Newsletter 19th October 2025
Twenty Ninth 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
NEW 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 St Gerard Majella Knowle, Christ the King, Knowle West.
Act of Hope: My God, I hope in you, for grace and for glory, because of your promises, your mercy, and your power.
LITURGY OF THE WORD: Parish Mass Books used at [SM] Page 152 for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
Entrance Antiphon: To you I call; for you will surely heed me, O God; turn your ear to me; hear my words. Guard me as the apple of your eye; in the shadow of your wings protect me.
Responsorial Psalm: Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Gospel Acclamation: Alleluia, alleluia. The word of God living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Alleluia.
Communion Antiphon: Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, who hope in his merciful love, to rescue their souls from death, to keep them alive in famine.
RESOURCES FOR YOUR CHILDREN: ‘The Kids’ Bulletin’
COLLECTION AT MASS
OLG: Plate: £496.44. Thank you. Paulo’s Requiem: £1,249.44 to date. Thank you.
St Michael: Plate: £ 189.88 Thank you.
Last week's 2nd Collection CAFOD £206.65 Thank you.
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.
FIRST HOLY COMMUNION PROGRAMME
If your child is a Baptised Catholic and aged 8 or above on 31st August 2025 and you would like them to join the programme, please collect an enrolment form by emailing the parish office or downloaded the forms from the website. Forms should be returned to Fr Mark or the parish office, no later than the initial meeting.
The initial meeting with parents and children will take place on Saturday 8th November 2025 at 11.15am in the Upper Hall at Our Lady of Glastonbury. The first session after mass, in the Upper Hall, on Sunday 15th November. Please note: the course is not open to late admissions.
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 hall.
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.
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, Kevin Bond, Ann-Marie Mlinaric, Elsie Speed, Marjorie Cook, Eleonore Noz, Peter van Eyken, Bill Tully, John Kenny, William Hickey.
PLEASE PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOULS
Ted Moran, a parishioner from St Mary’s who died last week.
Paulo Cluseau aged 79, who died last Friday, he passed away peacefully. Paulo was a parishioner at St Mary’s for as long as anyone can remember. Details on his Requiem Mass to follow.
Please keep both Paulo and Ted in your prayers. May they rest in peace.
DONATIONS IN MEMORY Arrangements are being made for the parish and community to celebrate Paulo life with a Requiem Mass – if you would like to contribute, please use the Dona machine, via the fund – Requiem, Paulo Cluseau RIP. Thank you for your generosity.
BLYTHSWOOD SHOEBOXES (SM) Please consider packing a shoebox full of simple gifts for a needy person this Christmas. Leaflets with full details and some spare shoe boxes are available in the porch. Boxes will be collected from St Michael’s on 13th November.
ST PETER’S LIFELINE (SM) David Baldwin has sent illustrated First Friday news and prayers – do take a look at the pin board at the back of the church in St Michael’s.
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.
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.
CLEANERS (OLG) We’re looking for a few more volunteers to join our friendly team of cleaners who help keep our church looking its best. A big thank you to those who have already come forward! If you’re able to lend a hand, please contact Clare in the parish office.
Men’s Group (OLG) It will be in the upper hall this Saturday 25th October at 7pm. All men are welcome over 16 years for discussion, sharing experiences and food. For further details please contact Wayne Abbiss at wabbiss@yahoo.co.uk
CAFOD Family Fast Day: Thank you for your incredibly generous response to the FFD Appeal - £927.57 is amazing! Deo gratias! It will make a life-changing difference to Ware and her community, and communities like theirs, to have access to clean water. Pope Leo reminds us that caring for our neighbours who live in poverty and are marginalised is “tangible proof of the authenticity of our love of God.” ( Dilexi Te )
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) Both groups meet on 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. Next meeting: 23rd October, then every two weeks.
Contemplative Prayer: Brief introduction, 30 minutes of silence, and optional sharing. Meets next on 30th October, then every fortnight.
All are welcome. For more information, contact Helen or Graham, or visit the Prayer Groups page on the Shrine’s website.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales and Birmingham Newman University are conducting research into Neurodiversity and our Faith. If you're an adult neurodivergent Catholic or a Caregiver of a neurodivergent Catholic, we want to hear from you. Your experiences will help us to become more inclusive and responsive to your needs. To find out more and to fill in our short surveys click here.
His Holiness Pope Leo XIV sends the assurance of his spiritual closeness to those participating in the 2025 “Day for Life - 15 June” being celebrated jointly by the Bishops’ Conferences of England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. In this Jubilee Year focussed on the theological virtue of hope, it is fitting that your theme, ‘Hope does not disappoint – finding meaning in suffering’, seeks to draw people’s attention to how the mystery of suffering, so prevalent in the human condition, can be transformed by grace into an experience of the Lord’s presence, for God is always close to those who are suffering and guides us to appreciate the deeper meaning of life, in love and closeness (cf. Message of His Holiness Pope Francis ‘ XXXIII World Day of the Sick). His Holiness prays that, through your common witness to the God-given dignity of every person, without exception, and to the tender Christ-like accompaniment of the seriously ill, all in society will be encouraged to defend rather than undermine a civilisation founded on authentic love and genuine compassion.
UK Parliament Petition: Do not introduce assisted dying & Abolish abortion In England & Wales 1 in 4 pregnancies are aborted, but we believe our Society should Protect the Sacred Gift of Life, especially Innocent Children In The Womb, and the Sick & Helpless. We believe Life Is From Conception - No Exceptions - Until A Natural Death. We Support this Petition for we believe every Life is Worth Living and a Civilised Society offers Families Palliative Care, Hope, Love, Kindness not death. We feel life is under attack at every stage. We won’t give up. We desire to fight for a Culture of Life, because Every Single Life Matters. We call upon Parliament to Choose Life & not what we believe is a culture of death.
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.
God, Almighty Father, we are your pilgrim Church journeying towards the Kingdom of heaven. We live in our homeland, but as if we were foreigners. Every foreign place is our home, yet every native land is foreign to us. Though we live on earth, our true citizenship is in heaven. Do not let us become possessive of the portion of the world you have given us as a temporary home. Help us to keep walking, together with our migrant brothers and sisters, toward the eternal dwelling you have prepared for us. Open our eyes and our hearts so that every encounter with those in need becomes an encounter with Jesus, your Son and our Lord. Amen.
