Community
Celebrating Liturgy
Altar Linen
While we are very much a ‘ parish group’ we do not meet as a social group .This group would suit someone who ‘wants to do something’ but doesn’t require a strong commitment, just collect, wash, press and return once every six weeks. Most people on the rota are quite happy to swap to accommodate holidays etc . There are both men and women on the rota so all are welcome.
Contact: Church Office 0161 483 3476
Altar Servers
There is a wonderful tradition of Altar Service at St. Peter’s and the current team do an excellent job. They are a great asset to the liturgical life of the Parish and play a vital role on Sundays and Holy Days. New members are always welcome, once a child (boy or girl) has made their First Holy Communion they are eligible to join the team after attending a training session. You will notice some of our Servers wearing medals. This is because they have been enrolled into the Guild of St. Stephen, the patron of Servers.
Contact: Fr Peter 0161 483 3476
Church Cleaners
What a lot of sticky fingers we bring to Church! Never mind. Just as long as we can keep the cleaning team rotas beavering away, unseen and largely unsung by most of us, we’ll still be slithering off our benches come next Sunday. Hard work, but go at your own pace. It keeps you fit and is a wonderful niche for any parishioners who think ‘I’d just like to do something practical to help.’ Male and female help useful, especially around Christmas and Easter times.
Contact: Margaret King 0161 483 4584
Eucharistic Ministers
We need approximately 60 parishioners to carry out this vital ministry on rota. Because of its central part in the Mass, ministers renew their commitment periodically. In addition, some ministers volunteer to take the Eucharist to housebound parishioners. We are always pleased to see more volunteers. More people are becoming housebound and ideally we need 24 ministers to operate on a three week rota. This ministry is open to anybody after Confirmation. Please speak to Father Peter if you are interested in this ministry.
Contact: Tony Martin 0161 483 7720 (Church)
Flower Arrangers
These are seriously talented and creative people. Several different styles are seen; often modern and minimalist; sometimes Latin and opulent; always professional and uncluttered. What a wonderful variety they produce for us each week. They give large feast days and special celebrations a joyful setting for our worship. You probably need some creative fingers and/or experience to join this work, but all the teams are so friendly they will give you a hand to know what’s what.
Contacts: Colette Christie 07714 470854
Lay-led Liturgy
Adult and Junior Choirs
The Junior Choir is open to boys and girls from the age of 7. As well as singing regularly at Mass, the choir frequently perform in special services, concerts, entertainments and festivals, sometimes with the adult choir. Practices are on Friday 5.40pm – 6.30pm in term time.
The Adult Choir sings regularly at Mass on Sundays and special feast days and takes part in concerts and festivals with considerable success. Practices are on Thursday, 8.00pm – 9.30pm. There is no audition required for either choir – just come along to a practice and give it a try.
Contact: Eileen Rigg 07766 405588, emrigg@hotmail.co.uk
Folk Group
We’ve been together now for over 30 years (well, some of us). We play/sing most Sundays, at the 10:00am Mass; not at all in August. Young musicians are welcome to join us after they reach Grade 3 in their instrumental exams. That way, we don’t have regular weekly practices, as most of our members are able to pick up new pieces quickly. We also play and sing at big feast days and celebrations.
Contact: Steph Leyden 0161 456 6285
Piety Stall
The Piety stall is situated at the back of church on the right as you enter. We sell small religious items and appropriate reading material, along with cards for all occasions. It is aimed to have the shop open before and after every Sunday Mass. Would you like to help? Responsibilities vary depending on your chosen Mass. The stock needs to be presented at the first Mass and returned to the cupboards at the final Mass.
Contact: Helen Lyons, parish office 0161 483 3476 admin@stpetershazelgrove.org.uk
Readers
We are always looking for people to read at Sunday or weekday Masses If you would consider putting your name on the rota for Sundays please contact Fr Peter.
Contact: Fr Peter admin@stpetershazelgrove.org.uk
Welcomers and stewarding
A small group focussed on trying to make our church community as welcoming and as safe as possible for visitors and parishioners. We’ve created leaflets to explain what happens at Mass, at funerals and at baptisms. If you’d be interested in joining us, you’d be very welcome – of course!
Contact: Fr Peter admin@stpetershazelgrove.org.uk
Creating Social Activity
Book Club
We usually meet 3-4 times a year at a local restaurant to enjoy a bite to eat and lively conversation about the books we have read and an even livelier discussion about the books we want to read in the months ahead. We are a small group of avid readers who are happy to read a range of books; please come and join us, even if you do not get the time to read all the books we choose. We are happy to receive recommendations, so if you have read a particularly good book, please do get in touch.
We are currently reading:
Small pleasures by Clare Chambers - set in 1957 in London's south-east suburbs where 39-year-old Jean Swinney lives with her mother. She's a feature writer with the North Kent Echo, a local newspaper, sent to investigate a mystery.
Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O'Farrell It’s 1976 and London is experiencing a heatwave. Robert Riordan tells his wife that he is going to buy a newspaper and then never returns.
Stoneyard Devotional by Charlotte Wood - shortlisted for the 2024 Booker prize. This is a quiet, contemplative novel about an unnamed woman who, following her divorce, the death of her mother and quitting her job − and also at the beginning of the Covid shutdown − decides to join a community of sequestered nuns in a remote area of her native Australia.
Wild Atlantic Women by Grainne Lyons - At a crossroads in her life, Gráinne Lyons embarks on a journey of Ireland's west coast on foot, with the intention of tracing the footsteps of eleven pioneering Irish women.
We will meet again on Tuesday 8 April. Please contact Alison McGarr on 07792 107152 if you would like to join us.
Men's Group
Parish Newsletter
If you’d like something to be considered for inclusion in the newsletter please let us know.
Contact: Parish Office - admin@stpetershazelgrove.org.uk
St. Philip’s Friendship Group
Meets every Friday, 10am – 12noon at St. Philip’s. Facilities are available to share skills and talents – knitting, crocheting, sewing, card making, painting – playing cards, dominoes or board games – or just chatting over a cup of tea or coffee. It is open to anyone of any age, nationality, faith or none. Every first Friday of the month, those who wish may stay for soup lunch. Come along.
Teas and Coffee after 10am Mass
Volunteers serve tea, coffee and biscuits after I0am Mass on Sundays on a rota basis. It is an opportunity to make new friends and meet people in our parish family and for the children to play together. Money raised through donations for tea and coffee goes to support the work of Mary’s Meals and other charities. If you have ideas of how you would like to use the opportunity, eg to hold a bake sale, do let us know. If you are new to the parish please come along – we would be very pleased to meet you. And we are always looking for new volunteers for our ‘HospitaliTEA’ team, so do call if you’re interested.
Contact: Rachel McKay 07724 749217
Theatre Group
Trips are arranged at frequent intervals to theatrical productions in Manchester. Return travel is by coach from the church car park to the theatre. Shows are advertised in the Newsletter and sign-up sheets for names of those who are interested are posted at the back of church.
All prices, unless stated otherwise, include coach from Church.
Contact: Tony Martin 0161 483 7720
The Catenian Association
The Catenians are an 10,500 strong international brotherhood of Catholic men who value faith, family, friendship and fun and who meet socially each month. There are over 300 groups – known as circles – world wide and gatherings regularly involve wives, children and families.
Catenians enjoy bonds of friendship, support each other including access to a Benevolent Fund, have care for widows of deceased members, offer bursaries to help young Catholics seeking to help others and are active in promoting vocations to the Priesthood, Diaconate and Religious Life. Catenians invariably play an active part in parish life.
The nearest Circle to St. Peter’s is the Ringway Circle and meets at Hazel Grove Golf Club on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 8pm. Feel free to come along. Further details can be found here.
Walking Group
We enjoy regular local walks of easy / medium difficulty one Sunday each month, after 8:30am Mass. Stimulating exercise and friendly chat as we go. If we lose our way, we soon get back on track – no hassle! Well behaved dogs are welcome. The first walk of every new year ends with a meal at a local hostelry.
Contact: Tony and Brenda Martin 0161 483 7720
Exploring Faith
Alpha
Baptism Programme
Contact: Anne-Marie Galogly or Karen Haines (justasec55@hotmail.com)
Confirmation Programme
Contact: Deacon John admin@stpetershazelgrove.org.uk
First Sacraments Preparation
Contact: Teresa Thiele 07778 848709
Marriage Preparation
Contact: Fr Peter 0161 483 3476
RCIA
This programme follows the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults into the Catholic faith. We call it the Enquirers’ Group and it is for any non-Catholic interested in becoming fully initiated into the Catholic faith. Meetings take place between September and Pentecost and all meetings are as an LPA (Local Pastoral Area) group and the venue will be advertised in the newsletter.
Contact: Tony Martin 0161 483 7720
Vocations
Contact: Father Peter
Centering Prayer as taught by Fr Thomas Keating OCSO
Centring prayer is prayer of the heart – God may be loved but not thought, Come and rest in Him. We gather every Tuesday in the Parish Centre at 11.15am. All are welcome.
Contact: Mike O’Malley 0161 483 8296
Footsteps
Footsteps is a series of presentations by a variety of people who can help us as we journey in our Christian faith. We started in 2018, sharing insights, experience and humour and we do it all in a relaxed, friendly, informal way – with a drink and nibbles alongside. Do come and join us in our parish centre in an informal, friendly, café-style setting, to listen, chat, reflect on and take whatever spiritual and actual refreshment is on offer each night.
Our events in 2025 will all be on Thursday evenings at 7.30pm on the following dates:
13 February, 3 April, 15 May, 19 June, 4 September, 16 October, 13 November.
Contact : Anne-Marie Bailey 0161 456 2213 or send an Email to footsteps2020@mail.com
Guided Prayer
Contact: Mike O’Malley 0161 483 8296
LPA Liaison
Contact: Julie Williams 0161 285 0244
Mothers’ Prayers
Contact: Teresa Thiele 07778 848709
Praise and Worship
Contact: Laura Small 01625 876752
Rosary Groups
The Rosary Group meets fortnightly on Tuesday evenings in the parish meeting room at 7.30pm. We are a friendly group and pray the Rosary reflectively using music and scripture. All are welcome - no experience of praying the Rosary before is needed!
Contact: Laura Small 01625 876752
Scripture Group
The Scripture Group meets at 7.30pm in the parish centre every second and fourth Wednesday evening throughout the year, with a break in August and during the period of Lent to give us the opportunity to attend the Churches Together services. Over the 20+ years we’ve been meeting, we have listened to recorded talks from a wide variety of international and local speakers; we also consider the readings for the following Sunday, putting them in context of both their place in scripture and in our daily lives. Ours is a friendly and informal group; it includes people from other denominations and is always lively, informative and enriching.
Contact: Michael O’Malley 0161 483 8296
Supporting Families and Youth
Bereavement Support
Here is a Bereavement Support Pack.
Contact: Helen Lyons 07854 928072
TOAST (Time on a Sunday Together)
TOAST is a relaxed and welcoming gathering where we explore and unpack the Gospel in a child-friendly way, through games, activities, puzzles, songs and more! It’s aimed at children aged 0-11 and their families - all are welcome. We meet from 9.30 every Sunday in the Parish Centre, for tea, toast and juice, followed by a time of lively music, prayer and fellowship. We join with the 10am Mass through the livestream, and we encourage families to join Mass in person when their little ones are ready.
Contact: Teresa Thiele 07778 848709
Little Fishes
Contact: Anne Wroe 07763 387001
The Alpha Marriage Course
Run once a year this course is suitable for all married couples and is a practical guide to an even more successful relationship. It involves seven sessions over seven weeks and a lovely meal is provided at each session. There is no group work involved and all presentation is done via DVD.
Contact: David/Laura Small 01625 876752
SPY - St Peter's Youth
Outreaching in the Community
Disability Inclusion Group
How inclusive are we as a parish? This was something a group of parishioners started to question and our group was formed. Our focus was originally to make it easier for those with autism to share in the gift of the Eucharist, but we soon realised that there are many people in our parish who may struggle to attend our regular services and we should be working to welcome all.
Our first event was an Open Afternoon event in January 2024. We welcomed those who may have mobility difficulties, sensory difficulties, autism, anxiety or mental health difficulties, those with dementia and those with hidden difficulties and their families and carers to a relaxed afternoon in which we learnt so much from each other. It was an afternoon which involved sensory prayer, readings, short talks and song, but supported by sign language, Hearing dogs and relaxed ‘chat’ and a cuppa.
Where to go from here? We are planning accessible services for those who feel they cannot join us in our regular services and further Open Events, but we have so much more to do: making links with other churches and the diocese, working with other supportive organisations, looking at the information we provide and improving our communication to be more inclusive. If you feel you can help us, please do; we are all learning together.
Contact: Maura Beesley on inclusionstpeters@gmail.com
Hospital Chaplaincy
Contact: Chaplaincy Office 0161 419 5889, In Emergency (Hospital switchboard will bleep) 0161 483 1010
Lambs Disco Group
We are a group of volunteers from St Peter’s parish − we are not a religious group.
Our aim is to provide a warm, safe, secure and happy place where adults with additional needs or disabilities and their carers can socialise, enjoy our disco dance and have fun.
We sometimes have a craft activity or play picture bingo.
We meet the last Sunday of the month in the parish centre, which has good disabled access.
For more information Email lambsdisco@gmail.com, ring the parish office on 0161 483 3476 or clink this link to access our website: https://sites.google.com/view/lambsdisco.
Lenten Lunches
Each Lent a small team gets together to serve soup-and-a-roll, with tea and coffee, after midday Friday Mass. It started a few years ago as a fund-raiser, and continues to support the Mission in Peru where Fr Ned Wall spent five years. Now it’s just as much a social occasion, although generous donations always bring us back to the primary aim of this Lenten event. (All soup is home made, so if you have a favourite recipe and a large pan, that might be your way to help for one day).
Contact: Helen Lyons 07854 928 072, Jackie Mackay 0161 483 6348
Missio (Mission Boxes)
As Catholics, we are challenged to spread the good word and bring good news to all. We are told in the Bible that Jesus said to the apostles “As the father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21).
A simple way to carry out this duty in the midst of our busy lives is to take home a red box and collect spare coins or notes.
For almost 200 years, the proceeds from the red boxes have provided overseas missionaries with the support they need to build and sustain faith communities in areas of poverty and conflict. They also serve as a poignant reminder for us to pray for them in their ministry.
If collecting coins is a little old fashioned, you can still support the cause by standing order or bank transfer.
Whatever method you generously choose to give by, it will ensure that God’s word can reach so many more people across the world.
For more information contact Fiona Preece on 07879603232 or Margaret King on 07504 708981
St Peter's Helpers
Hello, we are St Peter's Helpers, a group of parishioners from St Peter's Catholic Church, Hazel Grove, who want to join up support to everyone who needs it in our community. Since March 2020, our large team of helpers provide friendship, social contact and support of different kinds to different groups in our parish and the wider community. We host ‘cuppa and chat’ sessions monthly, a chance to meet new friends and old with delicious cake or occasional light lunches, a Healing Mass twice a year, friendly and inclusive card making sessions in small groups every month, a small telephone support team and a larger team of Friends to help with friendship, social contact and support. We work to respond to need in our community.
Our mission is to:
- Offer friendship, welcome and support to all who need it in our community.
- To reduce isolation and enable everyone to contribute their talents and gifts.
- Offer emergency, short term practical support to those in need.
Contact: stpetershelpers@gmail.com or leave a message (church office) on 0161 483 3476
https://sites.google.com/view/st-peters-helpers/home
St Peter's Refugee and Asylum Seekers Support Group
St Peter's Refugee and Asylum Seekers Support Group provides a friendly, warm and welcoming weekly session for local refugees, including English support, refreshments, games and craft activities for all ages. We also work very closely with other churches and organisations to help meet the needs of local refugees. Our sessions are not open to the general public, but we welcome anyone who might identify as a migrant person, be they seeking asylum, or resettled as a refugee or under a Government scheme such as the Afghan or Ukraine settlement schemes.
Contact: stpetershelpers@gmail.com or leave a message (church office) on 0161 483 3476