebrating this year of Catholic education. The children spoke very well.This podcast is due to go live on our Diocesan website this Monday 21st February – to hear the children speaking about Saint Peter and our school, please look at the website, or the mp3 file can be accessed directly here.

The report from the recent Ofsted inspection at the primary school was released this week. You will be pleased to know that the school has been judged to be a good school with outstanding elements. These include the exceptional ambition, drive and commitment of school leaders and staff and the outstanding care, guidance and support given to pupils.

Further information about our schools can be found on their websites: www.st-petershigh.gloucs.sch.uk (for Saint Peter's High School) ; and www.st-peters-pri.gloucs.sch.uk (for Saint Peter's Primary School).