NEWSLETTER
Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year A)
World Communications Day
Sunday 21 May 2023
Please contact the parish to receive the newsletter by email each week.
Message from Canon Kristian
Dear brothers and sisters
This Sunday is the penultimate Sunday of Eastertide which concludes next weekend with the Solemnity of Pentecost. Whilst we are awaiting to celebrate liturgically the coming of the Holy Spirit on that last Sunday of the Easter Season, it is important to remember that the Holy Spirit is fully present and active among and within us and the whole of creation. Indeed, it is in that same Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life as our Creed proclaims, in which we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). So, in these days of liturgical waiting, let us all spend time deepening our awareness of the Holy Spirit present and creatively at work within each of us and within our parish, and ask to be open to the newness of life, service and outreach towards which the Spirit is prompting us. Let us also take some time to reflect on the state of our country, of continent and our world and invoke the Holy Spirit of truth, peace and justice to move the hearts and minds of those whose actions are destructive of human life and of our planet to conversion to the life-giving ways of God.
It was a delight to read in last week’s edition of The Tablet an article written by our own parishioner, Levi Roach, who is a lecturer in medieval history at the University of Exeter, about his conversion to the Faith and his baptism at the Easter Vigil this year in St James. It is well-worth reading the whole inspiring article if you are able to access it, but I would like to quote from the part in which he speaks of our parish community: “But each step along the way, it became clearer that the Church was where I belonged. The community at our parish of St James (and St Boniface) played an essential part here. The church (of St James) itself resembles an aeroplane hangar more closely than the grand monasteries and cathedrals I’m accustomed to study. It’s frankly the last place I’d have expected to find religion. Yet precisely on this account, it was the perfect place for me to take the leap of faith. It was not pretty buildings and quaint nostalgia that lured me away from agnosticism and cultural Protestantism; it was the living faith of those within the walls of St James. It was the smiles and generosity of the parishioners, who happily excused the periodic outbursts of our daughters (typically times to coincide with the Eucharist) and sympathised with their sleep-deprived and occasionally exasperated parents. To an outsider, it may seem like a most inauspicious moment to join the Catholic communion. Barely a day passes without fresh revelations of misdeeds past and present. But, in Fr Kristian and in our parish, I found a Catholicism that was true to tradition without being reactionary, one that welcomes not only the poor, but also the marginalised – refugees, immigrants and minorities. It is a community that is catholic in the original sense of the term, encompassing the full gamut of political opinion and embracing members of every conceivable age and background. While it’s sometimes easy to forget the wider world in small-town Devon, at St James’ every Sunday morning we are visibly and proudly part of a communion that spans the globe” (taken from Levi Roach, A gradual awakening, in The Tablet, 13 May 2023, p.11). Without resting on our laurels, I hope we are all uplifted and encouraged to hear these words about the experienced reality of our parish community!
Along with the Parish Newsletter, I attach:
- A guide to a prayerful reading of this Sunday’s Gospel offered by Monika Manser
- The latest number of Inspire by Deacon Peter
- May 2023 “Walking Together” Update on the Synodal Journey in the Diocese of Plymouth
- the Newsletter from our parish School of St John’s
- the Newsletter from The Lighthouse Bookshop and Café in Tiverton
Let us hold each other in prayer, especially those who are sick, frail or housebound, and those who have died, particularly our loved ones.
God bless
Canon Kristian
Canon Kristian Paver
Parish Priest
Parish of St James & St Boniface
40 Old Road
Tiverton EX16 4HJ
World Communications Day
This Sunday is the 57th World Communications Day. The theme chosen by Pope Francis for this year is Speaking with the Heart. The Pope says in his World Communications Day Message: “It is the heart that spurred us to go, to see and to listen, and it is the heart that moves us towards an open and welcoming way of communicating.” You can read whole of the Holy Father’s Message here.
Vital to the spread of the Gospel is good communication – through the websites, publications and social media channels of the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of England Wales. The Conference works hard to forge positive relationships with media outlets to communicate news relating to every aspect of the life of the Catholic Church and her people. There will be a retiring collection to support this essential work of the Bishops on our behalf. Alternatively, you can donate online at: Donate – World Communications Day – Catholic Bishops’ Conference (cbcew.org.uk).
Memorial Mass for Bishop Christopher Budd RIP
The Canons of the Chapter of the Cathedral of St. Mary and St. Boniface, Plymouth invite you to the Memorial Mass for Bishop Christopher Budd. This Mass will be an opportunity for us as a Diocese to celebrate his life and his considerable contribution to the Plymouth Diocese during his time as our Bishop from 1986 until 2014, as well as a chance to offer up prayers for the repose of his soul. This Mass will take place this Tuesday, 23 May, at 12noon at Plymouth Cathedral and will be followed by a barbecue in the Cathedral grounds.
Caritas Diocese of Plymouth – Refugee Week Event
Every migrant has a name, a face and a story’ (Pope Francis). Refugee Week is approaching and the theme this year is Compassion. Caritas Diocese of Plymouth would like to invite people to learn more about ‘Love the Stranger’ - a new publication by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales which reflects on our Christian response to the challenges facing those who have left their homeland in search of a better life. Love the Stranger is a call to action – not only to help those who come here, but also to facilitate and rejoice in their service to our society.
There are many in our diocese who welcome those new to their community, reach out to asylum seekers, welcome families through community sponsorship, host Ukrainian families and much more. This event will be an opportunity to find out more about what is happening and to learn from each other. All welcome to join Caritas via Zoom on Wednesday 21 June from 6-7pm. Please email caritas@prcdtr.org.uk or fill in this short form to receive the Zoom link https://forms.office.com/e/DeWyqB7cL9.
April Parish Giving
Loose Collection £1581.27 Contactless £320.00 Standing Orders £3072.00
New Diocesan Newsletter
The Diocesan Communications Team is relaunching a diocesan-wide newsletter in the coming months. They will be sending out a special tribute edition to Bishop Christopher in the next few days, with photographs and extracts from his Pastoral Letters sourced from the diocesan archives, as well as written tributes. If you’d like to receive this and subsequent newsletters, please sign up here: https://email.workwithgusto.co.uk/h/t/A561A3216C433494.
CHAT Urgent Appeal
CHAT’s foodbank is seeing more people each month who need urgent help for necessary items. The stocks are running low and your help is needed. Please consider whether you can help by donating.
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You can drop food at church, at the CHAT Office, or any of the supermarket drop off points.
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You can order a supermarket delivery directly to the CHAT Office or shop from the CHAT Amazon “wish list” if this is more convenient for you.
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You can send a financial donation and then CHAT can purchase the things they most need.
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Downloading the Bank Food App will alert you to the most needed items.
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Follow the CHAT Facebook page (CHATMidDevon) and spread the news with others
More people are also needing help with basic household items when setting up home. There is more information on the CHAT website about the sort of things that are needed. Please see https://www.chatmid.org/donate in particular for more information about the various ways you can donate.
CHAT is also currently recruiting more trustees, so if this is something that is of interest to you, please visit https://www.chatmid.org/volunteering for more information or contact the Team for an informal chat.
Annual Collection for our Sick and Retired Priests
Next weekend there will be the annual collection to support our sick and retired priests. This is one way in which we can show gratitude for the years of service that these men have given to our parish communities across the Diocese. Please be as generous as you can.
Plymouth Diocesan Catechetical Camps 2023
The Summer Camps are a long-standing part of the youth activities of the Diocese of Plymouth and are open to all. This year the theme is “Leap of Faith: Having the Courage to Journey like Mary”. The Junior Camp (Years 3-6) will take place from 30 July-4 August and the Senior Camp (Years 7-10) from 6-11 August at Grangehurst, Buckfast Abbey. The St Petroc’s Camp (Years 11-12) will be held at St Rita’s, Honiton, from 14-18 August. The cost per participant is £230 and bookings can be made at https://forms.office.com/e/pJQuB8Rhk5. Financial assistance may be available for those who would struggle to pay this amount.
Masses and Events this week
Sunday 21 May – Seventh Sunday of Easter
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Saturday 20 May – Easter Weekday
- Car Boot Sale at 9.00pm in St James’ Car Park
- First Holy Communion Preparation at 2.00pm in the Hall
- Vigil Mass of Sunday at 6.00pm Pro Populo
Sunday 21 May – Seventh Sunday of Easter (A)
- Holy Mass at 10.00am Baby Szpara RIP
- Holy Mass at 11.30am (at St Boniface)
Monday 22 May – Easter Weekday
- Singing to Remember today at 2.00pm in the Hall
Tuesday 23 May – Easter weekday
- Holy Mass at 9.00am
- Memorial Mass for Bishop Christopher at 12noon in the Cathedral
Wednesday 24 May – St Aldhelm of Sherborne, Bishop
- Service of the Word and Holy Communion at 12noon (St Boniface)
Thursday 25 May – St Bede the Venerable, Priest and Doctor
- Funeral Service for Nunzia Meffe RIP at 11.00am
- Holy Mass in Polish at 6.00pm
Friday 26 May – St Philip Neri, Priest
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions at 11.30am
- Holy Mass with Prayers for Healing at 12noon
Saturday 27 May – St Augustine of Canterbury, Bishop
- First Confessions at 9.30am
- Confirmation Preparation at 11.00am in the Hall
- Vigil Mass of Sunday at 6.00pm Pro Populo
Sunday 28 May – Pentecost Sunday (A)
- Holy Mass at 10.00am
- Holy Mass at 11.30am (at St Boniface)
Rotas for the ministries of welcome, reader and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion are now on the noticeboard in the Hall.
