PARISH COUNCIL NEWS & MESSAGES – SEPTEMBER 2022The Parish Council met over the Summer, in July and August 2022, to discuss the organisation of an event to mark the Feast of the our Parish of the Holy Cross in September as well as some other issues which were raised by members.

For the Feast of the Holy Cross, it was decided that instead of having a disco night with catering to celebrate on a Saturday evening (like we did before the pandemic in 2019), we will have a Parish Lunch which would be organised on the Sunday preceding the feast, on 11 September 2022, starting at 1pm at the Parish Gardens with entertainment, presentations, dances, music and songs. 

The Parish Lunch will also be an occasion to warmly welcome and to also greet, thank and say farewell to our priests who are moving at this time to and from the Holy Cross.  We thank, greet and pray for our Patriarchal Vicar Fr Jerzy Kraj, our Parish Priest Father Andrew Arhin, as well as to our newly appointed Patriarchal Vicar Father Bruno Varriano, our new Parish Priest Father Theodorus Beta Herdistyan and Father Gabriel Vormawah who is returning to serve at the Holy Cross after many years.

We are delighted too, that Father Zacheusz Dulniok remains with us at the Holy Cross, now also appointed as the Guardian of the Fraternity in Cyprus, as well as the General Director of Terra Santa College.

For the entertainment, there will be a programme of 5 minute presentations and for the lunch the food will be provided by the many different parish groups, communities and parishioners who would like to contribute in this respect – see also separate announcement for the Parish Lunch. 

It was noted that the Parish Lunch and entertainment on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Cross on 11 September 2022 at 1pm, would of course be subject to protective measures and any pandemic restrictions which may apply on the specific date.

The Parish Council also discussed briefly the enrichment of our website of the Holy Cross with more standing information which would be helpful and planned to work on this issue in the Autumn.

It was also mentioned that the Holy Cross YouTube channel sound strength during live broadcasts of the liturgies, which has been weak more recently, needs to be improved the soonest.

We pray that the Lord may bless each one of us, our priests and religious and our Parish of the Holy Cross we celebrate this month and that we may trust Him above all else in our lives and experience the power of His mercy acting in us and around us always!