NEWSLETTER
16th Sunday on Ordinary Time (Year A)
Sunday 19th July 2026
Please contact the parish to receive the newsletter by email each week.
Message from Canon Kristian
Dear brothers and sisters
The continuing warm weather is having a visible impact on our surroundings with everything beginning to look brown and dusty. Hosepipe bans have also been introduced this week in some parts of the parish to help conserve the already low water stocks in the reservoirs – and we are not yet midway through the summer months! Those of us who need to use the major road routes, especially the M5, will be aware of the almost daily accidents and incidents, some of which are so serious the motorway is closed for hours. As the numbers of visitors coming to our beautiful part of the country continues to increase in the next few weeks, let us pray that we will all exercise the necessary patience, care and respect for each other and for the environment, so that we may all be safe and be able to enjoy the God-given and God-bearing created world which surrounds us and of which we are integral part.
This coming week the children at St John’s, our parish school, break up for the summer holidays. To pray for the Year 6 children who will be leaving St John’s for secondary school and to give thanks for the school year that has passed, there will be a Mass in the school hall at 2.00pm on Wednesday. Whilst this is obviously an important moment for the school community, it is also a significant celebration for the parish community as a whole, so it would be wonderful to see a good group of parishioners coming along to celebrate with and to support our children.
We also commemorate and celebrate two significant woman saints this week:
Firstly, this Wednesday 22 July, St Mary Magdalene, the disciple of the Lord who was the first to announce his resurrection to the apostles. As a result, she bears the unique title of “Apostolorum Apostola” – the Apostle of the Apostles, ie the one who is “sent” by the Lord to bring the good news of the resurrection to those who are “sent” by the Lord to continue his mission to the world. It is to be regretted that, for long periods of the Church’s history, the person of St Mary Magdalene has been besmirched by claims that she was a prostitute or in some way unworthy due to the “demons” from which she needed to be freed. Add to this a certain amount of deeply-rooted misogyny and she was deprived for centuries of the position that she rightly occupies in the Gospel narrative. One of the enduring acts of the late Pope Francis was to raise her celebration to the level of a “Feast” for the whole Church just like for the other Apostles and to restore once again her proper title as the Apostle of the Apostles (https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccdds/documents/articolo-roche-maddalena_en.pdf).
Secondly, St Bridget of Sweden whose Feast is celebrated this Thursday 23 July. St Bridget of Sweden (not be confused with St Brigid of Kildare!) is one of the patrons of Europe. Over the 70 years of her life, she lived both the married life, giving birth to four daughters and four sons, six of whom survived infancy, and, after the early death of her husband, life as a nun, founding the Order of the Most Holy Saviour, more commonly known as the Bridgettines. Unusually in the history of the Church, her religious houses often consisted of double monasteries, a house for nuns and a house for friars side-by-side, sharing the same church for Mass and prayer together. She was eventually to die in Rome, where she had made a pilgrimage to seek the approval of the Pope for her new religious order. As a teenager, I remember being taken to visit Syon Abbey, the Monastery of Bridgettine nuns which we had in our diocese in Marley Head, just off the A38. Although the sisters were enclosed, it was possible to speak to them in the visitors’ parlour. The habit of the sisters was notable due to the headdress which they wore on top of their veil (a white cross with five red dots), which represented the five wounds of Christ, a reference to the sisters’ special devotion to the Lord’s passion . As youngsters, we used to refer to this somewhat irreverently as their “baseball cap”! Sadly, due to a lack of vocations, this community, which could trace a continuous history from before the Reformation, having fled to Flanders and then to Portugal during the Reformation, before returning to England in 1861, closed in 2011. Due to connections to the More family at the time of the Protestant Reformation in England, the community also conserved the hair shirt which was worn by St Thomas More. This sacred relic is now held by the Benedictine monks at Buckfast. Happily, the Bridgettine Sisters still continue to exist today throughout the world and, in fact, have a convent in Rome in the Piazza Farnese, just around the corner for the Venerable English College where some of this country’s seminarians study for the priesthood, and there remains a close bond between the Sisters and the English Catholic Church. Below is a picture of the Syon Abbey community as it was in 1961 and a picture of a Bridgettine sister today.
Along with the newsletter this week, I attach:
the weekly guide to a contemplative reading of the Sunday Gospel, from Monika Manser
a flyer about the Peace Vigil on
a poster with details of the free Safeguarding Training Day
a poster relating to the Marie Curie event in Tiverton
As always, we hold in prayer the sick of our parish, and the elderly and vulnerable whether at home or in residential homes. May they sense the support of our prayers and the embracing love of the Holy Spirit.
God bless you all
Canon Kristian
Aid to the Church in Need Holy Land Appeal
The Holy Land, whilst it has the roots of Christianity steeped deep in the region, the modern reality tells a story of misery and hardship for the Christians who live there.
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The Christian population in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Christ, continues to fall.
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There is a healthcare crisis with Christian hospitals and clinics reporting shortages of medicine, clean water, and electricity in Gaza and the West Bank.
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48% of Christian youth in the Holy Land are considering emigration, citing fear, discrimination, and lack of opportunity and future in the Holy Land.
Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in The Holy Land. Also, your generosity will give urgent assistance to Christian families in Jerusalem, the West Bank, northern Israel and Jordan. A gift today will provide immediate relief as well as offer support to long-term projects so that Christian families may continue to remain in the homeland. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has an emergency appeal for Christians in The Holy Land: https://acnuk.org/holy-land-appeal. In addition, if you want to support ACN and take action as a volunteer in support of suffering Christians, contact Steve Riedlinger, Community Fundraiser for ACN at steve.riedlinger@acnuk.org or 07939362479.
Prayer Intention for July
The Pope’s prayer intention for July is for respect for human life: Let us pray for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages, recognizing it as a gift from God. To listen to and join with the Holy Father in praying for this intention, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMPrZdo95Us.
Understanding Abuse – Free Training Day for All
A free training day, hosted by the Diocese of Plymouth Safeguarding Team and delivered by FearFree, will be held on Saturday 26 September, 10.00am-4.00pm, at St Boniface House, Ashburton. The training offers an opportunity to develop your understanding of abuse and the support available for those affected. It may be beneficial for anyone wishing to strengthen their knowledge and confidence in this important area of ministry and safeguarding. It will also provide an opportunity for anyone who may be interested in volunteering as part of our forthcoming Chaplaincy for Survivors initiative to express an interest in the role and to meet members of the Diocese Safeguarding Team in person. Attendance at this training will be a prerequisite for anyone wishing to apply or volunteer for the Chaplaincy for Survivors role, as it forms an important part of the foundation knowledge and preparation for the position.If you are interested in attending, please find the booking information and event details here and see the attached poster.
Prayers for Fr Jonathan Bielawski
Fr Jon Bielawski, the parish priest of the parishes of Crownhill Plymouth and Yelverton and the diocesan lead for evangelisation and catechesis has been undergoing treatment for cancer for quite some time. He is now receiving palliative care and would be very grateful for your prayers. Fr Jon has a strong devotion to Blessed Dominic Barberi, and he asks that you seek Blessed Dominic’s intercession for him at this time. A devoted band of helpers is supporting Fr Jon; please also remember them, along with all of Fr Jon’s family, in your prayers.
End of Year and School Leavers Mass
A Mass to mark the end of the school year and to pray for the Year 6 children who will be moving on to secondary school will be celebrated this Wednesday, 22 July, at 2.00pm in St John’s School Hall. Parishioners are very welcome to come and take part.
Peace Vigil
A fourth Vigil for Peace in Palestine and throughout the world will take place at St Andrew’s in Tiverton on Tuesday 28 July at 7.00pm.
Dorothy Yates’ 90th Birthday
Dorothy Yates will be celebrating her 90th birthday this Monday, 20 July. There will be a tea party from 2.00-5.00pm on that day. Anyone who knows Dorothy is invited to pop along to say Hello.
Retrouvaille England and Wales
Is your marriage in a rut? Do you need help with deeper issues? Retrouvaille has helped thousands of couples find hope and healing in their marriage. The next dates are 2-4 October. Please go to www.retrouvaille.org.uk/info for more information or ring 07887 296983.
An Evening with Marie Curie
As part of Morrisons Paint It Yellow fundraiser, you are invited to join Marie Curie for a special evening on Wednesday 19 August at 6.00pm in Morrisons Tiverton Café to learn more about the vital end of life care and support they provide across Devon. With their local nursing hub based in Tiverton, this is a fantastic opportunity to hear directly from local Marie Curie nurses working in communities across Devon. Attendees will gain a unique insight into the challenges facing end-of-life care and learn more about Marie Curie’s work to help close the gap in end-of-life care, ensuring everyone can access the support they need at the end of life. They will also find out about opportunities to volunteer, fundraise or support Marie Curie in the Tiverton area. Whether you are familiar with Marie Curie already or simply want to learn more about the care provided in your local community, Marie Curie would love to welcome you along. For more information, please contact: Lauren Derbyshire, Community Fundraiser – Devon, at
lauren.derbyshire@mariecurie.org.uk or on 07515 135103.
Adoremus – The Third National Eucharistic Congress
The third National Eucharistic Congress will take place in London on Saturday 10 October. The Principal Mass will be celebrated at St George’s Cathedral in Southwark, followed by a procession across the Thames to Westminster Cathedral, concluding with a Vigil of Adoration from Midnight to 6.00am the following day. If you would like to be one of our 50 diocesan delegates, please contact Fr Chris Findlay Wilson on 01202 746539.
Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Rotas
Readers and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion in Tiverton are asked to put their names down on the appropriate rotas at the back of St Andrew’s to ensure that we have the necessary ministers for Masses over the summer period.
Masses and Events this week
Sunday 19th July – Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A
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Saturday 18 July – Weekday
- Friends of St James and St Boniface, 9.00am, in St Andrew’s Hall
- Vigil Mass at 6.00pm Pro Populo
Sunday 19 July – 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface)
- Holy Mass at 11.30am
Monday 20 July – Weekday
- Singing to Remember at 2.00pm
Tuesday 21 July – Weekday
- Holy Mass at 9.00am
Wednesday 22 July – St Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles
- Holy Mass at 12noon (St Boniface)
- End of Year and Leavers’ Mass at 2.00pm at St John’s School Hall
Thursday 23 July – St Bridget of Sweden, Religious, Patron of Europe
- Holy Mass at 9.00am
Friday 24 July – Weekday
- Confessions and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at 11.30am
- Holy Mass at 12noon
- Prayer of the Holy Rosary at 12.30pm
Saturday 25 July – St James, Apostle
- Vigil Mass at 6.00pm Pro Populo
Sunday 26 July – 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface)
- Holy Mass at 11.30am