St. Augustine's - Tunbridge Wells

New Covenant with the Poor

Signed after all Masses on the weekend of 5/6 July 1997 by the priests, deacons and 477 parishioners.

As a response to and participation in the Southwark diocesan covenant, whereby Archbishop Michael and his assistant bishops pledged themselves to wealth sharing advocacy of the poor, and prayer for those in need, we commit ourselves as a parish community to the following as part of our preparation for the Millennial Jubilee in the year 2000:

The poor at home and abroad will be placed more at the heart of our prayer and liturgical celebrations.

In our town and area, we will maintain and develop our practical support for the poor and needy, through the work of our parish welfare officer and of the St Vincent de Paul Society in particular.

Our care for the homeless will continue to be focused in our deep involvement, management, staffing and material provision for the Soup Bowl, and also in our support, as a member of Christians Together in Tunbridge Wells, of Nightstop. This will continue if acceptable but agreed new forms of support for the homeless may replace the Soup Bowl and Nightstop at some future date.

Through our Outreach collections at all Masses every Sunday, we will continue to support a variety of local, national and international charities.

We will continue our commitment to the CAFOD 'Working in Partnership' project in Cambodia, agreed at a parish meeting in April 1996, which involves not only financial support for projects in Cambodia, but also seeking to further our own understanding of that country and to develop links with its people. In May 1997, the parish decided by a resounding positive vote in a referendum to 'twin' our parish with that of Kompong Thom in Cambodia. We will seek to deepen communion between our two parish communities in as many ways as possible.

In liaison with Amnesty International, we will campaign and pray for prisoners of conscience and those suffering torture.

We recognise together that Jesus Christ is to be found in a special way in the poor and needy, the sick and the sorrowful, and that whatever we do for them, we do for him.

Our new Justice and Peace Group will organise informative talks about Justice and Peace in action.