Newsletter 16th November 2025
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Readings: Sunday: Cycle C • Weekday: Year 1 • Psalter 1
Parishes of St Michael and Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
CLIFTON DIOCESE (a Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales under number 10462076. A registered charity number 1170168. Registered Office: St Ambrose North Road Leigh Woods Bristol BS8 3PW)
The Shrine of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
St Mary’s Presbytery, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury, BA6 9EJ
Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury website
Catholic Church of St Michael,
6 Park Road, Shepton Mallet, BA4 5BP
Email Parish Office: Telephone: 01458 835931
Parish Priest: Fr Mark Moran
PARISH OFFICE HOURS [THIS WEEK]: Monday,Tuesday and Thursday between 9.00am and 1.00pm
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament: Monday to Saturday from 7am until 9am [OLG]
Confessions/Sacrament of Reconciliation: 45 minutes before the scheduled mass on Monday to Saturday [last admissions 15 minutes before the scheduled mass time]
SAFEGUARDING: Our parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance, and both National and Diocesan policies & procedures at all times. SAFEGUARDING WEBPAGE: Name of P.S.R.: Email for St. Michael’s or Email for Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury
EMERGENCY EXITS: Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the nearest exit. In case of an emergency please leave all belongings and move immediately to the fire points. THANK YOU
DIOCESAN PRAYER LINK
This week we pray for the priest and people of the parish of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Chippenham, St Patrick, Corsham.
Act of Hope: My God, I hope in you, for grace and for glory, because of your promises, your mercy, and your power.
IMPORTANT NOTICE – Changes to Mass Times this week : As Father Mark’s will be attending the Council of Priests meeting on Wednesday, the morning mass will take place straight after exposition at 9am
LITURGY OF THE WORD: Parish Mass Books used at [SM] Page 164 for 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Entrance Antiphon: The Lord said: I think thoughts of peace and not of affliction. You will call upon me, and I will answer you, and I will lead back your captives from every place.
Responsorial Psalm: The Lord comes to judge the peoples with fairness.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia. Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
Communion Antiphon: To be near God is my happiness, to place my hope in God the Lord.
RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILDREN: ‘The Kids’ Bulletin’
COLLECTION AT MASS
OLG: Offertory: £339.78
Palo's Requiem : £190.00 (THANK YOU: for your generosity, to both parishioners and community, together we have raised a total of £3,650, which covers the full cost of Palo’s Requiem.)
SM: Offertory: £274.31
Please remember you can donate by clicking on the Donate with DONA button below. Any monies donated for St Michael’s Offertory will be transferred to this parish. Thank you.
DONA MACHINE UPDATE
(OLG) We’ve upgraded our DONA machine to reduce transaction charges, making giving more cost-effective. As payments are now processed by a new provider, anyone who has previously registered for Gift Aid will need to re-enter their details the first time they use the updated machine. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
(SM) St Michael’s DONA machine will soon be up and running.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME - HAS NOW STARTED
The First Holy Communion preparation group will now meet at St Michael’s, Shepton Mallet in the parish room at 5.30pm on Wednesday 19th.
RCIA: The next session will be Friday 28th November in St Mary’s upper hall at 7pm
CONFIRMATION COURSE
Confirmation lessons will be commencing again on Wednesday 19th November, in St Mary's Lower Hall. Lessons will run every Wednesday evening in term-time, at 7pm until 8:30pm. Contact at stmarysglastonburyconfirmation@gmail.com, or Anthony Morris to sign up or for further details.
Fr Mark’s Induction
Fr Mark’s induction as Rector and Parish Priest will take place on Tuesday 25th November at 7pm at the Shrine of Our Lady of Glastonbury, with Mgr. Liam Slattery. Followed by refreshments in the hall. All are welcome to attend.
WELCOME TO OUR PARISH We would like to extend a warm welcome to all our parishioners and visitors attending Mass. Whether you are just passing through or looking for a spiritual home, we pray you find our church inviting and spiritually uplifting. If you are attending Mass on a regular basis, we encourage you to register with the parish. Please call our parish office and start the conversation! Both our church is always open to you, your family, and friends.
Pax et Bonum [Peace and All Good]
(SM) Teas & coffees after Mass on Sunday, in the Parish room.
(OLG) Teas & coffees after Mass on Sunday, in the Lower Room.
(SM) Catholic diaries and Christmas cards will be on sale in church after Mass this Sunday. Proceeds go to St Michael’s
Also free Missio calendars, please help yourself.
(SM) Birthday Congratulations to Margaret Dyke who turns 100 years old on Thursday 20th.
Men’s Group (SM): Our next session of the Shepton Mallet Men’s Group will be on the 27th November at 7pm in the Parish Room. In this session, Phil Hutton will be leading the discussion. Feel free to join us and bring drinks and food.
ELEVATE - Tesco blue token voting. We are delighted to announce that from October to January 2026 the lift fundraising project will be part of the blue token voting in TESCO in Glastonbury. Please pop in and add your blue tokens to our box - we could win between £500 and £1500 which would complete the fundraising for the lift. Ask Rachael for any clarification. Thank you.
CATECHISM: A journey through the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Every Wednesday at 7pm in the Upper Hall, reading through the Catechism from the beginning with space for reflection and enquiry as we go along, for anyone from new candidates to lifelong Catholics or even non Catholics with an interest in discovering more about our faith. All are warmly welcome. For more details, please speak with Phil Stretch or email flipstretch@hotmail.com.
PRAYERS PLEASE: For all who are ill at home or in hospital, and for the repose of the soul of those whose anniversary occurs at this time including, Iola Raymond, Anthony Braund, Elizabeth Barry, John Tully, Anthony Caroll.
For the late Silvana Bondi a parishioner from St Mary’s who died recently. Funeral Service on Tuesday 25th November at 11.15am
May they rest in peace.
CAKES FOR ST PETER’S LIFELINE [OLG] Beatrice (11yrs) will be holding a homemade cake sale after Mass on Sunday 16th November to raise funds for St Peter’s Life-Line, which brings Hope Through Education to a community in Kenya. Please come and support Beatrice in the Narthex and buy yourself a cake or two!
CHRISTMAS DRAW (OLG) Sunday 14 December at 12.45 in the Church Hall - Raffle books will be available soon and donations of prizes will be most welcome. See list at back of church if you wish to give a monetary gift. Your contributions of cakes and savouries will be very welcome together with prizes for individual raffles and sales. If you wish to donate any Christmas craft or similar gift for a Christmas sale table this would be much appreciated, If you would like to help please contact Maggy or Clare in the office.
Youth Meeting (OLG) Our next youth meeting is going to be held at St Mary's Church, Glastonbury on the 22nd November from 3pm. Starting with adoration, followed by prayers and bible study and conversations with peers.
Aid to the Church in Need: Red Wednesday Mass for Persecuted Christians on Wednesday 19th November at 6.45pm in Clifton Cathedral with Bishop Bosco MacDonald as main celebrant. The default position of ‘the world’ on the issue of Christian persecution is largely silence. #RedWednesday week offers a chance as Catholics and other Christians to make a stand together in solidarity. Bishop Bosco will be saying this Mass for Persecuted Christians. Please come and unite in prayer with our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. All are welcome.
Catholic Church’s teaching 'On Care for Our Common Home'. The series ‘What is Laudato Si’?’ will be held at The Old Priory, St Gregory’s, Cheltenham, 7pm - 8.30pm on the Mondays in Advent.
The sessions are:
1st December: What is happening to Our Common Home?
8th December: What does Catholic Social Teaching say?
15th December: What is ecological conversion?
22nd December: How do we put our faith into action?
Enquiries and to register please email cheltlaudatosicircle@gmail.com, or phone Martin Davis (Laudato Si’ facilitator) on 01242 244182.
World Youth Sunday 2025 – Celebrating the Jubilee Year Schools and parishes across England and Wales are invited to take part in World Youth Sunday 2025, a special three-day event from 21st- 23rd November, marking the Jubilee Year. This year’s programme includes a World Youth Sunday Livestream for schools (formerly World Youth Funday), Social Saturday, and celebrations in parishes for World Youth Sunday and the Feast of Christ the King. Designed to support youth ministry and Catholic formation, the event offers a meaningful way to highlight the role of young people in the Church. Developed in partnership with the Jubilee for Schools project, CAFOD, CSAN, and CES and aligned with the Catholic Schools Inspection (CSI) Framework, it’s a valuable opportunity to strengthen links between schools, parishes, and the wider Church. For more information and registration click here.
CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER AND LECTIO DIVINA (OLG) The groups meet on alternative Thursdays at 2.30pm in the United Reformed Church, High Street, Glastonbury (main front door).
Lectio Divina: Practises slow Scripture reading, reflection, discussion, and stillness.
Contemplative Prayer: Brief introduction, 30 minutes of silence, and optional sharing.
All are welcome. For more information, contact Helen or Graham, or visit the Prayer Groups page on the Shrine’s website.
Clifton Diocese in partnership with ‘Light of Truth’ are offering Essential Training for Catechists. Parishioners can join us on Saturdays, 6th, 13th & 20th December, online, from 9am to 12 noon for a short course of 3 sessions, to discover the essential nature and principles of catechesis, the sources of catechesis, and the best ways to prepare and deliver our catechesis. This course is open to everyone involved or interested in any kind of catechesis for adults, young people or children. Anyone interested can sign up for the series by clicking on the Zoom link here. More information on other courses & sessions run by the Sisters can be found on the following link: https://www.lightoftruth.uk/join I would be very grateful if you could start promote this short series in your parish.
Celebrating Marriage and Family Life: Bishop Bosco is to celebrating Mass in the Cathedral on Saturday 14 February (12 noon) and is inviting all families to join him to acknowledge the joys & challenges of family life. In addition, we will celebrate those couples with significant anniversaries in 2026. If you are, or know of a couple, celebrating a special anniversary during 2026 please do let us know. You just need to email names with an address so that a personal invitation can be sent out from the bishop. Please include the number of years celebrating. It is always a wonderful Mass at the Cathedral, we look forward to seeing you there.
STARTING SCHOOL? If you have a child born between 1 September 2021 and 31 August 2022, then now is the time to apply for a place at a primary school for admission from September 2026 onwards. You must complete an application form that is available from the school admissions team of Somerset Council. If your child has been baptised and you are applying for a Catholic school, you must also provide a copy of the baptism certificate to the school. Please ensure you apply by the closing date of 15 January 2026.
Your congregation and clergy are warmly invited to a special ecumenical lecture to mark the 1700th anniversary of The Council of Nicaea of 325, to be held at Wells Cathedral on Tuesday 25 November at 6pm (immediately after Evensong at 5:15pm, to which all are also warmly invited). The speaker is the Revd Dr Susan Durber, European President of the World Council of Churches. Dr Durber is an international theologian and URC minister.
UPDATE ON THE LIFT INSTALLATION [OLG]: Remedial work for the new hall lift has now begun. Every effort will be made to avoid disruption during bookings. Please note: the ground floor storeroom and the upper kitchen are strictly out of bounds until the lift installation is completed in October. “DANGER – NO ENTRY” signs will be displayed. Any breach of this rule will result in the hall being closed for the remainder of the works.
Hall Lift Preparation Work – Photos (OLG) : Take a look at our parish website to see the latest photos of the hall lift preparation work carried out so far. It is great to see the progress being made!
Christmas Services at St Michael's
Tuesday 24th December : Carols at 5.30pm followed by First Mass of Christmas and blessing of the crib at 6pm
Wednesday 25th December 9.00am Mass
Christmas Services at St Mary's
Tuesday 24th December : Carols at 11.30pm leading into Midnight Mass
Wednesday 25th December 11.00am Mass
Thursday 26th December 10.00 - St Stephen
GoodCounsel Network : On Monday 17th November please pray and fast for the end of abortion and euthanasia. Your prayer and fasting is urgently needed. For information on the days of Prayer and Fasting see: www.GoodCounselNetwork.com
Join us in Prayer and Fasting:
Fasting - Fast from all food except bread and water for the day Or Fast from a particular food or luxury, e.g. chocolate, alcohol, cigarettes, TV. Fast from whatever you can given your state of health etc, but make sure it is something that involves a sacrifice to yourself.
Prayer - We are asking people to say a Rosary (or an extra Rosary if you say it daily already). You could also offer an extra effort such as going to Mass (or an extra Mass) on the day, or going to Adoration. You can even pray before a closed tabernacle if Adoration is not available near you.
NOVEMBER PRAYER FOR THE HOLY SOULS
Eternal Father, I offer Thee the Most Precious Blood of Thy Divine Son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory, for sinners everywhere, for sinners in the universal church, those in my own home and within my family. Amen.
