Newsletter

HOLY CROSS CHURCH
STATION ROAD, TOPSHAM, EXETER EX3 0EE

Parish Priest: Fr. Petroc Cobb, The Presbytery, 25 South Street, Exeter EX1 1EB
Telephone: 01392 272815; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Holy Cross Church Registered Charity Number 213227

Retired priests : Monsignor Harry Doyle (in residence)
Father Gerard Wilberforce

School: St. Nicholas Catholic Primary School; Executive Head of School: Ms Cathy Blatchford
Tel. No. 01392 445403. School Website: http://www.st-nicholas-exeter.devon.sch.uk/

DURING MARCH THE CHURCH WILL BE OPEN FOR SUNDAY MASS AT 11am
Weekday Mass will be celebrated on Wednesdays at 10am.
Please continue to be careful!  If you are not sure about your Covid status please test if you can and do not come to church if your test is positive.

Our Holy Father’s Intention: For victims of abuse.
We pray for those who have suffered harm from members of the Church; may they find within the Church herself a concrete response to their pain and suffering.

A special welcome for Father Petroc Cobb who has come to be our Parish Priest.  We wish him all the best in his new Parishes.
Friday Lent lunches:  12.30 - 1.30 pm. Holy Cross, St Margaret's, and St Nicholas Methodist Churches will be offering Lent lunches in Topsham on each Friday during Lent.  A simple meal of soup, bread and cheese will be served in turn by each of the churches, with a donation of £4 requested for a particular charity, chosen by each church.  At Holy Cross, we will raise money for CAFOD, as usual.  
The remaining lunch dates are 3rd March at St Margaret's Parish Church. 10th & 17th March at St Nicholas Methodist Church. 24th and 31st March at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
All are welcome to any or all of these.
A Lent Group at St Margaret’s.  Fridays from 10-11am using Paula Gooder’s 6 week Lent Course ‘The Joy of the Gospel’ https://www.chpublishing.co.uk/books/9780715147313/the-joy-of-the-gospel.
The first meeting will be Friday 24th February and we will then meet every Friday until Friday 31st March. Everyone is very welcome. The venue will depend upon numbers so please let Rev’d Maggie know if you would like to join, or if you have missed the first session. We can do a bulk order for books.
Exeter Hospiscare Men’s Walk. The Men’s Walk is back for the twelfth year! This year it is at 11.00am till 7.30pm on Saturday 18th March from the Double Locks. Get more information and sign up at: Hospiscare Men's Walk.
Lent Retreat Day at St Rita’s, Honiton. Saturday 18th March - ‘Holy Shroud of Jesus - Icon, Relic, Witness’ Beginning at 9.30am, the day will consist of reflections by Fr José Romero, an opportunity for silence and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as well as Confession, lunch, ending with Mass at 2.45pm. A wonderful opportunity to take some time out to refresh your relationship with Jesus. At an inclusive cost of only £25, it’s a bargain! Book by phone or online here. If you have any questions, please contact Krista Radzina on 01404 42635.
Sunday March 26th Clocks spring forward 1 hour!
Traidcraft: Sadly, after 40 years pioneering and championing the cause of trade justice, Traidcraft PLC went into administration just after Christmas and is no longer trading. They are working hard to rescue at least some parts of the business but in the meantime it is more important than ever to support the cause of trade justice. On Saturday 4th March from 10am-12 local churches will be holding a combined ‘Big Brew’ coffee morning at St Margaret’s Church where Fairtrade coffee, tea and cakes will be served & there will be a chance to browse a selection of Fairtrade goods and find out more about the work of the Fairtrade Foundation.
We still need help! Please Give a little of Your Time this New Year to help with Cleaning, Flowers, or Coffee making after Sunday Mass at Holy Cross. We are serving refreshments after the 11:00 am Mass on Sunday mornings, putting some beautiful flowers in the church and trying to keep the church clean but as always we are in need of more volunteers. The more people helping the less frequently you will be put on the rota. If you can help, please contact Louise at church or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. who will put you in touch with the appropriate people.
Giving Monies: The parish is immensely grateful to all donors who support the parish. If you don’t already do so and you pay tax currently, please consider whether you could increase the value of your contribution (an extra 25% at no cost to yourself) by adding Gift Aid. More details and form available from your parish gift aid organiser John Franklin – please message via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Diocesan Yearbook 2023 is now available at a cost of £4.00. It is a great source of diocesan information and news. Please put your payment in the wall box marked ‘Books’.

FOR YOUR DIARY
Join CAFOD’s Community Big Lent Walk from Holy Cross Church in Topsham – Saturday 18th March 10am. Please see our Events page for further details.
Advance Notice: Rob Kingdom from the Diocesan Safeguarding Team will be providing Safeguarding Training for parishioners from Blessed Sacrament and Sacred Heart from approximately 9.30am until 4.00pm on Saturday 25 March (Refreshments and lunch will be provided) in the St Richard Reynolds Centre (confirmation of times will be known nearer the time). Who should attend this training? • Anyone who is currently a Gift Catechist, Adults serving at the altar, Parish visiting, Eucharistic ministry outside of the church, Children’s Liturgists and Catechists, Youth Workers, any one of these who has not attended/completed Diocesan approved training in the last 3 years. • Anyone who is thinking of volunteering to undertake one of the above roles. • Any member of the parish who would like to understand more about Safeguarding would be welcome to join us. Please phone/email to give your name to Lesley Hooper in the Blessed Sacrament parish office if you plan to attend. Thank you.
Lunch Time Concert  Wednesday 29th March 2023, 1:15 p.m.  St Margaret's Church, Topsham. Joel Munday, Violin, and Vanessa Hristova, Viola.
Music Festival Friday 14th - Sunday 16th April. Topsham is to have its very own Classical Music Festival. Please look on St Margaret’s website for more information.St Margaret's Church, and the Museum will be venues. This is being organised by Nina Savicevic as part of her course work during the final year of her BMus studies at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. The concerts in St Margaret’s Church, given by Adam Heron and Duncan Honeybourne, will be by ticket only and all other concerts will be by donation at the end of the recital.
There will be a recital of organ and cello music at Holy Cross on Sunday 23 April at 4-5 pm, followed by refreshments. David Davies, organist at Buckfast Abbey, will play our 1786 chamber organ and Hilary Boxer, who has shared recitals before at Holy Cross, will play the cello. Tickets are free but limited in number by the size of our church and there will be fewer available than there were in pre-Covid days. Please contact Frances Nieduszynska to secure tickets This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 07791 693603). There will be a retiring collection to cover the costs and to raise money for charity.
The Bishops’ Conference. Updates from the Bishops' Conference can be found here.
Contact: If you wish to contact Kath with an item for the next newsletter please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The Diocesan Safeguarding Office, Diocese of Plymouth: If you have any safeguarding concerns either personally or for any other person then contact the Safeguarding Office which remains open and available to assist. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Robert Brown) or ring him on 01364 645431 which will be transferred to his mobile.

© Holy Cross Topsham 2023 Website: www.compusmall.co.uk