At their recent meeting, the Andover Catenians presented a cheque for £585.00 to Colm Lennon, Chair of the Bamenda Committee, a Diocesan Charity.

They were privileged to be joined by newly elected Grand National President of the Catenian Association Brother Roger Lillie, Brother Harry Harrison, President of Province 11, as well as brothers and their wives from Basingstoke, Portsmouth and Winchester Circles who all had a most enjoyable evening and took advantage of being able to meet face to face again.

At the recent Conference of the Catenians in Eastbourne Roger Lillie was installed as the Great Britain President. He lives with his wife Margaret and is only the second Catenian in the Portsmouth Diocese to take up this high office in the last 100 years. They are members of St Swithun Wells parish.

The Catenians are a Worldwide Catholic lay society established in 1908 on the encouragement from Archbishop Casartelli in Manchester. Members and wives enjoy “Friendship in Faith” and have monthly meetings and regular social events. As well as members supporting each other the Association strongly supports its clergy and Catholic youth.

At the Conference, a significant donation was made to the National Vocations Office. There is a Catenian Bursary fund to help financially support young Catholics who wish to help on Lourdes pilgrimages or spend time helping others in the world who are less fortunate than us.

Member groups (Circles) are in most major towns in the Diocese and more information may be found on thecatenians.com.”