St George's Cathedral, Cape Town

Caritas:
To bring compassion and to share the love of God

CARITAS coordinates the caring ministries offered by the Cathedral. They are all made possible by the voluntary involvement of parishioners. This isn't a special group of parishioners set aside by the clergy or licensed to care about others. Our volunteers are all ordinary parishioners who want to bring compassion and to share their love of God with others. For many, the experiences they have as participants in CARITAS assists them in their own spiritual journey and search for how to best serve our loving God.

The CARITAS MINISTRIES are:

• Our Cathedral Prayer Chain
  The chain operates through teams organised into an annual roster. Prayer team members pass on to each other the requests for prayer received, usually by telephone. The expectation is that each Prayer Chain member will pray every day for each person who has requested prayer, usually for two weeks. Requests for prayer come to the Prayer Chain from those who are ill or in other need or through referrals from our clergy or other parishioners. Prayer requests are both for parishioners and for anyone else brought to our attention. We also pray for people from other parts of our country and from all over the world through requests that are posted in our well-placed prayer request box by visitors to our Cathedral.

  Coordinator: Dorothy Kuhne. Tel: 021 465 1748

• Hospital and Home Visiting
  Our visiting team visits those who are in hospital or who are sick at home, the elderly and the frail who are unable to attend the Cathedral. They also visit new parents and those who are bereaved. They keep in telephone contact with and send cards to those with special needs.

  Coordinator: Isabel Hancock. Tel: 021 465 6301

• Lay participation in Healing Services
  Participants assist our clergy during Services when the laying on of hands and anointing is offered. Teams are organised into an annual roster for the first and third Sundays of each month when anointing is offered at the 09h15 Parish Eucharist. Additional rosters are arranged for special services.

  Coordinators: Mary and Alan Rogers. Tel: 021 558 2662

• Transport to Church
  Senior citizens and those with disabilities are provided with lifts to Church on Sundays and weekdays. Parishioners assisting with this need to have a car.

  Coordinator: Ruth Chalmers. Tel: 021 671 3990

• Greeting at the 09h15 Sunday Eucharist
  Greeters wearing red sashes assist the sides people in offering friendly contact with fellow parishioners and in welcoming visitors. They enable people to introduce themselves, ask questions about our parish life and interact with fellow parishioners. They are organised into an annual roster.

  Coordinator: Tony Smith. Tel: 021 433 1272

• Cathedral HIV and AIDS Task Team (CHATT)
  CHATT participants meet monthly and are responsible for facilitating and coordinating our collective response as a parish to the HIV and AIDS pandemic

  . Coordinator: Frank Molteno. Tel: 021 706 2114 / 406 6439

• Coordination The coordination of CARITAS MINISTRIES is guided by a committee with Fr Terry Lester as our CARITAS chaplain. Edward George, our head Lay Minister is part of this committee as he coordinates visits to and Services at homes in the City, and arranges taking Holy Communion to the Sick. Regular general meetings for members of CARITAS are organised by the Committee which is generously assisted by Elizabeth Solomon and Cynthia Sicaba with organising bring-and-share refreshments on these occasions.

  Coordinator: Di Oliver. Tel: 021 788 8748 / 083 232 2349 / doliver@global.co.za

PLEASE JOIN CARITAS

Please give Di Oliver your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address, and let her know in which ministries you are interested.