Message from Canon Kristian

Dear sisters and brothers

It was great to see so many of you on Ash Wednesday for the imposition of the ashes to mark the beginning of the Season of Lent.  May our Lenten practice of prayer, fasting and almsgiving bear much fruit both for ourselves as individuals and, more importantly, for those who are in need, whether in our parish community, in our local communities or in the wider world.  This coming Friday is the CAFOD Lent Fast Day which is always a reminder for us that there are millions of people in the world who lack the very basic necessities of life and that, even in the midst of the present cost of living crisis, it costs most of us very little to give something from our relative abundance.  Donating the equivalent price of just one meal on that day to support the work of CAFOD and its partners on the ground can make the difference between life and death to the very poorest of our world.  As we hear this Sunday, responding to the first of the temptations, Jesus reminds us that we “do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  Speaking that word through the Prophet Isaiah, we are left in no doubt that true fasting – the fast that is pleasing to God – is: “…to break unjust fetters and undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke, to share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor, to clothe the man who you see to be naked and not turn from your own kin” (Isaiah 58:6-7).  As we fast from food this coming Friday, let us bear in mind the reason why we are doing so – to enable others to carry out the very actions proclaimed by Isaiah on our behalf, actions which constitute our true fasting in the eyes of God.

You will recall that we have the joy of initiating Levi Roach into the Church at the Easter Vigil this year.  This Sunday at 3pm in the Cathedral in Plymouth, he will be joining the other catechumens from across the Diocese to undergo the Rite of Election, during which the names of those who are to be baptised at Easter are written in the Book of the Elect.  This is an important ceremony that emphasises both the commitment of the catechumen in his or her final weeks of preparation for the Sacraments of Initiation as well as the fact that, as Catholic Christians, our belonging to the Universal Church is primarily through the Diocese (or the Particular Church as it is technically called) rather than through the parish.  Therefore, during the Rite of Election, the Bishop or his equivalent formally chooses or “elects” the catechumens for baptism at Easter.  The ceremony is open to everyone to come and take part so, if you would like to show your support to Levi, it would be great to see some of the parish community there.

The latest Diocesan Youth Events E-Newsletter can be found at: https://email.workwithgusto.co.uk/t/t-CA44466B81C512812540EF23F30FEDED.  This Newsletter is a great way to keep in touch with diocesan youth events.  I am delighted to say that we have a great group of our teenagers and young adults going to Flame, the national Catholic youth event which will take place in the Wembley Arena at the beginning of March.  The diocese still has a few places left so, if there are any other teenagers or young adults aged between 14 and 21 who would like to join the group, please let me or Siobhan Gilroy know as soon as possible.  As a parish we should be so thankful for, and proud of, the many children, teenagers and young adults we have in our parish community.

Our Confirmation Catechists will be meeting this week to plan the preparation programme for those wishing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation this year.  If you have a young person who will be 14 or over this year and who would like to be confirmed, now is the last chance to get in touch with one of the clergy or the parish office so that their name can be added to the group that have already come forward.

On a more sombre note, one of our parishioners fell prey to a scam this week and lost over a £1000.  This parishioner has always been careful when they have received unsolicited or suspicious text messages, phone calls or emails purporting to be from the groups like the Post Office, a parcel delivery service or Amazon,  and it just shows how easy it is to make a costly mistake even if we are normally on our guard.  So, on their behalf, I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be extremely cautious and on the alert if you receive any unsolicited or suspicious communications.  Remember that banks and similar bodies will never ask for your pin or password, and that it is important to verify where the communication actually comes from by asking for their details and calling them back or by checking the email address of the sender. Here are two helpful websites that give more information about scammers and what to do if you have been scammed: Fraud, tricks and scams: guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and What to do if you’ve been scammed – Citizens Advice.

Along with this Newsletter this weekend, I attach:

• the weekly guide to prayerful contemplation on the Sunday Gospel, offered by Monika Manser
• Number 61 of Inspire from Deacon Peter
• the latest Newsletter from The Lighthouse Christian Books and Café in Tiverton
• a flyer about the Wildlife Warden Scheme mentioned in the Newsletter

Please remember in your prayers Joan Jee and Patricia Hudson who have died recently and their families, together with the sick and needy of our parish community.

May we all be blessed by a fruitful Lent!

Canon Kristian

Canon Kristian Paver

Parish Priest

Parish of St James & St Boniface

40 Old Road

Tiverton EX16 4HJ

Tel: 01884 252292