Caring for those in need
Parish Welfare Officers
The parish employs a part-time Welfare Team who work in the name of the parish to bring practical help and support to the needy people of our town. A message can be left on the answer-phone from anyone with a special need of help e.g. food. The welfare team come from a variety of backgrounds and have many complementary skills and experience. They help support the elderly and disabled and housebound families, (not always “one parent”) who are facing difficult times and especially their children. They support people recently released from prison, hospital or psychiatric care and those who simply find it difficult to meet the requirements of the twenty first century. They work closely with the SVP Conference on whom they rely for advice, support and funds. They are often contacted by local social workers in the knowledge that our parish and team is happy to try to extend their care to anyone in need in the local community.St. Vincent de Paul
The conference at St Augustine’s consists of 12 full-time members and 10 auxiliary members. As a group they offer prayer, friendship and regular visiting, as well as practical and financial help. Their aim is to befriend all those in need in our community, regardless of their position in life or religion. Visits are made to families, the sick and lonely elderly people in their own homes, nursing homes and hospitals. Families and individuals are given food, furniture, domestic appliances, clothing, fuel grants and financial help. Assistance was given to the unemployed and those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction.
Our group meets every fortnight, and new members are very welcome. Leave your name and number at the parish office.
To emphasise the universality of the Society and be a witness of Christian charity in action, St. Augustine’s SVP also supports two twinned SVP groups in Southern India; they have also paid for a buffalo in another community. They regularly contribute to a central Disaster Fund, available to make an immediate donation to the SVP in any country where an emergency or disaster occurs.
Sheltering the Homeless
For some time now the local Councils, agencies concerned for the homeless and the churches have been exploring ways to cater for the many homeless people in Tunbridge Wells. Some have serious problems with alcohol and drugs. Others do not usually have such problems, and simply need a bed for a night or two before they move on elsewhere. For the latter group of people, Christians Together in Tunbridge Wells for many years provided a hostel called ‘Nightstop’ at which they could stay for a few nights St Augustine’s was one of the main sponsoring bodies. .N.B. Nightstop is no longer a direct access hostel. We are now supporting the new hostel, which provides both, long-term, and emergency places i.e. Colebrook House. (There is a waiting list).The Soup Bowl
is at 31 Crescent Road, just along from St Augustine’s Church, and is open every afternoon, including weekends, from 4.30-5.30 in order to provide soup and sandwiches to the hungry and homeless in our town. The property is leased to us free by the Borough Council, and the parish employs two part-time managers to run the project. We rely on a noble band of volunteers from St Augustine’s and other churches, most of whom help once every three weeks to provide this vital service for the needy. If you would like to help in this way (often quite difficult), and are happy to arrive at about 4.00 and clear up after the clients leave, then contact the Office on 01892 522 525 Tins, jars, packets and cheese.
In the church porch at St Augustine’s there is a special basket marked ‘Soup Bowl’ and ‘SVP’. Each Sunday, but also on other days of the week, parishioners drop in tins of food, packs of cheese and sugar, jars of coffee, and other items which can be used in the ‘Soup Bowl’, given out at the door of the Priests’ House to those many who call, or taken round to people’s homes by our Welfare Team and SVP.Particularly welcome are tins of corned beef (easily opened by the homeless), tuna, cooked meats and cheese (for ‘Soup Bowl’ sandwiches), soup (especially thick vegetable soup), tinned vegetables and fruit, and coffee and sugar. Any non-perishable foods, which can be easily cooked by needy families, are very welcome.
On ‘Tins Sunday’ each year in October, we have our special brand of Harvest Festival, with hundreds of tins brought to church and laid before the altar before Mass and by the children at the Offertory, and hundreds more brought in from Harvest Services at local schools. This helps to keep us going for the year.
Christmas Dinner for the Needy and Lonely
Each year on Christmas Day, our parish provides a Christmas Dinner for anyone in our town who needs it - the homeless, the lonely, the needy. Each year we ask for volunteers to help with transport to and from the dinner, with catering and serving, preparing and clearing up. For the helpers it is not a chore, but a privilege and a joy to make people happy on Christmas Day.This is currently held at the Age Concern Hall in Wood Street off Camden Road.
St. Augustine's Justice and Peace
"A passion for justice, a desire for peace, a concern for creation are essential to the living out of the Gospel. They are not optional extras but a way of life. Work for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation differs from charitable action in that it questions and confronts the causes of injustice as well as treating the victims of injustice." (Columban Mission "Vocation for Justice")We must start by asking ourselves how we can meet the challenge issued by Christ when he responded to those asking "When did we see you hungry, thirsty, a stranger, naked, sick or in prison?"
This page provides information about justice and peace activities in our parish. There are also links: Help and Advice and Links to diocesan and national and international sites. If you are interested in being one of the millions of people working for justice and peace in our world, why not join or support our group in some way.
The Justice and Peace Group
The mission of our group is to promote activities in support of justice and peace and in particular to support the Parish in fulfilling the commitment we entered into in 1997, under the heading "New Covenant with the Poor"- to place the poor at home and abroad at the heart of our prayer and liturgical celebrations.
- to maintain and develop our practical support for the poor and needy, and the homeless of our locality.
- to support local, national and international charities and causes through our Outreach collections.
- to continue our commitment to the CAFOD "Working in Partnership" project in Cambodia, and to deepen communion with out twin parish in Kompong Thom.
- to campaign and pray for prisoners of conscience and those suffering torture.
Among activities in support of this mission the group:-
- offers talks by speakers active in justice and peace fields, and shows relevant films.
- promotes Fair Trade through a sale of goods every six weeks.
- supports campaigns on justice and peace issues through prayer, the signing of petitions and letters to Government Ministers, MPs, and other parties.
- studies and promotes the Church's social teaching.
- circulates among members information from CAFOD, Progressio, the National Justice & Peace Office and local offices, Pax Christie, Church Action on Poverty and other organisations.
Since 1997 there has been a growing awareness that concern for creation and the world in which we live is a Christian duty, because global warming and the degradation of the environment affect the poorest people first of all and above all. For this reason we now work for justice and peace and "the integrity of creation".
Live Simply
In 2007 CAFOD and other Catholic organisations launched the Live Simply Campaign, calling on us to look hard at our lifestyles, and to choose to live simply, sustainably and in solidarity with the poor. It is about identifying what we need rather than grasping for more – sharing rather than hoarding. We should share with those in need what we save by making sacrifices during Lent, by having a Family Fast Day every Friday or in any other way.
Fairtrade
In 2007 the Parish was awarded "Fairtrade" status. We are committed to using fair trade tea and coffee at all our events and to promoting the use of fair trade products. We hold regular sales to raise awareness of these products and to demonstrate our solidarity with the producers. We also support Tradecraft.
Catholic Social Teaching
Apart from the links to websites covering justice and peace topics (see links page), one site is particularly recommended:-
www.catholicsocialteaching.org.uk
It is designed to help schools and parishes deepen their understanding of the Church's teaching, and focuses on human dignity, community and participation, care for creation, life and work, peace and solidarity.
For access to the social encyclicals, The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, and other documents visit the National Justice & Peace website:-
www.justice-and-peace.org.uk