NEWSLETTER
Third Sunday of Advent (Year A)
Gaudete Sunday
Sunday 14th December, 2025
Please contact the parish to receive the newsletter by email each week.
Message from Canon Kristian
Dear sisters and brothers
Gaudete! Rejoice! This is the invitation of the Liturgy this Sunday. Why? Because God is always faithful to God’s promise of salvation and restoration; because even in the midst of darkness, light is to be found and the presence of God discovered; because the process of transformation, brought about by the coming of Christ, is already taking place, often unseen and unheard, overcoming death and the dehumanising effects of sin. It can be hard amidst all that is wrong in our world, and against the reality of personal challenge and tragedy, to feel and express that joy, of which the unwavering accompaniment and unstinting love of God assures us; a joy which comes from knowing that we are never alone and that the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, life over death has been accomplished by the God who became human, one of us, and gave his Body and Blood that we might live forever. However, this joy is not a superficial emotional reaction to a transient pleasant experience or encounter, but a deep sense of being known intimately by a God who walks with me through the valleys and places of shadow of my life, and who carries me through the worst of times when I feel I just don’t have the will or the strength to walk any more. That constant, abiding presence is the cause of our joy, and it is good for us to be reminded of this in the middle of the Season of Advent.
In the coming week, we will be entering already in the pre-Christmas Octave, the more immediate preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of the Lord. These eight days are marked in our tradition by prayers in the Liturgy of the Hours which invoke the different names that the Messiah has been given in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah. These prayers – or antiphons – always begin with an “O”, a single letter but one which encapsulates and expresses the centuries and centuries of waiting and yearning for the coming of the Christ, the Anointed One. It is a cry of the heart, which expresses all the desire and longing we have for the coming of the Lord and for the fulfilment of the ancient promises, for the coming of God’s Kingdom in its fullness, for the arrival of a new heaven and a new earth. Just like the old advert for the Polo Mint which stressed its USP as “the mint with the hole in it”, the “O” itself is a written representation of that place – in our hearts, in our lives, in our world – which only the divine presence can fill. A translation of the “O Antiphons” can be found here: https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/o-antiphons-of-advent/. May we be able to find and go to the space each day, amidst the busyness and activity of the Christmas preparations.
Along with the Newsletter this week, I attach:
Monika Manser’s weekly guide to a prayerful reflection on the Sunday Gospel
The latest number of Inspire, from Deacon Peter
The Advent Newsletter from the Parish Laudato Si’ Group
The latest Newsletter from St John’s, our parish school.
Unfortunately, due to a technical hitch, there will be no paper versions of the newsletter this week so, if you are able to print one off and give it to someone who you know depends on a written version, then you would be doing a great service.
May God be with us as we enter into these sacred days of the final two weeks of the Advent Season.
God bless
Canon Kristian
Canon Kristian Paver
Parish Priest
Parish of St Boniface and St James Mid Devon
40 Old Road Tiverton EX16 4HJ
Parish Children’s Christmas Party
We will be holding our Christmas Party for all the children of our parish who are still are Primary School age or younger next Sunday, 14 December, 3.00-5.00pm, in St Andrew’s Hall. For safety reasons, parents must remain on the premises whilst their children are at the party. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available for the adults. All welcome.
Parish Christmas Carol Service
There will be a Christmas Carol Service this Friday, 19 December, at 7.30pm. Anyone who would like to join our group of singers is invited to come along to the rehearsals on Saturday morning, 11.00am-12noon, in St Andrew’s.
St John’s School Carol Service
St John’s School Carol Service will take place in St Andrew’s, Tiverton, this coming Thursday, 18 December. There will be tea/coffee and mince pies served in the hall from 5.30pm. with donations going to Hospiscare. The Service will start at 6.00pm and last about an hour. Everyone is welcome to join the children, staff and families to celebrate through songs, readings and prayers.
Parish Big Christmas Raffle
The tickets for the Parish Big Christmas Raffle are on sale. There are three luxury hampers to be won, filled with high quality produce and products from the Southwest. The draw will be made next weekend. Tickets are £5.00 each.
Products and Gifts to support Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)
Following our recent Vigil for Peace in Palestine, Zaytoun products and goods from the Palestinian territories will again be on sale after the Masses this weekend. Proceeds will go to support the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Christmas Monthly Lunch
The Christmas Monthly Lunch will take place this Tuesday 16 December from 12noon-2.00pm in St Andrew’s Hall. All welcome!
200 Club
Congratulations to Christine Pickford who won the £30 prize and to Barbara Parr who won the £20 prize in the December draw. If you would like to join this on-going fund raiser for as little as £1 a month, please speak to Simon Coombs or Sheelagh Bourdon at St Andrews or Siobhan Gilroy at St Boniface.
Plymouth Diocesan Yearbooks 2026
The new Plymouth Diocesan Yearbook is now available at the entrance to church, priced £5.00 each.
Youth Events Newsletter
If you would like to sign up to the weekly Diocesan Youth Events Newsletter, go to https://email.workwithgusto.co.uk/h/t/8C09255F03B7437F.
HCPT Lourdes Pilgrimage 2026
One of our young parishioners, Bonnie, is raising funds to pay for her participation as a helper on the HCPT Group 141 Pilgrimage to Lourdes next year. She is planning to do a sponsored walk up and down Exmouth Seafront five times on Sunday 28 December 2025, a distance of 10 miles in total. If you would like to sponsor her, please put your details on the sponsor form at the back of church. Bonnie also has a Go Fund me page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-me-volunteer-for-hcpt.
Tough Times Support Group
The Tough Times Support Group will be merging their December and January meetings into one, to be held at 7.00pm on Thursday 13 January at The Coach House, Hillersdon House, Cullompton EX15 1LS. This is about a mile outside Cullompton on the old Tiverton Road. The main gates are on the left next door to Little Tom’s Cottage. Press the intercom button to be let in.
Residential for Teens
A residential weekend for teens, aged 13-17, will take place from 23-25 January at East Shallowford Farm on Dartmoor focussed on the theme of “I was a stranger and you invited me in” (Matthew 25:35). The residential is designed to give young people a chance to step back from the busyness of daily life, explore their faith, enjoy fellowship with others their age, and take part in guided reflection, prayer, and activities. They will be invited to explore the lives of people holding refugee and asylum seekers status in the UK. Upon listening to their stories, the young people will be able to form their own opinions and to decide what action they should take. A contribution of £50 per person to assist with costs is requested. For further information, contact Saskia at youth@prcdtr.org.uk.
Retrouvaille – A Lifeline for Married Couples
Retrouvaille helps marriages. It can bring hope and healing to relationships. The next programme starts on 12 February 2026. For more information, go to
www.retrouvaille.org.uk or call 07887 296983.
Masses and Events this week
Sunday 14 December –Third Sunday of Advent
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Saturday 13 December – St Lucy, Virgin and Martyr
- St Boniface Christmas Party, 2.00pm-4.00pm, in St Bonface’s Hall
- Vigil Mass at 6.00pm
Sunday 14 December – Third Sunday of Advent (A) – GAUDETE
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface) Pro Populo
- Holy Mass at 11.30am Lucy Gorlo (birthday ints)
- Parish Children’s Christmas Party, 3.00pm-5.00pm, in St Andrew’s Hall
Monday 15 December – Advent Weekday
- Singing to Remember at 2.00pm in St Andrew’s Hall
Tuesday 16 December – Advent Weekday
- Holy Mass at 9.00am
- Christmas Monthly Lunch, 12noon-2.00pm, in St Andrew’s Hall
Wednesday 17 December – Advent Weekday (O Sapientia)
- Mass at 12noon (St Boniface)
Thursday 18 December – Advent Weekday (O Adonai)
- Holy Mass at 9.00am Maureen Dutton RIP
- St John’s School Carol Service at 6.00pm in St Andrew’s
Friday 19 December – Advent Weekday (O Radix Iesse)
- Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Confessions at 11.30am
- Holy Mass at 12.00noon
- Holy Rosary at 12.30pm
- Parish Carol Service at 7.00pm in St Andrew’s
Saturday 20 December – Advent Weekday (O Clavis David)
- Youth Club, 11.00am-12.30pm, in St Bonface’s Hall
- Vigil Mass at 6.00pm
Sunday 21 December – Fourth Sunday of Advent (A) (O Oriens)
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface) Pro Populo
- Holy Mass at 11.30am
Monday 22 December – Advent Weekday (O Rex Gentium)
- Singing to Remember at 2.00pm in St Andrew’s Hall
Tuesday 23 December – Advent Weekday (O Emmanuel)
- Holy Mass at 9.00am
Wednesday 24 December – Christmas Eve
- Vigil Mass for Christmas at 5.00pm
- Mass during the Night at 9.00pm
Thursday 25 December – The Nativity of the Lord
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface)
- Holy Mass at 11.00am
Friday 26 December – St Stephen, Protomartyr
- Holy Mass at 10.00am
Saturday 27 December – St John, Apostle and Evangelist
- Vigil Mass at 6.00pm
Sunday 28 December – Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (A)
- Holy Mass at 9.30am (St Boniface) Pro Populo
- Holy Mass at 11.30am