Elaine has been our Administrator since April 2009 and looks after all administrative requirements; part of her role is to ensure that all ministry rotas are up to date; consumables are ordered for Mass, producing the weekly newsletter and is the first point of contact for Baptism, Marriage and Funeral arrangements. Elaine also prepares minutes for meetings, completes the parish accounts and Gift aid returns for the Diocese. Elaine is also an Authorised Person for Marriage.
A Catholic all her life originally from Bath where she lived for over 40 years before moving to Malmesbury. Unfortunately, Elaine lost her first husband to cancer in 2001; then her beloved husband Graham was diagnosed with heart failure in 2019. In December 2021, it was confirmed that he had lung cancer with months to live.
Graham passed away at home 2nd March 2022 aged 64. Graham was MC at Mass and handyman around the Church, hall and garden. Fr Philip and Fr Isidore Obi concelebrated the Mass with Deacon Steve Boughton preaching the Gospel and the Homily. Elaine is grateful for the support she has received from friends, parishioners and especially Fr Philip for his understanding including words of comfort when she has thrown a ‘wobbly’!
Elaine remarked recently that Fr Maria is the fifth parish priest in fifteen years. As in all walks of life, they have their good points and their bad ones; none of us are perfect. We all have our off days; one just see’s one side of a priest by attending Mass and for over forty years Elaine was the same but now she has seen the other side of a priest’s, life. The demands on their time, no matter whatever the reason. She feels privileged to have seen the other side of the life that we do not necessarily see. Elaine states that like a lot of people she has learnt a lot from all five priest’s homilies. We give thanks that we still have a priest to celebrate Mass for us after some uncertainly. After Mgr. Mitchell’s death, Bishop Declan said that he had no plans to close the church, and we thank him for that.
We hope and pray that Bishop Bosco feels the same; however, we realise that we live in difficult times. We thank the MSFS for letting Fr Maria be our spiritual guide.