Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton – www.cliftondiocese.com
Our Lady, the Immaculate Conception, Devizes
St. Joseph, Littleton Panell, The Lavingtons
Christ the Carpenter, HMP Erlestoke
Served by the Missionaries of St. Francis De Sales (MSFS - Fransalians)
Clergy: Fr. Jean-Patrice Coulon MSFS, Fr. Darline Joseph
MSFS; Deacon David Wakefield (phone: 07711-834800)
Pastoral Care at HMP Erlestoke: Miss Maggie Roberts
Parish Administrator: Mrs. Debra Pritchard (M, W, Fri am)
St Joseph’s Presbytery, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 1DD
Telephone: 01380-723572 Fax: 01380-723377
e-mail: devizes@catholic.org
LAETARE SUNDAY (A)
Sunday 3rd April 2011
MASS TIMES AND INTENTIONS
Saturday
Sunday
2nd
3rd
First Mass of Sunday
LAVINGTON
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
4th
5th
6th
7th
Weekday of Lent
Weekday of Lent
Weekday of Lent
Weekday of Lent
Friday
8th
Weekday of Lent
Saturday
9th
Sunday
10
5 Sunday
of Lent
th
th
LATIN MASS
HMP Erlestoke
Weekday of Lent
First Mass of Sunday
LAVINGTON
6.00 pm
9.00 am
10.30 am
5.00 pm
9.30 am
9.30 am
9.30 am
7.00 am
9.30 am
6.00 pm
11.00 am
6.00 pm
7.00 pm
9.30 am
10.00am
6.00 pm
9.00 am
10.30 am
5.00 pm
For the Candidates for the Sacraments
In Thanksgiving (Gompels Family)
Pro Populo
Serafino and Vittoria Abbandanato RIP
Miss Teodore Guzman RIP
Intentions of Nigel Rutter (Birthday)
NO MASS
Celebrant’s Intention
Intentions of Teresa Scanlon (Birthday)
HOLY HOUR
SCHOOL MASS (Mass of St. Joseph)
For Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life
STATIONS OF THE CROSS
George and Margaret Harrigan RIP
Intentions of Maureen Alderton (Recovery)
Rex Wiltshire RIP
For the Candidates for the Sacraments
Pro Populo
Larry Kelly RIP
ALL SERVICES TAKE PLACE AT THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
ROSARY – Half an hour before the Weekday Mass at the Immaculate Conception.
CONFESSIONS – 5.15 to 5.45 pm on Saturdays (Immaculate Conception), and
11.30 am until 12.00 pm on Saturdays during Lent and by request.
BAPTISMS – By appointment. Adults wishing to enquire about the Catholic Faith
should speak to Father Jean-Patrice.
WEDDINGS – Six months notice.
ANOINTING OF THE SICK – On request. Please inform one of the priests if you
are going into hospital. If possible, please seek anointing beforehand.
HOLY ORDERS – Any man considering a call to the priesthood is invited to speak
to one of the priests.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION AND CONFIRMATION – Classes run annually.
We remember in our prayers: The Parish of the English Martyrs, Chard with
Crewkerne & Ilminster. The people of Japan. For Peace in the Middle East.
Maryport Street Chapel. Those who have commended themselves to our
prayers. For Peter and Angela Wallis. For all Mothers on Mothering
Sunday. For Candidates for the Sacraments, especially Carisa, Debra, Tracy
and Sarah from our Parish. Also, the Sick and especially members of our
Parish family who are in hospital or prison.
MOTHERING SUNDAY is the fourth Sunday of Lent. Although it's often called
Mothers' Day it has no connection with the American festival of that name.
Traditionally, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work
as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family. Today
it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and home-made cards to their
mothers.
History of Mothering Sunday
Most Sundays in the year churchgoers in England worship at their nearest parish
or 'daughter church'. Centuries ago it was considered important for people to
return to their home or 'mother' church once a year. So each year in the middle of
Lent, everyone would visit their 'mother' church - the main church or Cathedral of
the area. Inevitably the return to the 'mother' church became an occasion for
family reunions when children who were working away returned home. (It was
quite common in those days for children to leave home for work once they were
ten years old.) And most historians think that it was the return to the 'Mother'
church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as
domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother
and family. As they walked along the country lanes, children would pick wild
flowers or violets to take to church or give to their mother as a small gift.
Traditional foods
Mothering Sunday was also known as Refreshment Sunday because the fasting
rules for Lent were relaxed that day. Originally, both Old and New Testament
lessons on mid-lent Sunday made a point of food. The Gospel reading from the
New Testament told the story of how Jesus fed five thousand people with only five
small barley loaves and two small fish.
Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about
five thousand. Jesus then took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He
distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they
wanted. John 6: 10 – 12
Simnel cake
The food item specially associated with Mothering Sunday is the Simnel cake. A
Simnel cake is a fruit cake with two layers of almond paste, one on top and one in
the middle. The cake is made with 11 balls of marzipan icing on top representing
the 11 disciples. (Judas is not included.) Traditionally, sugar violets would also be
added.
Why Simnel?
The name Simnel probably comes from the Latin word simila which means a fine
wheat flour usually used for baking a cake. There's a legend that a man called
Simon and his wife Nell argued over whether the cake for Mothering Sunday
should be baked or boiled. In the end they did both, so the cake was named after
both of them: SIM-NELL. (Taken from the BBC’s Christianity website)
A Happy Mothering Sunday to all our Mothers of the Parish!
WELCOME: to Father Nino Vinciguerra of the Sion Community who is our Guest
Preacher at all Masses this Sunday.
150TH ANNIVERARY CELEBRATION - VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED!: Thank you
to everyone who attended the recent meeting and all of your fantastic ideas - it
looks as though we are going to celebrate in some style and have some fun along
the way! The Working Group has agreed that we will focus our efforts on the
following events:





Civic Mass - September 2011
Parish Bazaar - September 2011
Anniversary Day Mass at St Mary's 27th October 2011
Exhibition September onwards - various town locations
Visits to Father Larive's Grave at Petersfield Hampshire and his birth place
near Annecy in France
Separate groups will now form to focus on all of these events - the more
volunteers we have the better these events will be - so please do get involved. If
you want to express an interest in any of these events please email Mike Ash at
m.ash1@sky.com.
EASTER CARDS: As there has been a delay with the delivery of Easter cards, new
cards will be available for purchase hopefully from Tuesday 5th April.
EXPRESSION 2011: is an event to be held on 29th April to 1st May in Salisbury for
14 to 25 year olds interested in fun, friendship and their faith. It is possible to
attend some or all of the days of the weekend. For more details contact Adrian
(adrian.burholt@btinternet.com) or check out details on Facebook Expression
2011 or www.expression2011.org.uk.
DIVORCED AND SEPARATED CATHOLICS: The inaugural meeting of the
newly formed group for Divorced and separated Catholics will be held in the
Narthex, at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Devizes on Tuesday
April 5th at 7pm. We would be very grateful if you could spread the news of
this amongst your friends and acquaintances, stressing that anyone who has
been recently separated or divorced will receive a warm welcome. Equally, if
there is anyone who feels he/she could help in any way, we would like them to
contact us. For further information, please contact either Jeremy Cross on
01380 738011/ e mail – jeremyc.cross@virgin.net or James Flood on 01380
727108 e mail – jamesfloodsenior@ndirect.co.uk.
WALKING IN THE SPIRIT: DISCIPLESHIP FOR CATHOLICS: This is a Renewal
Course, which should be a good follow-up to our Parish Mission, It is a six-session
DVD course, which is designed to help us grow in our relationship with God and
equip us to serve Him more effectively. The sessions will take place on Wednesday
evenings ending on Wednesday 20th April (Wednesday in Holy Week). They will
start at 7.30pm with refreshments, and will then finish no later than 9.00pm. If
you have not been able to come to the previous sessions, you are still very
welcome to come now. Everyone is welcome!
LENTEN CONFESSIONS: All Catholics are reminded that they must go to
Confession at least once a year, and that time should be in preparation for Easter.
Therefore, there will be an additional slot for Confessions between 11.30am and
12.00pm on Saturdays throughout Lent, and there will be a Penitential Service on
TUESDAY 12TH APRIL at 7.00pm with the possibility to confess to Visiting Priests.
On Saturday 16th April, confessions will be from 11.30 until 12.30 and they will be
heard by Father Raymond Hayne of Warminster.
LENT TALKS: The Trowbridge Catholic Deanery has organised a series of talks
during Lent, focussing on the Sacramental Life of the Church. There will be six
talks, all given by local speakers, on Thursday evenings from 7.30pm until
9.00pm at St John’s Parish Centre, Trowbridge. Refreshments will be served from
7.15pm. Please make the most of this opportunity to learn more about the Faith.
INTERACTIVE STATIONS OF THE CROSS: On Tuesday 5th April at 6.30pm at St John’s,
South Parade, Bath, students from St Bede’s Catholic College in Bristol and St Joseph’s in
Swindon will form part of the presentation team who will provide young people with a
reflective and memorable point along their journey’s of faith. These Stations of the Cross will
bring the story of Jesus’ journey to crucifixion and His rising again alive for young people of
the Clifton Diocese.
St John’s is a two minute walk from Bath Spa train station and is even closer to Bath’s new
bus station so getting to this event is easy. For more information about the event please
contact Dave Wheat Youth Ministry Coordinator on 0117 902 5594. Or email
youth@cliftondiocese.com.
i-REFLECT: i-reflect is a brand new podcast series for young people available to download
from cliftondiocese.com. On each Wednesday during Lent there will be a reflection to
download along with the scripture passage for the day.
THYSPACE RETREAT: 20-35ish years old? Want to make more space for God? Need time
for reflection? Relax in the quiet village of Nympsfield, Gloucestershire, where the retreat
aims are mixing with other young Catholics, spiritually nourishing discussion and prayerful
contemplation. Date: 24-26 June 2011. Saturday speaker: Prof. Gavin d'Costa on
'Discipleship and God's Forgiveness'. Priests: Fr Tom Finnegan, Fr Alex Redman and Fr
Tom Smith. Email Tom on tafosman@hotmail.co.uk or phone/text: 07970953461.
DAY OF RECOLLECTION FOR EXTRAORDINARY MINISTERS OF HOLY
COMMUNION: This will take place on Saturday 16th April (Saturday before Holy
Week) from 3.00pm until 5.00pm. This is for existing Ministers who are
continuing for a further year, and for our new Ministers. This will be led by Father
Jean-Patrice and will focus in particular on taking Communion to the Sick and
Housebound. There will be a number of new Ministers commissioned, so if any
existing Ministers do not wish to continue, please could they inform Father JeanPatrice as soon as possible. Any Ministers not able to make the day are invited to
present their apologies to Father Jean-Patrice as a matter of courtesy. The
Ministers will be commissioned or re-commissioned at the Evening Mass of the
Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday.
THE TRADITIONAL LATIN MASS: The next Mass in the Extraordinary Form of
the Roman Rite will be Friday 8th April at 6pm, and will be the Friday of the
Fourth Week of Lent.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION: The next meeting will be on Monday 4th April and
then on Monday 9th May, both meetings starting at 6.30pm.
CONFIRMATION 2011: The next meeting for the Candidates will be on Friday 6th
May at 7.00 pm until 8.30 pm in St. Joseph’s School Hall. NB: The July 1st
meeting has now been brought forward one week to 24th June.
DEVIZES PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCHES: Please remember the LENT LUNCHES at
Sheep Street Baptist Church from 12 noon until 1.30pm each Thursday in Lent until
14th April. Do come and join us for a simple meal, with a tempting selection of
home-made soups of offer. Donations to Christian Aid and CAFOD.
CHRISTIAN AID WEEK MAY 15th - 21st 2011: Jill Chadwick writes: “Earlier in
the year Barbara Coslett asked me to take over the town organisation of
Devizes Christian Aid Week which she has done faithfully for several years. The
house to house collection is now only about six weeks away. Last weekend
we received all the envelopes, bags and authorisations etc. I very much hope
that you will be able to keep up the splendid job you have done in past years
and find collectors at least for the streets for which you have previously been
responsible. If you can offer to collect a road (or even part of a road) that will be
a great help. These are difficult days for charities like Christian Aid so we all
need to make an extra effort this year.
CHRISTIAN AID does a marvellous job in many difficult places including
Zimbabwe, The Congo, Burma and many other parts of the world. They also do
very special work among the teenagers of Rwanda, who were traumatised by
the 1994 genocide when they were toddlers.”
If you would like to put yourself forward and organise the area collection for
Christian Aid week, would you please contact Francis and Jill Chadwick on
01380 721489.
OFFERTORY COUNTERS: This week: Mr & Mrs Bill Mortimer. Next week: Mr
Slattery and Mrs Alderton. Last week’s collection was £642.64 with £125.00 being
gift-aided. Many thanks for your kind generosity.
200 CLUB WINNERS: February 2011: S Bramwell; J Beecham; Mr M Hall; L Wain.
March 2011: Mrs N Dunne; Mrs Culligan; C Ladd; E Madigan.
CAFOD: LENT FAST DAY – SECOND COLLECTION: The final amount collected
for CAFOD amounted to £823.02. Many thanks for your kind generosity.
EASTER TRIDUUM: You are invited to participate in the Easter Triduum with the
Bernardine Cistercian Community at the Monastery of Our Lady and St Bernard in
Brownshill Stroud commencing Wednesday 20th April until Easter Sunday 24th
April. You will experience time for both prayers and silence, together with an
opportunity to share the Monastic Liturgy.
For further information, please contact “Bookings Secretary” on 01453 883084 or
e-mail on brownshillbookings@yahoo.co.uk.
COMMUNION UNDER BOTH KINDS: Father Jean-Patrice writes: Three weeks
ago, I wrote an article in the bulletin making a proposal of how the parish might
go forward with how we receive Holy Communion, following a time of
experimentation after returning to both kinds after the Swine Flu outbreak. The
article was long since the issues surrounding this are complex, but space only
allowed a much shorter article to be published in the following two weeks.
Parishioners may not have seen the longer article, and so made their
comments and suggestions based on the shorter one. I would like to thank the
parishioners who made comments either to myself or Mike Ash, and these
comments were discussed at our Parish Pastoral Council Meeting last Monday.
I would like to make the following comments in reply. The Second Vatican
Council in its Constitution on the Liturgy Sacrosanctum Concilium called for a
possibility for laypeople to receive under both kinds in limited circumstances,
i.e. for the newly baptized at the Mass following their baptism. Since then, the
General Instruction on the Roman Missal in 2000 allowed the possibility at all
Masses, if it was practical to do so. However, the further Instruction
Redemptionis Sacramentum in 2004, while re-iterating this desirability no
longer allowed laypeople to be known as Eucharistic Ministers, but instead
spoke of them as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, in order that the
distinction between them and the Ordinary Eucharistic Ministers of bishop,
priest and deacon would be maintained and not blurred.
One point that a parishioner raised was about the “normative” nature of
receiving the Sacred Host kneeling and on the tongue. This is probably
surprising given that in most parishes in England, most people receive
standing, and then either on the tongue or in the hand. However, to receive
kneeling has historical precedent and in any case is entirely logical if we truly
believe the Sacred Host to be Our Lord Jesus Christ. My role as a Parish Priest
is not to impose on people on how they should receive Communion, but it is to
give them the choice to do so as they wish.
As I mentioned, our church layout at Devizes does not easily allow people to
have that choice and be able to receive under both kinds. Furthermore, to
receive under both kinds almost always necessitates Extraordinary Ministers,
which as Redemptionis Sacramentum reminds us can only be used when there
is “true necessity”, i.e. in order to prevent the distribution of Communion being
excessively long. In listening to the comments of parishioners, I am convinced
that this necessity exists in the case of the Saturday Vigil Mass, which
sometimes is the only Sunday Mass that people can attend. It is as one
parishioner rightly said, a “privilege” that has been cherished for many years.
Following a suggestion from the Pastoral Council, at the two Sunday Masses in
Devizes where there will be Communion under both kinds, and hence the altar
rails will not be used, the Priest will stand behind the rails on the left-hand side
(facing the altar), and the people will approach in a queue before then going to
the right-hand side to either return to their places or to receive the Precious
Blood. This solution is not perfect, but I hope you will appreciate the difficulties
posed largely by the layout of our building.
THE PLACE OF RE IN THE CURRICULUM: The Catholic Education Service for
England and Wales has issued the following statement: The English Baccalaureate
(EBacc) was introduced in 2010 and is awarded to all students who achieve GCSEs
at grades A*-C in English, Mathematics, Science, a Humanities subject and a Modern
Foreign Language. However, the list of recognised Humanities subjects does not
currently include Religious Education. Please write to your local MP and ask them
to sign Early Day Motion 1375, calling for RE to be included in the English
Baccalaureate.
For more information visit www.cesew.org.uk/ /standard.asp?id=10326
What should I say?
Tell your MP why you think that RE ought to be recognised as a humanities subject.
You might want to use the wording from the CESEW statement (see last week’s
bulletin) as a starting point. Encourage your MP to sign Early Day Motion 1375, which
supports the inclusion of RE in the English Baccalaureate.
Make sure you include your address so your MP knows you are a constituent. You
could use the template below as a starting point:
Dear [insert name],
Please sign Early Day Motion 1375:
“That this House notes the recent publication of league tables of school performance
measuring the proportion of pupils obtaining the English Baccalaureate; further notes
that the English Baccalaureate is awarded to pupils who gain GCSEs at Grade C or
above in English, mathematics, science, a foreign language and a humanities
subject; further notes with concern that this list of approved subjects does not include
religious education; recognises that religious education is an academically rigorous
subject with increasing popularity among pupils; further recognises that the rise of
religious extremism around the world and in the UK means that a good understanding
of all religions is vital to a well-rounded education; further notes that with the
increasing emphasis on the English Baccalaureate as the primary qualification for 16year-olds, schools are more likely to focus on the core subjects which make it up; and
therefore calls on the Government to recognise the importance and relevance of
religious education by including it as a core subject in the English Baccalaureate.”
It is vital that RE is recognised as a humanity for the purposes of the English
Baccalaureate. Many schools are already beginning to cut RE provision as a result
of its exclusion from the list of recognised subjects. RE is a broad based humanity,
demanding knowledge and skills in history, textual criticism, anthropology, ethics,
philosophy and theology. Thus it seems aptly suited to being part of any qualification
which seeks to ensure that our pupils receive a genuinely broad education.
Yours sincerely
[insert name].
You may contact our MP Claire Perry in several ways: Post – Claire Perry MP, House
of Commons, London SW1A 0AA; Phone – London 020 7219 7050/Constituency
01672 519198; email – claire.perry.mp@parliament.uk; or on her Twitter account
twitter.com/claire4devizes.
DEVIZES PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCHES CALL TO PRAYER: For over 25 years, a
small group of people, from our Partnership Churches, have been meeting
together, once a fortnight, for a simple prayer meeting. They meet in one
another’s’ homes and pray together for the sick, those in need, our Partnership,
our Churches, our town, our World. New members are always most welcome.
They have also established a “Prayer chain”. Names of those requesting prayer
are circulated confidentially and ongoing prayers are offered for them. Slowly,
over more recent years, some of the original members of this prayer chain are less
able to participate. It would be good if others were to take up this call to prayer.
We really do need new input from younger people. It may well be in a different
format altogether. Do please pray about this need within our Partnership
community. Ask the Lord if He is leading you to step forward to fill this role.
Please also remember the LENT LUNCHES at Sheep Street Baptist Church from 12
noon until 1.30pm each Thursday in Lent until 14th April. Do come and join us for
a simple meal, with a tempting selection of home-made soups of offer. Donations
to Christian Aid and CAFOD.
LOURDES PILGRIMAGE 2011: This year, our Diocese of Clifton will be joining the
dioceses of Southwark, Portsmouth, Northampton, East Anglia and Stonyhurst
College and the Carmelites to form the Catholic Association for the forthcoming
pilgrimage scheduled for 19th – 26th August 2011. To reduce the costs of this
pilgrimage by as much as £200, a coach has been arranged to run directly from
Clifton Cathedral to Lourdes. However, this can only be achieved by having at
least 40 people book with the diocese to travel this way. If you are interested in
attending the Lourdes Pilgrimage, or if you require any further information, please
contact Deacon David Wakefield on 07711 834800.
THE NEW TRANSLATION - WHAT NEW TRANSLATION? : Did you know that
the translation of the Mass which we currently use is going to change? The texts
we have now have been in use since 1970 and in September we will begin to use
a revised translation. Over the coming weeks/months there will be short articles
in this newsletter which will help us to understand what these changes are and
why they have come about. There will also be plenty of opportunities provided
to learn more about it and become familiar with the changes. A number of day
and evening sessions will be arranged for those who would like to find out more.
We will publish some material ourselves and will also provide web links for those
who have internet access. This will be a great opportunity for us all to learn more
about the Mass and deepen our understanding of the liturgy and its meaning and
relevance for us in our lives today. Watch this space!
DEVIZES PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCHES
LENT LUNCHES
AT SHEEP STREET BAPTIST CHURCH
12 NOON UNTIL 1.30PM
EACH THURSDAY IN LENT –
10TH, 17TH, 24TH 31ST MARCH & 7TH & 14TH APRIL
Do come and join us for a simple meal, with a tempting selection of home-made soups of
offer.
Donations to Christian Aid and CAFOD.
DEVIZES PARTNERSHIP OF CHURCHES CALL TO PRAYER
For over 25 years, a small group of people, from our Partnership Churches, have been
meeting together, once a fortnight, for a simple prayer meeting. They meet in one another’s’
homes and pray together for the sick, those in need, our Partnership, our Churches, our
town, our World. New members are always most welcome. They have also established a
“Prayer chain”. Names of those requesting prayer are circulated confidentially and ongoing
prayers are offered for them. Slowly, over more recent years, some of the original members
of this prayer chain are less able to participate. It would be good if others were to take up
this call to prayer. We really do need new input from younger people. It may well be in a
different format altogether.
Do please pray about this need within our Partnership community. Ask the Lord if He is
leading you to step forward to fill this role.
OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD
Dear Friends,
What a wonderful successful day we had last November, packing 526 boxes for needy
children abroad. Our boxes arrived safely in Serbia in time for Christmas.
The success of the day has inspired us to think about this year’s campaign. We are
planning a Coffee morning “Bring and Buy” at St Andrew’s Church on Saturday 19th March
from 10am until 12 noon.
Please come and join us. It is a chance to get feedback on last year’s event and to keep in
touch with ongoing things to do with the shoeboxes. We would welcome any ideas and
suggestions concerning the shoeboxes. Our date for this year’s packing day is SATURDAY
5TH NOVEMBER from 9am (setting up from 4.30pm on Friday 4th November). We look
forward to seeing you on March 19th.
Yours,
Ursula and Heather
WEDNESDAY CRAFT & CHAT MORNINGS (from 10am until 12 noon)
19th March
13th April
11th May
th
th
13 July
10 August
28th September
ALL WELCOME
8th June
12th October