Groups

Hope03 was established, to support, by means of direct financial assistance, any Charitable project in any part of the world but especially in Ireland for the relief of poverty, sickness, the support of the young, the aged or disabled.

29th Belfast Scout Group is based in Carryduff and is affiliated to Scouting Ireland. Scouting Ireland is a multi-denominational, co-educational youth association whose stated aim is to encourage the development of young people through:

• Use of the outdoors
• Working in small groups
• Learning by doing
• Commitment to a set of values

Website: http://www.29thbelfastscoutgroup.btik.com/Home

For more information contact Joe McGrady.

St. Joseph’s Parish Centre has 3 full sized badminton courts and the badminton club is open to anyone over the age of 18 who wants to keep fit in a relaxed atmosphere. Members of the club play on Monday evenings between 8.30 p.m. and 10.30 p.m. in the Hall. There is no joining fee but a nightly fee, if playing. Players are expected to wear appropriate footwear and provide their own rackets.

For more information contact Patsy Fitzpatrick.

Tel: (028) 9081 2640

This support group talk about the road we are on regarding family bereavement. They meet every 2nd Saturday of the month after 10 am Mass in the conference room in the church.

You can find out more details from Gerry 02890705245

Everyone is very welcome.

Carryduff Gaelic Athletic Club was founded over 30 years ago and plays in the Down Leagues. The pitch is beside the church with access at the top of the church car park. The club aims to develop young people through the playing of gaelic games. Anyone who lives in the parish can play for the club. Both experienced and novice players are welcome.

If you would like any further information visit the Club website, http://www.carryduffgac.com

Established in the Parish of Drumbo & Carryduff in 2004, this new group aims to organise activities, courses, outings, volunteering opportunities, and events of interest to those who are active and those who are less so.

For more information contact Maura Finnegan

The Divine Mercy Prayer Group meet on the First Friday of each month at 6.45pm in the St. Mochumma room to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet. After 7.30pm mass a first class relic of St. Faustina is available for individual blessings.

For more information contact John Dillon.

Apostolic Workers meet in the small conference room in the Church on the first Monday of each month at 8.00 p.m.

The Drumbo Apostolic Society is part of a Diocesan wide organisation. The members of the Society raise funds to help support missionary priests, religious sisters and lay people working in the Developing World. Various fund raising events happen throughout the year e.g. cake sales and an Apostolic Whist drive is held on the first Tuesday of every month in the Parish Hall.

The Society, which has been in operation for 23 years, exists to promote the playing of golf by members living within the Four Winds / Carryduff area. New members, both ladies and gents, are always welcome.

The standard of golf varies from keen club members to regular society golfers who only play a few times per year.

A golf outing is held once a month from March to October with the first outing of the year traditionally being on St. Patrick’s Day. The final outing of the year is our charity outing and in previous years we have been able to raise large sums for local charities.

For more information contact Kevin Coyle on  Tel: (078) 1751 5933 or visit the society website.

Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion were first commissioned in the Parish in 1980. They assist the clergy in the distribution of Holy Communion at Mass on Sundays and Holy days and when necessary at weddings, funerals and weekday Masses. They assist the priest so as the celebration of the Mass may not be unduly prolonged. They also bring communion to the sick and housebound in the parish. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion receive ongoing spiritual, theological, and practical preparation to fulfil their role with knowledge and reverence.

For more information contact Ita Toner.

The Guild is tasked with maintaining the Church and the Church Altar in a state suitable for the celebration of Mass. The Guild members are established into teams and each week, on a rota basis, one of the teams cleans the Church. Other members are responsible for the provision and arrangement of altar flowers and maintenance of altar linens. New members are very welcome. For more information contact Libby Woods on (028) 9081 3533.

The Drumbo and Carryduff council of the Knights of St. Columbanus were inaugurated in the Parish on 25th March 2003. One of the main objectives of the local council is to assist the priests of the parish and the local community by developing and seeing through to fruition worthwhile projects.

Some of the present and completed projects include – purchasing of a portable Public Address system for the Parish, installation of seats in the cemetery, development of job search programme to assist our youth in preparation for job interview skill techniques, creation of Drugs and Alcohol awareness programme, and helping develop Welcome Ministry in the parish.

Website: http://www.ck29.org/

“The lector is instituted to proclaim the readings from Sacred Scripture, with the exception of the gospel reading. They may also announce the intentions for the General Intercessions and, in the absence of the psalmist, sing or read the psalm between the readings. In the celebration of the Eucharist, the lector has specific duties which they alone ought to perform, even though ordained ministers may be present.” (cf GIRM 99)

A Minister of the Word reads approximately once a month at Mass. In preparation they study the appropriate passages of scripture, trying to understand the messages contained therein to proclaim it clearly to the congregation.

Readers meet a number of times during the year to receive ongoing training in proclaiming the Word of God.

For more information contact Harry McEvoy.

The purpose of the Church Choirs is to enhance and enrich the celebration of the Mass. The Choirs also participate in the celebration of other Church activities.

There are 3 Choirs within the Church:

• The Senior Choir which participates in the 10.30am Mass each Sunday and practices on Wednesday evenings at 8pm in the Church. The organist and Choir Master is Raymond Lennon.
• The Folk Group which participates in the 6pm Mass each Saturday evening and practices on Monday evenings at 8pm in the Church. The leader of the Folk Group is Anne Turner.
• The Cantoiri Choir which participates in the 12.00 noon Mass each Sunday

and practices on Tuesday evenings at 8pm in the Church. The leader of the Cantoiri Choir is Joanne McCourt

Both the folk group and Cantoiri Choir are accompanied by instrumentalists.

If you are interested in joining any of the Choirs please contact a member of the Choir after the relevant Mass or go along to their practice evening

This committee is tasked with advising the parish priest on ways of improving communication to parishioners and with researching those areas of parish life currently lacking adequate information and/or where additional communication would be beneficial.

They also produce the parish year book that is published each year around Christmas time.

For more information contact Jackie Divine.

The Parish Youth Club meet every Friday evening in the parish centre.

For more information contact Peggy Stronge.

The membership of the Pastoral Council is representative of the whole Parish. The members work closely with the Parish Team to identify and address the spiritual, social and community needs of the Parish.

Chairperson: Gerry Cassidy

The PTA focuses on prayer and sacrifices as an effective means of helping addicts escape from slavery to alcohol and, more commonly in recent years, to drugs. Such addictions tend to create disharmony in the home and have the potential to destabilise marriage and family life.

Pioneers are motivated by love and compassion for those suffering with addictions. Apart from its benefits to the individual member, membership of the Association offers one solidarity with those concerned, or affected by, the problems of addiction in our society.

The Rules of the Association are simple:

abstain from alcoholic drink;

wear the Pioneer emblem; and

recite, twice daily, the Pioneer prayer.

The Drumbo and Carryduff Council of the PTA invites applications for permanent and temporary pledges and these are normally made available during Lent and Advent.

For more information contact Stuart Baxter.

This is a parish and inter-church Club with between 16 to 20 playing members. The Club meets in St. Joseph Hall on Tuesday evenings from 8 p.m. to10 p.m. Competitions are played throughout the season with neighbouring church bowling clubs. New members are always welcome.

For more information contact Raymond McConvey

St. Joseph’s Young Priests Society a society of lay people who pray and work to foster and support vocations to the priesthood and religious life. Meets monthly on the 3rd Thursday in Conference Room of Church.

For more information contact Jean Clarke

Tel: (028) 9081 2312

The Bridge Club provides a friendly and welcoming atmosphere where both members and non members may meet to play Bridge and to promote development of the game. The Club has a thriving membership from a wide geographical area within Down and Antrim.

The members and guests play every Sunday in St. Joseph’s Parish Hall from 7.30 p.m. completing by 10.30 p.m. A beginners class will be provided subject to demand.

Website – http://www.bridgewebs.com/stjosephs/

For more information contact  Seamus Sloan

Information on St. Joseph’s Parent and Toddler Group

The St. Vincent de Paul Society is a Catholic lay organization providing emergency help to those in need. The local conference provides practical help and support to those in need across the community in the general Carryduff area. Members regularly visit patients at Knockbracken Health Trust at Purdysburn and assist at a number of the patients’ social events throughout the year. In addition, frequent visits are made to local retirement homes.

Each Christmas a popular festive evening, with dinner and entertainment, is provided for the elderly of the parish. Bus excursions are organised during the summer months. Holidays at Clare Lodge Newcastle, a St. Vincent de Paul seafront house are sponsored for the elderly residents of the parish

The St. Vincent Thrift Shop on the Ormeau Road is supported by the Carryduff conference together with it’s sister conferences in the South and East Belfast Area. We also provide support to a house used as a homeless shelter for short- term occupancy.

The members meet in the church conference room each Monday night at 8.00pm. We are keen to recruit new members.

Anyone interested in becoming a member will receive a warm welcome any Monday night.