Holy Redeemer Parish Groups

There are over 50 groups working within the Holy Redeemer Parish.   Here we have provided a brief outline of each group. These groups bring a vibrancy and great sense of community to our Parish. The groups and the work they do could not exist without the volunteers who provide their time and energy so freely.

For more information on a group either click on the group name or scroll down this page.

Alternatively, if you would like to download a document with information about all the Parish groups, click here.

Contact details for all parish groups are available from the Parish Office.

Tel: 01.286 8413 (Mon-Fri 9.30am to 12.15pm) or Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Altar Cloths/Linen Group

The celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments is central to our worship and faith.  Therefore, this sacred ministry, which includes the weekly housekeeping of the altar cloths and other linen, is central to our liturgies.  Volunteers for occasional duty are always very welcome.

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Altar Servers

A few adults serve at week-day Masses and the younger members serve at Sunday Masses (every second week) and on special occasions

The altar server team works with the clergy to:

• Organise serving rosters for regular Sunday Masses (rota is on basis of every 2^nd week), and for special occasions like weddings, jubilees, Christmas, Easter, Confirmations and First Communions
• Recruit and train new altar servers
• Clean and take care of the altar robes
• Organise a thank you to the altar servers, such as Easter eggs, selection boxes at Christmas, and bowling in June

New members, adults and altar servers, are always needed. Applicants for altar servers should have celebrated their First Communion.

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Baptism Team

The team assists parents in how to teach their children the fundamentals of our Christian faith. The preparation for the Sacrament of Baptism is intended to help them in that role. A member of the team visits the parents in their home and welcomes the baby into the parish community.

Parents are invited to a meeting where the baptism ceremony is explained through symbols. A Baptism Candle will be presented to the parents at this meeting. The team assists the priest and parents at the baptism ceremony. The Baptismal Certificate and Baptismal Water will be presented to the parents, together with prayer cards for both the parents and godparents at the end of the ceremony.

Baptisms are on the 2^nd and 3^rd Saturdays of the month, at 12 noon.

Three weeks notice is required for booking baptisms

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Bereavement Team

We provide confidential support to people following their Bereavement.

We are trained to listen sensitively and in a non-judgemental manner.

We help to organise the annual November Service of Light (candle-lit Mass).

We are present at the monthly first anniversary Mass to light candles and meet relatives.

First Anniversary Remembrance Mass

On the second Sunday of the month at 12 Noon Mass

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Bray Community Helpers

This is a group of people who visit parishioners who are housebound. Their aim is to ensure that a housebound person receives as many visitors as they require. Visitors bring variety to their lives and news of the community as they visit. Not only do they visit the housebound, but they also do small jobs, e.g. messages, take the housebound to the church, doctor, to visit people in nursing homes etc.  New Members are always welcome. One hour a week of your time is all we need!

Sit with the housebound - unlock their loneliness

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Caterers

A small group which comes together to cater for parish functions and events as needed.  Events include the Good Friday soup kitchen,  the Bereavement Mass , the welcoming of our new clergy and the meeting of Parish Groups.

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Celtic Youth

This is a youth club for 12 – 16 year olds, providing a wide range of activities including outdoor pursuits, weekends away, day trips, art projects, discos, table tennis, sports etc.

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Charismatic Prayer Group

The group meets every Monday at 8.00pm in the Side Chapel, for:

• Songs of Praise and Worship
• Scripture sharing
• Intercessory prayer
• Quiet time with the Blessed Eucharist
• Healing ministry

All are welcome.

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Child Protection Team

The Parish Child Protection Team promotes awareness of and implements the parish child protection policy.  It also facilitates anyone reporting allegations or suspicions of child abuse. Relevant contact numbers are available from the Parish Office and on notice boards around the parish.

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Children's/Family Mass (Sunday @ 10.30am)

The 10.30 Children's/Family Mass started almost twenty years ago. The very first gathering was actually a baby-sitting service for toddlers in a tiny room off the side altar. From this came the idea of having a liturgy of stories and songs for small children to be accompanied by their parents. This used to take place in a small room at the side of the church and the parents and children joined the main congregation around the altar for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Side Chapel Group - Liturgy for small children

Over time, this became so popular that it had to be relocated to the side chapel and every Sunday this liturgy still takes place in conjunction with the 10.30 a.m. Mass.

When the children reached the ages of 7 and 8, it was decided to develop another version of the Mass where they could be more involved themselves. Hence the older children's Mass group started in the Little Flower Hall.

Little Flower Hall Group - Liturgy for children from 2nd class upwards

The Liturgy lasts about 15 minutes in the Little Flower Hall, after which the children and the leaders join the main congregation in the Church. The children sit around in a semi-circle. There is an opening prayer and a welcome is extended to any new members in the group. The gospel - a child-friendly version - is read. This is usually followed by a discussion and activity such as a quiz, puzzle, craft game, drama activity which is related to the Gospel. It finishes with a closing prayer when the children come into the main Church. Generally it is children from this group who read the introduction and reflection in the Church at the 10.30am Family mass each week.

Currently we have 5 leaders, who are all Mums and Dads themselves who wanted their children to experience Sunday Mass in a more child-friendly way. To become a leader in the group you don't have to be a theologian and the Little Flower Hall Group are currently looking for new Leaders. If you would like to volunteer or talk to somebody about volunteering please contact Sheila Jackson on 01.276 1538

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Ceoltoiri

The Ceoltoiri are members of an instrumental group who play at the 9.00 a.m. Sunday Irish Mass.  They also enrich our celebrations of the communal celebration of Penance, Rite II, at Christmas and Easter time.

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Choir for Funerals

The is a group of people who regularly attend 10.00 a.m. weekday Mass. They join together to provide singing at funerals, should the family wish them to do so.

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Folk Group

The 10.30 Folk Group was formed in May, 1997. Our aim is to provide church music which appeals to everybody. Our repertoire consists of modern church music that has catchy melody, encourages participation from all, and is a mixture of both lively and the more spiritual / reflective, catering for all needs and occasions.

Apart from our regular duties each Sunday in Holy Redeemer, the group has had the opportunity to sing on other occasions and in other settings, including:

• Annual confirmation ceremonies, and other special liturgies, in Holy Redeemer.
• Several visits to Mountjoy Prison and the women's prison (Dochas) to play at Sunday Mass.
• Numerous broadcasts on RTE radio and television, including the 50th Jubilee Mass for Accord in 2000, two televised Sunday Mass broadcasts involving congregations from Holy Redeemer, and several radio broadcasts from Glendalough.
• Weddings, baptisms and funerals.
• Carol singing as a fundraising venture for charity.

The group is also proud of its long association with Bray Cancer Support. One of the highlights of our year is the annual BCS Candlelight Service in the Little Flower Hall. This takes place every December and is always a moving and yet uplifting event.

To celebrate its 10^th year, the group performed a concert of popular and inspirational music in Holy Redeemer on November 16^th, 2007. Over 750 people attended, creating a wonderful atmosphere in the church. The venture raised €7,500 for the new Youth Centre. As part of this overall venture, in March 2008 the group launched its first CD, a double disc recording of the anniversary concert.

We meet every Wednesday evening, from 8pm to 9.30pm in the Side Chapel. Our practices are relaxed and informal, with the emphasis on getting enjoyment from what we do.

The group is always open to new members. It is not necessary to be able to read music or play an instrument.

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The 12 Noon Sunday Mass Choir

Formerly the 11.30 Mass choir, we sing on the first Sunday of every month and on Christmas Day, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Our goal is to enhance the liturgy through singing some of the great music of the Church. This spans a thousand years, from Gregorian chant through to 20^th century sacred music.

The choir has made two CDs.

• Bright Seraphim: Sarah Power sings some of the best loved pieces of solo church music. The choir join Sarah on 5 of the 12 tracks.
• Music for Good Friday and Easter Sunday includes the Miserereby Allegri and Widor's famous organ Toccata.

If you have a reasonable voice and can read music, you are welcome to join this choir.

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Senior Choir - 12 Noon Sunday Mass

The Senior Choir sings at the 12.00 Mass on all but the first Sunday of each month. The roots of the Senior Choir in Holy Redeemer parish go back to the late 1940s. The current choir was established in the mid-1960s.

The aim of the Senior Choir is to support the 12.00 Sunday Mass through singing of a more traditional choral repertoire. You would most likely come across much of the choir's repertoire on any compilation CD of best loved hymns'.

Each Christmas, the choir is joined by Niamh Murray, daughter of Ciaran. This maintains an important link with the founder and long-time leader of the choir, as well as affording the congregation an opportunity to hear Niamh sing O Holy Night, one of the all-time Christmas favourites.

The choir rehearses each Monday evening, from 8pm to 9.30pm in the Parish Centre.All that is required is an interest in singing. It is not necessary to be able to read music.

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Youth Choir Group

To get the youth of the parish more interested and involved in the 7.30 p.m. Sunday Mass (school term only).There are over 20 members of the choir including musicians, male & female singers with 2 leaders overseeing all. The age group of the choir is 15 - 25 years.

Practice takes place in the church before Mass. New members are always welcome

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Church Cleaners Group

This group provide a very important service to the community of Holy Redeemer by working to keep the Church clean. The group meet every Wednesday between 10.30 and 11.30am. We are a team who would welcome more members to help us. It's not hard work, and you get great satisfaction to see the Church looking clean.

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Coffee Dock

The Coffee Dock in the Little Flower Hall is open on weekdays after the 10.00am. Mass and also on Sundays after the 10.30am Family Mass from September through to the end of June each year.

It is a place where parishioners can gather and experience community in action. Indeed, some who come after the weekday Masses would say that without the Coffee Dock they could go the whole day without meeting anyone.

On Sunday after the Family Mass parents and their children get an opportunity to socialise and get to know each other.

We are always in need of new helpers to continue the existing service on weekdays and Sundays

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Collectors/Counters Group

We have a team of volunteers who cover the Sunday & Saturday evening vigil Masses. A minimum 4 collectors are needed to cover each Mass.

Two collections are taken up at each Mass. The first collection is to support the priests of the parish, retired priests and priests working in the poor parishes of the diocese. This guarantees that every priest receives the same income. The second collection is for Share and goes to the diocesan office for the development of new parishes and also for the reconstruction of old churches.

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Communications/Outreach Team

We are a sub-group of the Parish Pastoral Council. Our aims are:

• To communicate with parishioners in order to enthuse them to be involved and to enjoy and experience a sense of belonging to Holy Redeemer.
• To ensure that there is a strong communication link between groups working in the parish, local organisations, other parishes in Bray and with the diocesan leadership.
• To keep parishioners informed of the activities and the ethos of Holy Redeemer.
• To consider ways of reaching out and communicating with the wider community and in particular our new international community in Bray.

The main issues we have been working on include:

• Continually looking at how we can improve communications within the parish.
• Building up an awareness of our parish groups, their activities and their services, and developing more interaction between groups.
• Encouraging parishioners to become actively involved in their parish.
• Looking at how we can engage more with our new international community in Bray.
• Updating and redevelopment of the parish website
• Investigating the communication potential of regular newsletters, flyers, newspaper and radio features.

New team members with an interest in communications are always welcome.

Remember What the Communications Team will do over the next number of years will come out of listening to you. We want you to feel involved, when everybody feels involved, well then, as a Parish Community we will have all that we could want!

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Drivers to bring people to Mass

In the rush of today's world, it is often the elderly and infirm who are overlooked. Here, in The Holy Redeemer Parish, we have a team of drivers who bring some of these people to the 10.30 am Mass each Sunday. They currently transport Massgoers from Nursing Homes and private homes.

We are looking for more volunteers. The rota is run on a three-monthly basis, i.e. volunteers would be required to provide transport for one month of Sundays, four times a year.

This is a wonderful service to be able to offer our parishioners who do not have their own means of transport, and one that is very much appreciated by them.

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Faith Sharing Retreat Group

The Faith Sharing Retreat Group engages in spiritual exercises, group discussions, prayer and ritual. They meet every Thursday in the Parish Centre from 11a.m. – 12 noon.

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Finance Committee

The function of this committee is the management of parish finances.

It keeps a watchful eye on expenses incurred in the maintenance of the buildings, structural repairs, and all work pertaining to heating installations, phone systems, redecorating, etc.

Each year all the finances of the parish in respect of income and expenditure are audited and presented to the Diocesan Office for inspection. The building of a Youth Centre was sanctioned by this committee and work is now well under way. Another project sanctioned by the Finance Committee was the recent extension and redecoration of The Little Flower Hall.

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Flower Group

We endeavour to decorate the church with floral displays to enhance our liturgies, especially on special occasions, such as:

• Christmas
• Weddings
• Easter, including the Easter Garden
• Advent
• Millennium Flower Festival
• Fr. John O'Connell's 50^th Anniversary

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Greeting Ministry

In February 2007, Greeting Ministry was introduced to our parish for the 10.30 am Sunday Mass with the intention of introducing it to all week-end Masses..

Greeting Ministers stand at the doors of the church handing out missalettes and greeting parishioners with a friendly smile. The idea is that everyone, young and old, friend and stranger, should be greeted at the Church doors with a warm smile and maybe a few words. We are aware that many people who attend Holy Redeemer may be new to the town or the Church, and we feel it is very important that they be made feel welcome.

There was such a good response to the introduction of this ministry that we extended it to the 12 Noon Sunday Mass in early 2008 and hope to extend it to other Masses in the near future. To do this, of course, we will need more people to become involved.

We would very much welcome volunteers for this ministry.

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Knights of St. Columbanus

The Knights of St. Columbanus work to:

• To promote by personal and group action the extension of practical Christianity in all phases of life
• To honour the Faith
• To maintain a fraternal society of Catholic lay leadership
• To prepare its members for the Apostolate

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Legion of Mary

The Legion of Mary is a lay apostolic organisation founded in Dublin 1921 by Frank Duff. Today it is one of the largest groups working in the church, with over 3 million active members, and 7 million auxiliary members worldwide. The first Praesidium in Bray opened in Holy Redeemer parish in 1939.

Each weekend approximately 100 Catholic papers are sold at Holy Redeemer. Also available with the Catholic papers are various publications, such as, Bible Alive and the Messenger. Alternative Mass Cards and even tickets for the occasional concert are also sold.

The Legion of Mary also:

• Visit the sick, the aged and the lonely, in hospitals or their homes.
• Circulate Catholic newspapers and magazines.
• Do lay missionary work abroad during holidays.
• Help run discussion groups.
• Promote religion in the home.
• Promote public recitation of the rosary.
• Send local newsletters to emigrants.
• Visit the Sick and Elderly in our area and hospitals each week.

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Ministers of the Eucharist

Holy Redeemer Parish, under the guidance of Parish Priest Fr. John O'Connell, was one of the first parishes in Ireland to introduce lay Ministers of the Eucharist in the 1970s.

Lay Ministers of the Eucharist help to distribute communion under both species (bread and wine) at Masses. They also bring the Eucharist to Nursing Homes, and to house-bound parishioners, after the 10.30am Family Mass. At present there are approximately 175 ministers.

Ministers are usually scheduled for duty on one month in three. Every effort is made to ensure that people are assigned to the Mass that they normally attend.

People who wish to participate without receiving the Eucharist, or young children who have not yet received their First Communion, can approach any priest or minister with arms crossed over their breast to receive a blessing.

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Ministers of the Word

This is a group of people who read the Readings and Prayers of the Faithful at Masses. Ministers are usually scheduled for duty on one month in three. Every effort is made to ensure that people are assigned to the Mass that they normally attend.

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Parish Pastoral Council

The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC), which was formerly known as the Parish Management Group (PMG)), is a team comprising clergy and laity who, in a spirit of partnership, exercise the overall care and responsibility for the well-being and future development of the parish community of Holy Redeemer, Bray.

The PPC undertakes its work in a spirit of service to the parish community and in a spirit of dialogue with the various parish groups. In the way in which it goes about its work, the PPC seeks to embody how we are all meant to relate and function as members of the Body of Christ.

The parish vision statement is "Holy Redeemer parish a faith community taking responsibility for the future." this is the reference point for all the work of the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC). The ultimate aim of the PPC is to encourage the members of the Holy Redeemer faith community in their baptism calling and giftedness. It strives to enable the involvement of all parishioners in the care of their own parish community and in the implementation of the parish mission.

The PPC has three roles:

• Firstly, it has a strategic role of planning for the future of the parish.
• Secondly, it has the role of co-ordinating parish activities and seeing that plans and policies are implemented.
• Thirdly, it takes care to ensure that the necessary resources are identified to meet the needs of the parish.

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Pioneer Total Abstinence Association

To promote temperance and sobriety. Based on love of the Sacred Heart of our Lord and concern for those with a drink problem, the Pioneer Association is comprised of four sections:

Pioneers

People over 16 years who undertake to abstain for life from all alcoholic drink.

Probationers

People over 12 years who undertake to abstain from alcoholic drink until they apply for pioneer membership.

Juveniles

Children of 10 years or over who with parents consent undertake to abstain from alcoholic drink until at least 18/21 years of age.

R.A.Y. Members

Teenagers who undertake to abstain from alcoholic drink until they are 18/21 years of age.

There is also a special section for those who wish to take a temporary pledge for a period of their choice.

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Rainbows Group

RAINBOWS FOR ALL GOD'S CHILDREN

This is a programme for children who have lost a parent through death or separation. A peer group of not more than 5 meets once a week for 12 weeks with a trained facilitator.

Children are helped to:

• Verbalise their feelings
• Build up a strong sense of self-esteem
• Dispel their guilt and anger
• Rise out of their depression

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Scripture Group

The Scripture group sometimes referred to as the Lectio Divina group meets every Tuesday morning in the parish.

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Support Group for families affected by Suicide

A support group to help families who have been affected by suicide meets from 8pm to 10pm on the 1^st Monday of each Month in the Royal Hotel, Main St. Bray. This group has been the source of comfort to so many families. All are welcome.

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Sacramental Preparation

The Parish Pastoral worker, parents, schools and parish teams are involved in preparing children for First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

A common misconception is that theses sacraments happen on a single day. First Communion and Confirmation days in fact are the culmination of a year-long preparation programme. They are both steps on a faith journey that lasts for life. They are special occasions not only in the life of family and young people but also in the parish year.

Any parents wishing to be involved in the sacramental preparation teams or faith friends team during their child's First Communion or Confirmation programme, should contact the Parish Office.

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Sacristans

Our work is very varied and enjoyable. Our duties include the following:

• opening and closing the church each day
• preparing the altar for Masses, Baptisms, and Weddings
• stocking the shrines with candles and removing the offerings' money daily
• ordering and maintaining stocks of hosts, altar wines, and the many other items which are used throughout the year
• maintaining records of Baptisms, Confirmations, and Weddings, and issuing certificates as required
• booking in Masses for those who have died recently, month's minds and anniversaries

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Saint Vincent de Paul - Senior Conference

The aim of St.Vincent de Paul (Senior Conference) is to help individuals through difficulties in their lives. Our work includes:

• Home/Nursing Home visits
• Financial assistance to needy
• Advice and referrals to other agencies (Mabs, CWO etc)
• Holidays for elderly
• Sunshine Home holidays
• Shop (Vincents)
• Give support - education needs, travellers, refugee and asylum seekers, homeless

Weekly meetings are held each Tuesday at 8pm at the Holy Redeemer Parish Centre, Herbert Road, Bray

You can help by joining our conference and by assisting at monthly church gate collections

Contact

• Confidential phone line : 087 972 4668
• Written requests can be placed in SVP box in Holy Redeemer Church

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Separated People Support Group

The separated support group is a service for people who are experiencing loss and pain through separation and divorce.

The aim of this group is to support people, in a trusting environment, enabling them to work through their grief and deal with their feelings.

The group meets the 1^st Friday each month at 8pm sharp in the Holy Redeemer Parish Centre

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Silver Circle Holy Redeemer

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Tuesday Team

This team comprises clergy and lay people and meets every second Monday.

To plan the day-to-day running of the Parish. While we work our way through the church year, always looking for special occasions with which to supplement our liturgies, our agenda also covers items as diverse as:

• the problems of parking
• how to integrate our non-national' parishioners
• the maintenance of the Parish Centre and Little Flower Hall
• the development of the sacred space for funerals
• and much more

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Twinning Team Holy Redeemer -Ikanga

Holy Redeemer was twinned with the parish of Ikanga, Kenya in 1982. From the beginning, a partnership was envisaged in which both parishes would contribute to the life of each other. For us, among other things, it represents a missionary outreach - a challenge to live our Christian lives more fully. For them, it represents an opportunity for development. In recent times, the emphasis has been on education, because there is no state aid in Ikanga. Annually, large amounts are raised in Holy Redeemer for Ikanga through the sale of alternative Mass cards (whereby you offer your own Mass for a particular intention), through the annual envelope collection, sale of Christmas cards and shamrock and through the efforts of the pupils of St Cronan's and St. Patrick's schools.

Help and support are always needed.

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Youth Centre Team

Our new Youth Centre is due to open in early 2009. This will provide an invaluable community-based service to the youth in Bray.

Volunteers with a professional qualification, training and /or interest in community youth training & involvement would be most welcome to assist our youth team.

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