Cafod’s Advent service consists of carols, reading, prayers and a short piece from a member of Cafod’s staff who works in the Middle East.

There will also be a welcome from director Christine Allen and music from the Schola (a choir), soloist Christopher Faulkner, the Sisters of the Scared Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Zambia and Ooberfuse. The Bishop of Nottingham, Bishop Patrick, is giving the homily.

One of the carols is sung by the Scared Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Zambia. One of Cafod’s partners who do amazing work in Zambia around livelihoods, run an orphan day-care centre and much more!

 

Sister Yvonne, from the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Zambia Credit: Cafod (full permission given)

The advent service can’t be done in person this year due to Covid-19, so Cafod is conducting it online via Zoom, which viewers will need to register for.

However, it’s also going to be streamed on Facebook, as the webinar has a 500-person limit and Cafod doesn’t want anyone missing out on this event.

The event will be held on Thursday December 3 at 7pm.

Eleanor Heans-Glogowska, who works in Cafod Trusts and Foundations Team (fundraising), says: “There will definitely be more because people are restricted on how far they can travel, so even though we’re not face to face we’re able to meet with people all around the country.

“We’ve managed to do everything that we’ve wanted to do and to invite everyone that we’ve wanted to invite, obviously it’s been a bit of a challenge and a different way of organising an event for us… It’s shown us what’s possible.”

They started planning in August and just got everything together on (Monday 30th November ).

Next year, they aim to do the advent service in a church live.

Glogowska says The Advent Service is a good way to thank supporters.

She said” “We also wanted a chance to come together to celebrate the start of the advent season, looking forward to Christmas.”

Cafod Salford is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International located on Singleton Road in Salford. It brings hope and compassion to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice.

By working through the local Church, they are able to reach people and places that others can’t.

Cafod was born when Jacquie Stuyt and Elspeth Orchard came together with others from the National Board of Catholic Women, the Catholic Women’s League and the Union of Catholic Mothers to organise the first Family Fast Day in 1960.

Due to the number of collections taking place across the dioceses, two years later, the Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales registered Cafod as an official charity.

Jacquie and Elspeth were responding to an appeal from the people of the Caribbean island of Dominica where children were starving, to help raise funds for a mother-and-baby clinic.

 

 

There are many different ways to get involved, including fundraising, campaigning, and volunteering in schools.

By being in either a retreat centre, university chaplaincy, or school chaplaincy you can volunteer as part of the programme which works alongside the Catholic community and others.

The programme also includes a visit to Cafod partners and the communities overseas. Find out more here

To volunteer you can either sign up via the website or email

You can keep up with their latest events here

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