NEWSLETTER

Solemnity of All Saints

Sunday 31 October 2021

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Message from Canon Kristian

Dear brothers and sisters

With this short note, I attach the Newsletter for this weekend.  Because the Solemnity of All Saints falls on Monday this year, it is transferred to this Sunday instead.  As we celebrate all those who have been formally canonised as saints, together with those who have lived lives of holiness which have remained hidden, let us remember that the call to holiness is given to each and every one of us, and that what that holiness looks like will depend on the vocation and life circumstances that each of us are living each day.  My way of holiness will be different from your way; both are equally valid and we are simply called to be faithful to the particular way that each of us has been called to follow.

There are two major prayer intentions in the month of November: firstly, for the Holy Souls and, secondly, for the success and effective impact of the COP26 meeting on Climate Change taking place in Glasgow.  You are invited to share the names of those who have died for whom you are praying throughout this month with the parish by means of the form attached to this newsletter or found in church.  Prayer cards for the care of the Earth, our Common Home, are available for everyone.

Along with the usual leaflet offered by Monika Manser to help with the prayerful reading of one of the Sunday readings, this week sees the start of another initiative, Inspire, produced by Deacon Peter to assist our ongoing prayer and reflection throughout the week.  Our thanks go to both of them for their generosity!

Please continue to pray for our sick and also to pray for the repose of the soul of Septimus Waugh who died this week.  Let us keep him, and his wife Nicky and their family, in our prayers in a special way at the difficult time.

May God bless you all

Canon Kristian

November – Month of the Holy Souls

November is, by tradition, the month during which we remember in our prayers in a special way those who have died, commending them to the abundant love and mercy of God.  In both of our churches there will be a receptacle for the names of the dead for whom you are praying and for whom you would like the parish to pray.  A form is available for these names – you can download a copy here.  Please write the names clearly as they will all be remembered by name at Mass on 30 November.

Pope’s Intention for November

Aware of the impact that the Covid pandemic has had on people’s mental health, the Holy Father’s prayer intention for the month of November is for people who suffer from depression:

“We pray that people who suffer from depression of burn-out will find support and a light that opens them up to life”.

More details from the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network.

COP26 UN Climate Change Conference

The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP26, starts in Glasgow this Sunday and continues until 12 November. Speaking on Thought for the Day on Radio 4 on Friday and referring to the Joint Appeal of Religious Leaders and Scientists issued on 4 October, Pope Francis said:

“…we spoke of the need to work responsibly towards a “culture of care” for our common home, but also for ourselves, and the need to work tirelessly to eliminate “the seeds of conflicts: greed, indifference, ignorance, fear, injustice, insecurity and violence.

Humanity has never before had at its disposal so many means for achieving this goal. The political decision makers who will meet at COP26 in Glasgow are urgently summoned to provide effective responses to the present ecological crisis and in this way to offer concrete hope to future generations. And it is worth repeating that each of us – whoever and wherever we may be – can play our own part in changing our collective response to the unprecedented threat of climate change and the degradation of our common home.”

Two prayer cards are available in church today to encourage each of us to join in prayer so that the politicians and representatives of nations participating in the Conference will have the courage to make the urgent decisions that must be made to protect our world and to halt the damage to the environment before it becomes irreversible.  One of the prayer cards has a beautiful picture of Mary, Mother of Mercy, enfolding creation under her cloak, painted by Helen Elwes, a friend of Sally Chapman, with a prayer for our earth written by Pope Francis.  The other card has the CAFOD Prayer for COP26.

“Inspire”

Attached to the Newsletter this week is the first edition of a regular contribution and great resource from Deacon Peter, entitled “Inspire”, full of reflections, prayers and quotations taken from the Scriptures, spiritual writers and from other writers to give inspiration to our own personal prayer and reflection throughout the week. You can download it here.

Christmas Shoe Boxes

Just a reminder that filled shoe boxes must be returned to the church hall by next weekend, 6/7 November.  If you have any queries, please contact Sheelagh Bourdon (phone number available from parish office.).

Preparations for the Christmas Fayre and Christmas Draws

There will be a workshop at 6.30pm in the church hall on Thursday 11 November to get items ready for the Christmas Fayre planned for Saturday 20 November. Anyone is welcome to come and help. There will be a Christmas draw too, and so donations are needed for that. The draw will take place Sunday 19 December. Tickets for this draw and for Canon Kristian’s Christmas Cake will be on sale in November.

Heading Together – Diocese of Plymouth Synodal Journey

All are invited to an online event on Tuesday 16 November at 7.00pm where Austen Ivereigh will explore the topic “Behind the global synod; why Pope Francis wants you to speak boldly and listen carefully.” Austen Ivereigh is a UK-based writer, journalist and commentator best known for his books on and with Pope Franis, and for his role in the media explaining the convictions of the Catholic Church. He is a Fellow in Contemporary Church History at Campion Hall, Oxford and a regular contributor to The Tablet, America magazine and Commonweal, among others. The link to register for this free online talk is https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/behind-the-global-synod-a-talk-by-austen-ivereigh-tickets-196421952347.

Catholic Voices – Sharing the Faith with Charity and Clarity

Do you worry about sharing your Faith in case you meet hostility or in case you might get asked a difficult question? Perhaps the most challenging people are those in your own family, and it grieves you that their ears and hearts seem closed. Perhaps you studiously avoid Faith conversations, just in case?

Catholic Voices have worldwide experience in helping Catholics to dismantle hostility and share the Faith clearly and always from a loving standpoint. They are offering a free webinar open to all, organised by the diocesan Vicariate for Evangelisation and Catechesis, on Saturday 13 November, 11.30-1.00pm. Please register for this event using the following link and you will receive an invitation to join on Zoom: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/catholic-voices-sharing-the-faith-with-charity-and-clarity-tickets-195088945287

200 Club

Canon Kristian will make the November Draw at the 6.00pm Mass this Saturday. If you would like to join the 200 Club, please speak either to Simon Coombs or Shelagh Bourdon at St James or to Teresa Cummings at St Boniface.

Parish Services and Events This Week

Saturday 30 October – Weekday

  • Holy Mass at 6.00pm (Vigil Mass)

*****CLOCKS GO BACK ONE HOUR*****

Sunday 31 October – Solemnity of All Saints (transferred)

  • Holy Mass at 10.00am Pro Populo
  • Holy Mass at 11.30am (at St Boniface) Rosemary Devlin RIP

Monday 1 November – Weekday (31st Week in Ordinary Time)

  • Funeral Service for Doris Neary RIP at 12.30pm (Exeter Crematorium)
  • Singing to Remember at 2.00pm in the Hall

Tuesday 2 November – Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed

  • Holy Mass at 10.00am Holy Souls in Purgatory (Gorlo)

Wednesday 3 November – St Winifride, Virgin

  • Holy Mass at 12 Noon (at St Boniface)

Thursday 4 November – St Charles Borromeo, Bishop

  • “Book”/Lunch Club at 12.30pm at the College Café
  • Holy Mass at 6.00pm

Friday 5 November – Weekday

  • Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Confessions at 11.30am
  • Holy Mass at 12noon Fr Sydney Duggan RIP (FM)

Saturday 6 November – Weekday

  • Baptism of Joshua Gorman at 10.30am (at St Boniface)
  • Holy Mass at 6.00pm (Vigil Mass) Pro Populo

Sunday 7 November – Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

  • Holy Mass at 10.00am Jessica Bolton (birthday intentions)
  • Holy Mass at 11.30am (at St Boniface)