The Parish Pastoral Council was established in early 2024, as a consultative body to assist the parish priest in making decisions for the good of the two parishes, St Peter's and Our Lady's which, since 2012 have shared one parish priest. (St Joseph's, as a separate parish with its own parish priest, has its own Pastoral Council. Please see their website for details).
Pastoral Councils have been part of the life of the Church for many years, but have recently been given fresh encouragement by the need to engage with the Diocesan Vision. There are many challenges that the parishes need to meet in order to become the vibrant Christian communities we are called to be.
Among these challenges are the falling numbers of priests, smaller congregations, increased running costs, the burden of large and costly buildings, the need to put parish finances on a long-term sound footing and the necessity of parishes working more closely together to share different skills and resources. We need to work together co-responsibly - priests and people - to ensure that the mission of the Church to witness to the Gospel and serve God and His people can continue in the best way possible.
At the highest level, the 'Synod on Synodality' concluded in Rome in October 2024, has called for a greater 'walking together' in the Church, a greater sense of shared discernment and responsibility, which Parish Pastoral Councils can greatly facilitate.
Our Council has been formed as a response to these initiatives. It might be more accurate to say that it has be 're-formed' after a few years of abeyance, not helped by the time of Covid restrictions.
The collaborative single council for the two parishes has so far adopted a constitution and provided representatives to sit on the Deanery Pastoral Forum. We hope that this page will give information about the work of the Council. Its contents will expand as the Council becomes more used to its role and begins to engage with the real issues that concern us all. Minutes of meetings will be published below. Please pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance!
Members
Fr Stephen Day - parish priest - President
In August 2022 I arrived in Leamington and Lillington to serve as parish priest of both parishes. Before that I was a parish priest in Coventry and before that in Nuneaton. First in Nuneaton I taught secondary RE in the local Catholic secondary school, after being sent to qualify as a teacher by Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville, who received me into the Catholic Church on Michaelmas Day, 1994. The two parishes have wonderful buildings and lots of dedicated people: it is good to be here.
Martin Foley - Chair, usually attends St Peter's (back centre)
I have been in the parish since 2005, together with my wife, Anna-Marie and our children, Caitie, Joseph, James, Ben and Mary-May.
In addition to being a member of the CPC, I am a governor at Our Lady’s & St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School, a trustee of the charity Life, and a member of the Council of the Catholic Union.
It’s a privilege to serve on the CPC. My family and I usually attend the 11.15am Mass at St. Peter’s. Please come and say hello.
Anne Elson - usually attends St Peter's (front right)
I’ve been in the parish since 1994. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother. I taught at both St Peter’s and St Anthony’s Catholic schools, and after retiring from teaching I worked in Warwickshire’s Education Service. I serve the parish in the choir, in the Piety shop, am the Catholic representative on Churches Together in Leamington and on Warwick District Faiths Forum and do voluntary work in the Presbytery once a week. I am on the Parish Hall management team. You can usually find me at the 11.15 Mass, at Coffee after Sunday Mass, and at Pastimes every week.
Simon Tibke - usually attends Our Lady's (back right)
I am a regular attendee at the Sunday 9:15am mass at Our Lady’s with my wife Lucy, and three children; Molly, Evie and Charlie.
As well as being a member of the CPC, I am a member of the choir, a reader at mass, and a Foundation governor at Our Lady and St Teresa’s Primary School.
The CPC is very much in its infancy, but as a group we are working with Fr Stephen to try and enable a sustainable future for the 2 churches, working together.
Gill Ayers-Hunt - usually attends Our Lady's and is a member of the Finance Committee (front left)
If you are a Parishioner at Our Lady’s, you might recognise me as I’m a regular reader at the Sunday 9.15 am Mass and sing in the choir, alongside Simon Tibke.
I have also been involved in the Reconciliation & First Holy Communion sacramental preparation for children not at Catholic schools for a number of years and have been an Our Lady’s representative on the Finance Committee since April 2023.
I am pleased to be on the CPC as it is one of the suggestions put forward by a number of parishioners during the Walking Together discussions held over the last few years.
Paul Milton - is in final his year of formation for the Permanent Diaconate to serve here (back left)
I have lived in the parish since 2010 with my wife Yvonne and children, Casey-Anne and David.
I am in the final year of formation as a Deacon and (God willing if I am ordained) very much looking forward to serving the parish in as many ways as I can.
I can normally be found serving on the sanctuary at St Peters at the 11.15 mass on a Sunday. Please do not hesitate to say hello and have a chat if you are there!
Ira Winter OCV - usually attends St Peter's (front centre)
In 2009 Leamington Spa became my home, initially for work reasons. Since living there, I was consecrated - at St Peter’s Church- to witnessing to the eternal spousal relationship between God and His bride the Church. This vocation is very Marian in its charism and in practice about serving in the Church, particularly through intercessory prayer.
Professionally I advise couples who struggle with fertility and don’t want IVF - often not realising that there are other options; or women with cycle related problems as well as couples who want to use natural family planning.
I love singing in the choir and occasionally help out as a reader and Eucharistic minister.
Members may be contacted in person after Mass (which parish they come from is detailed above). Please do have a conversation. Or via the parish office or via the chair's email: [email protected]
Pastoral Councils have been part of the life of the Church for many years, but have recently been given fresh encouragement by the need to engage with the Diocesan Vision. There are many challenges that the parishes need to meet in order to become the vibrant Christian communities we are called to be.
Among these challenges are the falling numbers of priests, smaller congregations, increased running costs, the burden of large and costly buildings, the need to put parish finances on a long-term sound footing and the necessity of parishes working more closely together to share different skills and resources. We need to work together co-responsibly - priests and people - to ensure that the mission of the Church to witness to the Gospel and serve God and His people can continue in the best way possible.
At the highest level, the 'Synod on Synodality' concluded in Rome in October 2024, has called for a greater 'walking together' in the Church, a greater sense of shared discernment and responsibility, which Parish Pastoral Councils can greatly facilitate.
Our Council has been formed as a response to these initiatives. It might be more accurate to say that it has be 're-formed' after a few years of abeyance, not helped by the time of Covid restrictions.
The collaborative single council for the two parishes has so far adopted a constitution and provided representatives to sit on the Deanery Pastoral Forum. We hope that this page will give information about the work of the Council. Its contents will expand as the Council becomes more used to its role and begins to engage with the real issues that concern us all. Minutes of meetings will be published below. Please pray for the Holy Spirit's guidance!
Members
Fr Stephen Day - parish priest - President
In August 2022 I arrived in Leamington and Lillington to serve as parish priest of both parishes. Before that I was a parish priest in Coventry and before that in Nuneaton. First in Nuneaton I taught secondary RE in the local Catholic secondary school, after being sent to qualify as a teacher by Archbishop Maurice Couve de Murville, who received me into the Catholic Church on Michaelmas Day, 1994. The two parishes have wonderful buildings and lots of dedicated people: it is good to be here.
Martin Foley - Chair, usually attends St Peter's (back centre)
I have been in the parish since 2005, together with my wife, Anna-Marie and our children, Caitie, Joseph, James, Ben and Mary-May.
In addition to being a member of the CPC, I am a governor at Our Lady’s & St. Theresa’s Catholic Primary School, a trustee of the charity Life, and a member of the Council of the Catholic Union.
It’s a privilege to serve on the CPC. My family and I usually attend the 11.15am Mass at St. Peter’s. Please come and say hello.
Anne Elson - usually attends St Peter's (front right)
I’ve been in the parish since 1994. I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother. I taught at both St Peter’s and St Anthony’s Catholic schools, and after retiring from teaching I worked in Warwickshire’s Education Service. I serve the parish in the choir, in the Piety shop, am the Catholic representative on Churches Together in Leamington and on Warwick District Faiths Forum and do voluntary work in the Presbytery once a week. I am on the Parish Hall management team. You can usually find me at the 11.15 Mass, at Coffee after Sunday Mass, and at Pastimes every week.
Simon Tibke - usually attends Our Lady's (back right)
I am a regular attendee at the Sunday 9:15am mass at Our Lady’s with my wife Lucy, and three children; Molly, Evie and Charlie.
As well as being a member of the CPC, I am a member of the choir, a reader at mass, and a Foundation governor at Our Lady and St Teresa’s Primary School.
The CPC is very much in its infancy, but as a group we are working with Fr Stephen to try and enable a sustainable future for the 2 churches, working together.
Gill Ayers-Hunt - usually attends Our Lady's and is a member of the Finance Committee (front left)
If you are a Parishioner at Our Lady’s, you might recognise me as I’m a regular reader at the Sunday 9.15 am Mass and sing in the choir, alongside Simon Tibke.
I have also been involved in the Reconciliation & First Holy Communion sacramental preparation for children not at Catholic schools for a number of years and have been an Our Lady’s representative on the Finance Committee since April 2023.
I am pleased to be on the CPC as it is one of the suggestions put forward by a number of parishioners during the Walking Together discussions held over the last few years.
Paul Milton - is in final his year of formation for the Permanent Diaconate to serve here (back left)
I have lived in the parish since 2010 with my wife Yvonne and children, Casey-Anne and David.
I am in the final year of formation as a Deacon and (God willing if I am ordained) very much looking forward to serving the parish in as many ways as I can.
I can normally be found serving on the sanctuary at St Peters at the 11.15 mass on a Sunday. Please do not hesitate to say hello and have a chat if you are there!
Ira Winter OCV - usually attends St Peter's (front centre)
In 2009 Leamington Spa became my home, initially for work reasons. Since living there, I was consecrated - at St Peter’s Church- to witnessing to the eternal spousal relationship between God and His bride the Church. This vocation is very Marian in its charism and in practice about serving in the Church, particularly through intercessory prayer.
Professionally I advise couples who struggle with fertility and don’t want IVF - often not realising that there are other options; or women with cycle related problems as well as couples who want to use natural family planning.
I love singing in the choir and occasionally help out as a reader and Eucharistic minister.
Members may be contacted in person after Mass (which parish they come from is detailed above). Please do have a conversation. Or via the parish office or via the chair's email: [email protected]
DOCUMENTS
PPC Constitution here
Two documents to consider...
A vision for Our Lady's April 2025 here
A vision for St Peter's April 2025 here
Minutes of Meetings
2024
10 September here
12 November here
2025
14 January here
11 March here
19 March here
13 May pending
1 June AGM pending. Documents for this meeting at the bottom of the page here
Next meeting 18 June
Information about the Deanery Pastoral Forum may be found on the Banbury & Warwick Deanery Website here
PPC Constitution here
Two documents to consider...
A vision for Our Lady's April 2025 here
A vision for St Peter's April 2025 here
Minutes of Meetings
2024
10 September here
12 November here
2025
14 January here
11 March here
19 March here
13 May pending
1 June AGM pending. Documents for this meeting at the bottom of the page here
Next meeting 18 June
Information about the Deanery Pastoral Forum may be found on the Banbury & Warwick Deanery Website here