Our Lady, Star of the Sea
17th March 2024
CAFOD Family Fast Day Appeal - Lent 2024 - Thank You!
Following the Lent Family Fast Day
collections, £1830.57 was donated, of
which £720 was gift aided, bringing the total
to £2010.57. Thank you for your generous
donations, which will support families
around the world and help them with the
resources to feed their families for good.
Nick & Anne Toomey.
17th February 2024
CAFOD Family Fast Day Appeal - Lent 2024
This Lent, your donations to CAFOD’s Family Fast Day appeal will help hardworking people like James the fisherman in Liberia with resources, tools and training to feed their families for good.
This Lent, we focuses upon our work with one of Liberia’s poorest areas, West Point, a fishing community and Liberia’s largest shanty town. Our materials feature a local fisherman called James. Where James lives families have struggled to make ends meet and 5 fishermen were dying at sea every month, because they didn’t have the training or equipment needed to stay safe at sea, and catch the fish required to support their families.
Through our work with Caritas Monrovia, the fishermen in the community now have the training programme, safety equipment and GPS fish finders they need to fish successfully, sustainably and safely. This is a great example of how or local partners are able to respond to the needs of the poorest communities around the world and support them to transform their own lives.
Give today using the envelope or online at cafod.org.uk and please join us in praying with James that our sisters and brothers around the world have what they need to feed their families.
8th January 2024
CAFOD LEGACY PROMOTION 2024
Leaving a gift in your Will to CAFOD allows your faith, love and hope to continue for years to come. These special gifts really are acts of love, they have the power to transform lives and build a better world. By including a gift to CAFOD in your Will, you can make a lasting difference, and share your blessings with our global family.
Our free Will guide gives tips for writing a Will and suggested wording for a legacy gift. We also have a range of free Will-writing services for supporters. You can choose to meet face-to-face with a solicitor, speak over the telephone or write your Will online.
1st November 2023
WORLD DAY OF THE POOR 2023 - ‘Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor’. Tobit 4:7 - Sunday 19th November
CAFOD have produced a range of helpful resources for this years World Day of the Poor
23rd October 2023
CAFOD's Fix the Food System Campaign - We have good news!
Dear Friends,
We have some big news about our Fix the Food System campaign!
This past summer, over 70,000 parishioners from 762 parishes supported Salina’s letter calling on the World Bank to protect farmers’ rights to freely access their traditional seeds – this fundamental right has increasingly come under threat from restrictive seed laws pushed by the Bank.
We have just got back from the World Bank’s annual meeting in Morocco where we delivered the letters directly into the hands of the Director of Global Food Practice.
Friends, our message was loud and clear: we will continue to stand up against the rules that benefit big businesses selling commercial seeds at the expense of small farmers who prefer to use traditional seeds.
And our campaign is working. Following our latest actions, the World Bank has started to listen. They agreed to meet with CAFOD representatives in both London and Morocco and have started to look at the issue.
This is an important step forward in this campaign, and we want to pass on a big thanks to you.
Like everything worth fighting for, this is not an easy journey. We need to continue strengthening international solidarity and build on what we’ve achieved this year to ensure that the discussions we are now having with the World Bank lead to tangible action.
For now, though, let’s take some time to celebrate and enjoy a glimpse of what we can achieve when we work together.
With our prayers and best wishes,
Andrea and the rest of the CAFOD Campaigns Team
22nd October 2023
CAFOD Family Fast Day - Thank you!
Thank You for Your Generosity & Prayers Family Fast
Day collection £1,503.
Your donations help CAFOD to support our brothers and sisters around the world as they struggle to cope with extreme disasters.
Anne Toomey
20th October 2023
A Cookbook for CAFOD
There are multiple ways to get involved with supporting CAFOD's work!
26th September 2023
CAFOD Family Fast Day, Friday 6th October 2023
There will be a second collection for the CAFOD Family Fast Day Harvest Appeal at all Masses next weekend (7/8 October).
This Harvest, we are sharing a story about a Mobile Medical Team that CAFOD supported, which helped people affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan last year.
Watch the video to find out more.
Your donation will help CAFOD to support those struggling to cope amidst extreme disasters like flooding. Please take an envelope from your pew today and bring it back with you next weekend. If you are a UK taxpayer and you fill out the Gift Aid Slip in the envelope, your donation will increase by 25%. Thank you for your support of previous Family Fast Days, and for your generosity and prayers for our sisters and brothers today.
18th September 2023
CAFOD Fix the Food System Campaign - Sowing the Seeds of Poverty - Update
A big thank you to all our parishioners and visitors, 285 of you, who signed Salina’s letter (see below for more info).
CAFOD has reported that the vast majority of parish communities in this diocese have enthusiastically taken part in this powerful campaign.
Nationally, over 500 parishes have taken part and over 38,000 people have signed it. This is amazing; thank you for your support. The letters will be sent to the World Bank in October.
12th July 2023
CAFOD Fix the Food System Campaign - Sowing the Seeds of Poverty
This weekend we are praying for your support for the next phase of CAFOD's Fix the Food System campaign.
After hearing the Gospel for the day, the 'Parable of the Sower' we will share why Salina is writing a letter to the World Bank.
Small farmers’ seed rights are under threat .
For generations, small-scale farmers have freely used and shared a wide variety of seeds in order to feed the world.
However, under pressure from the World Bank, many countries have adopted restrictive laws which push farmers towards using seeds sold by big agribusiness.
This is becoming a threat to food security and climate reliance.
Learn more about CAFOD’s Fix the Food System campaign and how to stand in solidarity with small farmers: https://cafod.org.uk/campaign/fix-the...
Watch this short video, Seed sovereignty and why it should matter to everyone.
Please consider signing Salina's letter on your way out of Mass this weekend.
Launching Leny
The recent arrival of our CAFOD T-shirts presented a great opportunity to introduce our newest CAFOD volunteer, Leny Michael. Welcome to the team Leny, we look forward to working with you on campaigns and fundraising, with the support of Our Lady Star of the Sea Weymouth & Portland, for this wonderful world-wide charity.
Back row left to right: Anne Toomey, Nicholas Toomey, Leny Michael
Front row left to right: Angelina Nisco, Merridith Newington
5th June 2023
Our Thanks to Helen
A big thank you to Helen Harris, who has stepped down from her CAFOD volunteer role for family reasons. Helen has been a wonderfully constructive and supportive member of our team and instrumental in the success of our Fix the Food System parish recipe book.
Dearest Helen, know that you are loved by your friends, your church, and our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
1st June 2023
June 2023 CAFOD Campaigns Update - featuring our very own 'FIxing the Food System' Recipe Book
19th March 2023
CAFOD Family Fast Day Collection
Following the Family Fast Day collections at Masses weekend of 4/5 March, £2761.22 was donated, with £1480 gift aided, bringing the total to an incredible £3131.22.
In addition, we have raised over £600 through sales of the Parish CAFOD Fixing the Food System recipe book.
Millions are facing a truly terrible food crisis. Your support will give our global family the tools and training needed to fight the climate crisis and ensures that CAFOD can swiftly respond to needs in the future.
Thank you for all your support, for your generosity and your prayers.
20th February 2023
CAFOD Family Fast Day - Friday 3rd March 2023
There will be second collection for the CAFOD Family Fast Day at all Masses the weekend (4/5 March).
Millions of our global family are facing a truly terrible food crisis and your donation means we can help to stop this crisis getting even worse. Please take an envelope from your pew today and bring it back with you next weekend.
If you are a UK taxpayer and you fill out the Gift Aid Slip in the envelope, your donation will increase by 25% and this can make a massive difference to those who are literally starving.
Please keep all the families affected by this global crisis in your prayers and thank you for your continued support of CAFOD.
11th February 2023
CAFOD Fixing the Food System...One Step at a Time Recipe Book Launch
Today we are so excited to be launching our Fixing to Food System...one step at a time Recipe Book.
You may remember that last autumn we told you about a CAFOD campaign called Fix the
Food System. The campaign was to raise awareness of the fragility of our current global
food system.
As a group, we looked at the campaign material that CAFOD sent us and were inspired to
do something a bit different, to bring it to life and make it real!
Our teenage volunteers, Angelina and Merridith came up with the idea of producing a no-waste cookery booklet using Fair Trade products.
So, we asked you all for recipes and we are now delighted to be able to show you the
finished result.
The recipes are very easy to make and are all delicious; we know, we’ve tried and tested them!
The printing costs for this batch of books has been donated from funds raised by our local
One World Group and we are very grateful to them for this contribution.
We will be selling the booklets for £4 each at the back of the Church after Mass this weekend and 100% of the money will go to CAFOD.
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8th February 2023
CAFOD Syria-Turkey Earthquake Appeal
CAFOD is responding with support of provision of food, water, shelter, medical assistance and winter kits for survivors.
Your donations in recent months have made that quick response possible. Your support for CAFOD throughout the year allows our Catholic agency to act quickly when disasters strike.
Let us join CAFOD in praying for our sisters and brothers affected by the earthquakes and the winter weather.
For more details visit CAFOD’s Syria Turkey Emergency Appeal online at https://cafod.org.uk/give.
18th January 2023
CAFOD Let’s fix the Food System - Stand in Solidarity with Small-Scale Farmers
At the heart of the global food crisis is a struggle for control over the world’s seeds. For generations, small-scale farmers have freely swapped and shared a wide variety of seeds.
However, the freedom of farmers to choose what seeds they use is under threat as the World Bank supports new laws which push farmers towards using seeds sold by big agribusiness.
This puts control of the world’s seeds into the hands of a few giant corporations. If we want a sustainable food system, then we must stand with small farmers across the world as they fight for control over their seeds.
Join us in demanding the World Bank end all policies that restrict farmers’ freedoms to choose which seeds they use to grow food.
Please follow this link to email Vel Gnanendran
Executive Director of the World Bank.
6th November 2022
CAFOD Let’s fix the Food System
CAFOD has recently launched a new initiative aimed at helping us make informed choices about the amount of food we consume and waste, and its impact on our world.
Your CAFOD team hopes to galvanise the whole parish in doing our bit to fix the food system starting with the production of our very own ‘zero waste’ recipe book with each recipe containing one or more Fair Trade ingredients. All we need are some recipes to get us started in what we believe will be a great fun and worthwhile parish activity. Please pass your recipes to any one of the CAFOD team, or Father Anthony on 12th / 13th November.
20th October 2022
CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day Appeal – THANK YOU!
We are delighted to let you know that the recent CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day Appeal raised an outstanding amount for this very worthy cause. The total income collected was £2049.81. Of this, £930 was Gift Aided which adds another £232.50, making a Grand Total of £2282.31
Thank you all so much for your donations, we are truly blessed to be part of such a generous and loving Parish. Your generosity and prayers will help families around the world fight terrible hunger TODAY and TOMORROW. Together, as one global family, we have the power to help. Please continue to keep those who are suffering in your prayers.
Best wishes from Angelina, Merridith, Anne, Nick and Helen, your Parish CAFOD Volunteers.
7th October 2022
CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day * TODAY* Friday 7th October 2022
You may have seen the BBC news stories in the last few days on the terrible situation in Somalia. The devastating impact of the drought in Somalia is part of the wider crisis in East Africa that is the focus of our current Harvest appeal.
Today, on Family Fast Day, we have made an emergency grant of £50,000 to assist the ongoing response in Somalia being coordinated by our sister Caritas agencies.
We will also continue to fund the work with our partners and local experts in northern Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan, where, as in Somalia, communities are also experiencing a fourth year of drought and the same impact of hunger and growing famine conditions.
We will be holding Family Fast Day collections after Mass this weekend. Please consider making a donation at Mass or via the CAFOD website.
Please note: If you are a UK taxpayer and you fill out the Gift Aid Slip in the envelope, your donation will increase by 25% and this can make a massive difference to those who are literally starving.
Thank you for your continued support of CAFOD.
25th September 2022
CAFOD DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal - UPDATE
The recent CAFOD Pakistan Floods Appeal raised a fantastic amount for this very worthy cause. The total income collected was £1,819.50. Of this amount, £410 was gift aided, which added another £102.50, making a total of £1,922.00. Thank you all so much for your very generous donations, which will make a huge difference to those suffering in Pakistan. May God bless you all for your compassion and generosity.
16th September 2022
CAFOD Fix the Food System Campaign
The global food system is broken. There's enough food to feed everyone in the world, but millions still live in poverty. Profit comes before people, and large-scale industrial agriculture dominated by a few big businesses is accelerating the climate crisis. This huge concentration of power held by big business at the cost of local communities and small farmers urgently needs rebalancing.
The good news? Alternatives already exist and communities who work with CAFOD are leading the way, growing food in ways that are good for people and the planet.
Will you email the Foreign Secretary today? The UK government must implement its COP26 commitments and support agricultural systems that tackle the climate crisis and put local communities first.
Email the Foreign Secretary
Alternatively take and sign one of our action cards, which will be handed out at all Masses this weekend.
For more information visit Fix the Food System | CAFOD
11th September 2022
CAFOD Harvest Family Fast Day Friday 7th October 2022
Family Fast Day is on Friday 7 October. Join together with your parish, friends and family so that families around the world survive today and have food for all their tomorrows.
By sharing a simple meal and giving what you save, you'll be standing in solidarity with vulnerable people who are threatened by the global food crisis. No-one deserves to go hungry.
1st September 2022
CAFOD DEC Pakistan Floods Appeal
Millions of people need clean drinking water, food, emergency medical assistance and shelter after record monsoon rains and flash flooding across Pakistan.
What has happened in Pakistan?
Record monsoon rains and flash flooding across Pakistan has killed at least 1,100 people so far, with millions more displaced from their homes. Roads, crops, homes and bridges have all been washed away, in a situation described by Pakistan’s climate change minister Sherry Rehman as ‘a climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.’
How can I help?
Donate to the Pakistan Floods Appeal to support those affected and get funds to local experts who are already working alongside communities helping those most in need. Your gift will support people with immediate food and emergency medical assistance.
These devastating floods come at a time when local communities had already seen their resilience pushed to breaking point by previous monsoon rains.
Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD)
CAFOD is an international development charity and the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales.
We reach out to people living in poverty with practical help, whatever their religion or culture.
Through our global Church network, one of the largest in the world, we have the potential to reach everyone. And we campaign for global justice, so that every woman, man and child can live a full and dignified life.
For more information about our work please visit the CAFOD website.
Our Lady Star of the Sea CAFOD Team
This is our fantastic CAFOD team who are working hard to raise awareness and raise valuable funds to contribute to CAFOD's important work.
For more information or to get involved please contact Nick Toomey at nickj2me@gmail.com