This week’s 2nd collection, Catholic Communications Network

LITURGY OF THE WORD PARISH MASS BOOKS [SM] Readings for Sunday Easter Week 7 of (Year A) : Page 275

In compliance with the current guidance from the diocesan insurers PLEASE DO NOT Light candles and place them on the windows or by the statues. Votive Candles should be lit and placed on the votive candle stands ONLY. Thank You

NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL. Please contact the parish office at St Mary’s to be added to our mailing list.

CHANGES TO SATURDAY MORNING SCHEDULE

Please note that from May 2026, morning mass and devotions will alternate between the two parishes.

First and Third Saturdays will be celebrated at St Michael’s [SM]

Second, Fourth and Fifth Saturdays will be at The Shrine of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury [OLG]

STRUCTURAL WORK ON THE CHURCH [OLG]

Scaffold should be erected on or around 19th May, and the work replacing the coping stones will start two weeks later.

Please note in the newsletter

[SM] represent events at St Michael’s, Shepton Mallet and

[OLG] represents events at The Shrine of Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury

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]

CATHOLIC COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

The Catholic Communications Network (CCN) delivers the bishops’ message to the media and to the wider world. It is the media office of the Bishops’ Conference and exists primarily to serve the various departments, offices, agencies and consultative bodies of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. The Conference has six departments: Catholic Education and Formation, Christian Life and Worship, Evangelisation and Discipleship, Dialogue and Unity, International Affairs and Social Justice. The Catholic Communications Network works to serve the multimedia needs of the departments – broadcast, print and online. Click Here for Information.

Diocesan Pilgrimage to Glastonbury will take place on Sunday 6th September.

MARRIAGE

If you are thinking of getting married, in England or Abroad, you need to be in contact with your parish priest at least 6 months prior to the wedding. This is to allow time for the paperwork, enquiries and necessary permissions from the Marriage Tribunal to have been obtained and paperwork to be sent to the parish where the marriage ceremony is taking place.

PRAYERS PLEASE.

For those who have made petitions requests and all who are ill at home or in hospital,

Your prayers are asked for Tia Edwards who is currently ill in Yeovil hospital.

Also, prayers are asked for the repose of the soul of those whose anniversary occurs at this time, including: Zenaida Ciriaco, Mary Fear, Nyria Richardson, Ronald and Wendy Martin, Tony North, Peter Brookland, Louis Eggleston, John Bayley.

Coleen Woodcock funeral details can be obtained by contacting St Dunstan’s in Somerton on 01963 34408

Sr Anne Martin has a quantity of religious books to offer and would be grateful to hear from anyone who might be able to find a home for some or all of them. Please call her on 01749 840681.

HEALING MASS with ANOINTING

The next mass of Healing will take place on the SECOND Tuesday in October [13th], at 6:00pm

PARISH HALL CLEANER

We are looking to employ a cleaner for the hall, who is reliable and courteous. Duties will include general cleaning and maintenance of a high standard of cleanliness throughout the parish facilities. Candidates do not need to be practising Catholics but should be sympathetic to the aims and values of the Catholic Church. We pay the Real Living Wage so the starting salary for our cleaners is £13.45 per hour, and the role is for 4 hours per week.

A job description can be obtained from the parish office by emailing on or after 18th May 2026.

REQUEST FOR HOLY COMMUNION AT HOME

Please contact the parish office, if you are sick and unable to attend church and require Holy Communion at home. You can do this either by Email or by Telephone, if you are sick and unable to attend church and require Holy Communion at home.

Please do not make the request through friends or parishioners.

TEAS AND COFFEES / REFRESHMENTS

Please remember: If you have allergies --- we cannot guarantee the food served on these premises, including cakes and biscuits, is free from allergenic ingredients and we can take no responsibility for cross contamination.
Children are under the supervision of their own parents during teas and coffees and at parish events.

SAVE THE DATE:  Dr Scott Hahn

We are delighted to announce that Dr Scott Hahn, Catholic writer, author, broadcaster and teacher is coming to this country in May and will be speaking at St John the Evangelist, Bath, on Tuesday, 26 May at 7:00pm. It will be a ticketed event only. In addition, Dr. Scott will be signing his books which CTS will bring with them. This is a truly great opportunity for our diocese to welcome Dr Hahn; you will not want to miss this great speaker.

There will be 350 tickets at £20 per person. The timetable for the evening will be:

• 6:00 pm – Doors Open / Check-in / Book Sales & Refreshments, 7:00 pm – Welcome & Introductions, 7:10 pm – First Presentation by Dr. Hahn, “The Lamb’s Supper; The Mass as Heaven and Earth”, 8:10 pm – Intermission (Restrooms / Book Sales / Refreshments) , 8:30 pm – Second Presentation by Dr. Hahn, “Lord, Have Mercy; The Healing Power of Confession”, 9:30 pm – Closing Announcements / Book Signing / Book Sales & Refreshments.

• The CTS will also be here making available Dr Hahn’s books, and, as you can see from the schedule, there is time for signing. To book your ticket please click on the following link: Click here to book tickets.

Westminster assisted suicide Bill has fallen:

Defend NHS staff conscience rights. Following the fall of the Leadbeater assisted suicide Bill, fresh bids to introduce an assisted dying law in England and Wales are anticipated. Any new law would likely pressure NHS staff to be involved in some way and offer even less protection to institutions like hospices. You can help protect healthcare workers and hospices by signing the Bios Centre online petition. It calls on Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to protect conscientious objection rights for religious and personal beliefs.

Click to sign the petition or scan the QR code on the poster.

[OLG] CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER AND LECTIO DIVINA

Both groups meet fortnightly at 2:30pm on Thursdays at the United Reformed Church, High Street, Glastonbury (main front door). For more information visit and check the schedule on the Prayer Groups page on the Shrine’s website. All welcome.

• Lectio Divina: Practises slow Scripture reading, reflection, discussion, and stillness.

• Contemplative Prayer: Brief introduction, 30 minutes of silence, and optional sharing.

NOW IS THE TIME

A Symposium to explore the teachings of Pope Leo in his Apostolic Exhortation ‘Dilexi Te' (Love for the Poor) at St Brendan’s College, Brislington, on Saturday 30th May. Keynote speakers - Bishop Bosco MacDonald, Sir John Battle KC*SG & Raymond Friel (CSAN).

The day starts at 10:00am (refreshments from 9.30am) and finishes at 4:00pm. Please bring a packed lunch. Click this link to register on Eventbrite.

Diocesan Annual Pilgrimage to Lourdes 2026

This Pilgrimage will be led by Bishop Bosco MacDonald with the Catholic Association of Lourdes UK.

Friday 21st ~ Friday 28th August 2026.

Including Airport transfers from Bristol to Birmingham Airport, Flights to Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport, hotel transfers.

Full pilgrimage programme, including visits to the Grotto of the Apparitions, Mass each day, Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, Sacrament of Reconciliation, visits to sites related to St Bernadette, Open air Mass in the Cite-San– Pierre, Water Gesture, Station of the Cross. Diocesan Day Trip to Bartres (extra charge).

Please email Clifton Diocese Lourdes Pilgrimage to declare an interest.

Prayer to Our Lady of Good Counsel

O, Holy Virgin, to whose feet we are led by our anxious uncertainty in our search for and attainment of what is true and good, invoking thee by the sweet title of Mother of Good Counsel we beseech thee to come to our assistance, when along the road of this life, the darkness of error and of evil conspires towards our ruin by leading our minds and our hearts astray.

Do Thou, O Seat of Wisdom and Star of the Sea, Enlighten the doubtful and the erring, that they be not seduced by the false appearances of good, render them steadfast in the face of the hostile and corrupting influences of passion and of sin.

O Mother of Good Counsel, obtain for us from Thy Divine Son a great love of Virtue and, in the hour of uncertainty and trial, the strength to embrace the way that leads to our salvation. If Thy hand sustains us, we shall walk unmolested along the path indicated to us by the life and words of Jesus our Redeemer; and having followed freely and securely, even in the midst of this world's strife, the sun of truth and justice under Thy Maternal Star, we shall come to the enjoyment of full and eternal peace with Thee in the Haven of Salvation. Amen.

USEFUL NUMBERS - SAFEGUARDING

WomansAid - National  Domestic Violence Helpline  – 0808 2000 247

The mix – Advice for the under 25yrs. – 0808 808 4994

Advice for Male Victims of Domestic Violence - 0808 8801 0327

Childline – Deals with a vast variety of children concerns including Domestic Violence. 0800 1111 

 Glastonbury Support Network: Email glastonburycommunity@gmail.com 

Social Services Glastonbury: Link to apply for emergency assistance due to SNAP crisis:

https://form.jotform.com/glastonburysocialservices/SNAPhelp

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.

SAFEGUARDING

Our parish operates in accordance with Statutory Safeguarding Guidance, and both National and Diocesan policies & procedures at all times. SAFEGUARDING WEBPAGE:

Contact: Email for St. Michael’s or Email for Our Lady St Mary of Glastonbury

CREATING A SAFER ENVIRONMENT - SAFEGUARDING

In line with the CSSA ‘Creating a Safer Environment’, entry to the Sacristy from the Church, when there are servers present, must be recorded.

[OLG] ANYBODY ENTERING DIOCESAN PROPERTY

In compliance with Creating a Safer Environment, nobody has permission to access any of the key boxes unless the parish office has been notified prior to your visit. This week the Key Codes have been changed, going forward you will need to request the code from the parish office so that your details and the reason that you have the code can be recorded. Please do not pass on the codes to anybody, without checking with the parish office. Thank you for your co-operation.

EMERGENCY EXITS

Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with the nearest exit, in case of an emergency. In the unlikely event of having to vacate the church unexpectedly, during a service, please follow the instructions of the priest and our stewards. They will direct you to the nearest exit. Please vacate promptly and leave all belongings. Thank you for helping us keep you safe.