
Letter from Bishop Mark

+44 (0)1626 774640 | office@allsaintsparish.co.uk
With the relaxing of lockdown it has enabled those Churches which are ready and able to open for private prayer until we are able to worship publicly together. We continue to pray for all those who are struggling with illness and isolation and all those who are working so hard for our safety and healing. Below are the Churches in our area who have opened with the times that we have been given. For any other Churches it is probably best to contact their office directly.
Our Lady and St Patrick. Teignmouth. Mon-Fri 10am-2pm
St Joseph’s , Newton Abbot. Daily. 10-12; Thurs Evening. 6-8pm
St Gregory’s, Kingskerswell. Mon and Fri. 4-6pm
Our Lady, Help of Christians and St Denis, St Marychurch Daily. 11-1pm; 5-6pm
Assumption of Our Lady, Abbey Rd. Daily. 11-1pm; 5-6pm
Sacred Heart and St Therese of the Child Jesus, Paignton. Daily 2-4pm
Pastoral Message to the Diocese: “Let us be like Christ the Servant”
Dear friends,
You will recall when I wrote before Easter, that I described this period we are living through as “a long Good Friday”. That is still so true, in so many ways. I have also been struck, over these past days, at how much each of us is having to live the Paschal Mystery, participating in a very real way in the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Today, I would like to share some thoughts with you on how we have been invited into sharing in the Lord’s experience of His Last Supper with His disciples. At first, this may appear odd, since we are still unable to celebrate the Eucharist publicly, and we are not even able, yet, to visit our Churches to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. Hopefully, it will not be long before we are able to do so.
You know that on Maundy Thursday, alongside remembering the gifts of the Eucharist and the gift of the Priesthood, the Lord also gives us a very profound example of loving service. The Gospel for that night is from John 13, where Jesus humbles himself to wash His disciples’ feet. We experience Him as Christ the Servant in a very beautiful way. Having washed their feet, he says, “I have given you an example for you to copy what I have done”. We know that message is for us, too.
This Gospel, of the washing of the disciple’s feet, is being fulfilled many times over, in these days. Again, and again we hear the stories of people caring for others. On a personal note, my brothers and I are extremely grateful for the loving care and treatment my mother received in hospital these past weeks whilst battling Covid19. I also wish to thank all of you for your concern and prayers. Mum was discharged to my brother’s home earlier today. As she left the ward, all the hospital staff cheered and clapped, exclaiming, “Mary is going home”. Every patient who returns home is celebrated in this touching manner. For me, it is a real experience of the power of prayer, as things looked very dark some days. She now requires ongoing support at home and a team of carers are assisting with that. I am conscious that it is doctors, nurses, cleaners, carers, the Catholic Chaplain, and support staff, who are presenting the face of Christ the Servant to our family in these days. I know it is the same for many of us.
I want to give thanks, too, for the many acts of loving service that are taking place in our Diocese, carried out by so many, in so many different situations. I would like to highlight the following as examples of the various ways in which priests and parishioners are modelling Christ the Servant.
Reaching out to the Isolated and most vulnerable
Caritas Plymouth has developed a short guide for parishes to support social action and offer some top tips for keeping volunteers and communities safe. Some of the very good things that they point to:
Any parishes wanting any further advice or support are invited to contact caritas@prcdtr.org.uk
Young people and schools
Proclaiming and Celebrating the Faith
I am sure that there are many other examples of loving service which you have experienced locally. Let us thank God for them all.
In this period, leading to the Feast of Pentecost, we recall the experience of Our Lady and the disciples waiting in the Upper Room for the gift of the Holy Spirit. It looks as though ‘lockdown’ will go on for us, for several weeks yet. May we unite ourselves to that experience of the Early Church, so that the Holy Spirit may be freshly poured out upon us all, leading us ‘outwards’ in the mission of the Lord. Let us each be like Christ the Servant.
Pray for me.
Yours devotedly
Rt Rev Mark O’Toole
Bishop of Plymouth