Holy Jubilee Year 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope Passports

In this Jubilee Year – a special year of forgiveness and reconciliation, in which people are invited to come back into right relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, our Diocese has launched a new Pilgrims of Hope Passport inviting pilgrims to visit four historically and spiritually significant churches in Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset: the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Boniface, Plymouth, is a place central to the heart of our Diocese; the Church of St Cuthbert Mayne, Launceston, holds the relics of the first martyred Catholic Seminary Priest of the English Reformation; the Church of the Holy Trinity, Dorchester has a strong connection to the Chideock Martyrs, and the Church of St Boniface, Crediton, contains two relics of the Saint who was the bringer of the Catholic Faith to the people of Germany and of Holland.

These Pilgrims of Hope Passports are available at church today and can be stamped at each of the four churches named above.  All are encouraged to visit these sacred sites as part of an organised pilgrimage or by creating their own pilgrimage routes and walks.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2025

The annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity runs from 18 – 25 January. The materials have been provided by the Ecumenical Monastic Community of Bose in Italy, entitled “Do you believe this?”, and are inspired the 1700^th anniversary of the great Council of Nicaea held in 325 which attempted to clarify the fundamental beliefs of the Church and produced one of the Creeds we still use today. The daily prayer materials are attached to the Newsletter.

Diocesan Yearbooks 2025

The new Diocesan Yearbook, containing information about the diocese, its structures and personnel and about our parishes, is now on sale at the back of church, £4.00 a copy.

Confirmation Preparation

The first session of preparation to receive the Sacraments of Confirmation will take place this coming Thursday, 16 January, at 7.00pm in St Boniface’s Hall, Cullompton.

Jean Fitz-Costa RIP

The Funeral Service for Jean Fitz-Costa RIP will take place this Tuesday, 14 January, at 9.30am at St Andrew’s. As a result, there will not be a 9.00am that day. Please pray for the repose of her soul and for her family at this difficult time.

Readers at Mass Wanted!

We need more volunteers to exercise the ministry of reader at all of our weekend Masses. This is a really important service to offer to the community. If you would be interested in becoming a reader, please have a word with Canon Kristian.

200 Club

Canon Kristian will make the draw for January after the 6.00pm Mass this Saturday.  We really need more parishioners to join this on-going fund raiser. If you would like to join for as little as £1 a month, please let Simon Coombs or Sheelagh Bourdon know at St Andrew’s or Siobhan Gilroy at St Boniface. Those parishioners at St Andrew’s who pay their annual subscription at this time of year are reminded to do so. You can either pay on the Sum-up machine or by giving cash in an envelope to Simon or Sheelagh. 

The Parish Rosary Group Prayer Board

Our Rosary Group, which prays the Rosary after Mass on Fridays and which is always welcoming of new members, is keen to include as many people in their prayers as possible. In order to do this, they have created a special board which will be at the weekend Masses. Anyone who knows of someone in need of prayer – of whatever faith or none – can add their name to it. The Rosary Group looks forward to seeing many names added to it. The members of the Rosary Group will have the board with them when they meet to pray each week, so that those whose names are on it can be included in their prayers. 

Diocesan Post Vacancy – Head of Safeguarding

The Diocese of Plymouth is recruiting a Head of Safeguarding, who will be based at St Boniface House, Ashburton. An advert containing an outline of the role is attached to the Newsletter. To express your interest, please contact recruitment@prcdtr.org.uk. The closing date for applications is 20 January 2025.

Diocesan Post Vacancy – Property Adminstrator

The Diocese of Plymouth is recruiting a Property Administrator based at St Boniface House, Ashburton. To express your interest in the post, please contact recruitment@prcdtr.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Monday 3 February 2025.

Caritas Events

The following events are being advertised by Caritas Diocese of Plymouth: Cost of Living Online Zoom Event on Tuesday 21 January, 11.30am-12.15pm – a short online session sharing signposting and information that can be given people struggling with the cost of living; Modern Slavery and Labour Abuse Event , Thursday 13 February, 11.30am-1.30pm, at Holy Family Parish Hall, Plymouth – a workshop on the prevention of modern slavery and labour abuse, with a particular focus on the Care sector; and a National Justice and Peace Network Webinar – Opening the Doors of Freedom from Trafficking and Exploitation on Thursday 6 February, 7.00-8.30pm. More details are attached to the Newsletter.

Missing Hymn Books

We are very short of the harmony version of the hymn books we use at St Andrew’s, so could anyone who has one which does not belong to them please return it to the box near the organ as soon as possible.