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WEEKDAY MASSES:

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Morning Prayer: 9:45am before Mass

Confessions: Saturday after 10:00am Mass and 3:00-4:00pm

Rosary: After Mass each day

Prayer Intention of the Week: For Young People.  

Feast Days this Week:  Tuesday:  Ss Andrew Dung-Lac and Companions.

Sunday Reflection: It is an ancient and very trustworthy tradition that the Blessed Virgin was solemnly offered in the Temple to God at the age of three by her parents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim.  Their love and devotion to God reflects the relationship they shared with Him.  In what ways do we demonstrate a personal relationship to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?

Christians Together in Exeter – Week of Prayer  The launch, at Exeter Cathedral, took place this past Friday November 20^th . As part of this our church will be open for prayer between 11:00am–12 noon and also 9:00pm-12 midnight on Friday 27^th November.  Please see the ‘bookmarks’ on the back table for further information and make a special effort to attend this Week of Prayer in our Church community.

Remembering the Deceased

Down through the ages, Christian communities have honoured and remembered their dead.  We see their names on the walls and windows of churches and on grave markers in cemeteries.  We read their names in prayers of intercession and recall their anniversaries.  Especially during the month of November – with its solemnity of All Saints and commemoration of All Souls – Catholics both remember the dead and prepare for their own death. 

We have another opportunity to remember those who have died.  Our “Book of the Names of the Dead” will be in the back of the Church.  Parishioners are invited to enter the names of family members who have died.  The book will be left out for the month of November.  All those who have been remembered will be prayed for during the intercessions at our liturgies during November.

Flu Pandemic The Bishop has asked that now the Flu has reached Pandemic level we do not offer Holy Communion from the chalice and also not to give Holy Communion on the tongue.

SVP (Turning concern into action) This Sunday and next Sunday there will be a box at the back of the Church to collect donations of food in aid of our Christmas Parcel Service for the homeless and needy families. The following items would be appreciated. Dried & Canned food. Tea & Coffee. Biscuits & Confectionary. The final collection will be Sunday 29th November. Cash donations are welcome, for security reasons please hand the donation to an SVP member or into the Presbytery (S H or use the box in the wall at the back of Church). Any queries please contact Peter Kelly  01392 425349

C.W.L.  The next meeting will be held this Tuesday 24^th November at 2:00pm at Mount St. Mary Centre.  All are welcome.

LIFE – CHRISTMAS FAYRE LIFE will hold its Christmas Fayre next Sunday 29 November 12 – 3pm at St Nicholas School.  Donations are urgently needed for all stalls especially raffle prizes, cakes, new goods, toiletries, Christmas craft items, bric-a brac, tombola, toys, books and bottles of red wine for the mulled wine stall.  Items can be left in the Blessed Sacrament church porch marked LIFE FAYRE or given to Peter Kelly. There will be lots of activities for the children and Santa will be making a special visit! Tickets are available from Peter Kelly (tel.425349) and cost £2.50 for adults and £1 for children including lunch.

Taizé Service  will take place at St. James’ Parish Church, Exeter next Sunday 29^th November at 4:30pm followed by refreshments.  All are welcome.

CAFOD Apologies for the incorrect information submitted to the presbytery - error in last week’s newsletter. We raised £507 (not £50), but this gives us an opportunity to say thank you again for your donations, support and for making it an enjoyable and rewarding evening. A team from Blessed Sacrament now hold the CAFOD Cup!!!.

Sung Vespers and Benediction at Ugbrooke 22nd November   This Sunday 22nd November at 5:30pm the Schola Sanctae Caeciliae will be singing Vespers and Benediction at St Cyprian's Chapel, Ugbrooke House. Music to include Fauxbourdon Psalms in Latin, Magnificat Primi Toni by Palestrina, O Salutaris Hostia by Rossini, Tantum Ergo by Duruflé and Ave Maria by Vittoria. 22nd November is the choir's patronal feast and marks the second anniversary of the founding of this Catholic chamber choir. All are very welcome to this event where beautiful polyphonic music will be heard in its proper liturgical setting and which will support the Westcountry division of HCPT - The Pilgrimage Trust and the choir's music library.

Stewardship, Come and explore what it might mean to you?

The series of small groups to explore Catholic stewardship in more detail started recently. There will be 4 meetings between November and Christmas and 6 leading up to Pentecost. The facilitators include: Monsignor Canon Harry Doyle, Rev Deacon Delian Bower, Mike Eden, Kath Franklin, Lesley Hooper, Paul Minter, Pauline Pym, Ruth Rocky and Liz Toy.  Please contact the team if you have not had a chance to sign up and wish to know more.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has published guidelines governing the prosecution of cases of assisting suicide.  The DPP published an interim policy statement on 23 September. The guidance contained in this took effect immediately but is subject to a public consultation. The consultation closes on 16 December and the DPP will then publish definitive guidance in Spring 2010. It is extremely important that as many people as possible take part in this public consultation and express their concerns about the guidance to the DPP.  (http://www.cps.gov.uk/consultations/as_index.html) Please see the information on the back table explaining the issues and how to make your submission. Please inform the Presbytery if you need assistance in completing the Questionnaire.  I urge you to take a copy home.

St Nicholas School PTA - We now have a group on the Social Networking site Facebook, to keep everyone updated with our news and upcoming events, also an opportunity to network with other parents and friends of the school, and to give your comments and suggestions.  Please find us on www.facebook.com and search for St Nicholas Catholic Primary School (Exeter) PTA.

Mother, Baby and Toddler Group will not be meeting until further notice. Some new leaders are needed to help the Mums run the Mother, Baby and Toddler Group as, after 15 years, Margaret and Maureen feel it is time to retire.  Anyone interested please contact Sonia on 01392 275580.

St Nicholas School Gardening Club  We have started a new gardening club at the school to make the most of the wonderful new grounds we have.  We have received an Awards for All grant for a shed, some tools and a compost bid.  Parents have built us some wonderful vegetable beds and we have planted onions and beans for the winter.  Next we are going to plant bulbs and trees around the site.  We would be really grateful for any donations people have of trees saplings, bulbs, anything that would grow other than weeds!  We also desperately need a water butt and watering cans.  If you have anything to donate to the club please contact Susan Fallon on 01392 422470 or 07929 279550 and we will arrange collection.  Thanks in advance for your support.

Journey of Faith (RCIA)-If you would like to know more about becoming a Catholic, you are warmly invited to attend the RCIA programme of informal and enjoyable meetings where you can learn more about the Church and find out what it means to be a Catholic. Whether you are baptised or not, a practising Christian or know very little about Christianity, you are welcome to ask questions and to share your interest with others in the same situation with no pressure and in a relaxed setting. For more information please speak to one of the parish team

Safeguarding Our parish is totally committed to ensuring that we provide a safe place for children and vulnerable adults. Any adult, whether paid or volunteer, who works in any role where they have access to children or vulnerable adults must have obtained CRB clearance before they start. Please contact our safeguarding rep, Chris Miller (01392 421424) if you require CRB authorisation or if you wish to report any concerns. Urgent concerns should be reported directly to the Police.

Parishioners Addresses We are continuing to update our Parish records. I ask you to take one of the Peace and Welcome forms from the back of church, fill the card in and return to the Presbytery.

Coffee After Mass Coffee is served after the Saturday 10:00am Mass and Sunday 9:30am Mass each week. 

Deadline for Parish Newsletter Please submit newsletter items to the presbytery or via email no later than Wednesdays at 5:00pm. Thank you.

Year for Priests The Holy Father has announced a Year for Priests. The year will mark the 150^th anniversary of the death of the Cur d’Ars, St. John Vianney. It will begin on the feast of the Sacred Heart, 19^th June, which is the World day of prayer for the sanctification of priest. In his letter introducing the Year, Cardinal Hummes, Prefect of the Congregation of Clergy wrote, May this year be an occasion for a period of intense appreciation of the priestly identity, of the theology of the Catholic priesthood, and of the extraordinary meaning of the vocation and mission of priests within the Church and in society...this special year it is intended to encourage priests in this striving for spiritual perfection on which, above all, the effectiveness of their ministry depends. For this reason it must be, in a very special way, a year of prayer by priests, with priests and for priests, a year for the renewal of the spirituality of the presbyterate and of each priest. The Eucharist is, in this perspective, at the heart of priestly spirituality.

Sacred Heart is part of Plymouth RC Diocese, a registered charity