The Catholic Parish of St Mary & St Petroc, Bodmin

Our recent Parish courses are now on this website

maureenguthrie — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 10:35:14 +0000

The parish courses given by Fr Keith Mitchell, Robbie Low and Peter Littleton on the New Translation of the English Missal, the Easter Triduum and the Sacred Priesthood are now uploaded onto the Teaching Courses page of this website. Go to that page to listen!

New parish secretary

maureenguthrie — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:45:40 +0000

Parish Office hours

Our great thanks to Gabrielle, who has now left her post as Parish Secretary. She is be succeeded by Maureen Guthrie from Monday. Office hours are now normally: Monday- Friday 9am-12noon. All routine matters and bookings for Parish Centre should be dealt with in these hours.

This is a picture of Gabrielle and her daughter Leah at the Blessed Sacrament Procession in Truro in a few years ago!

Sunday Masses in Padstow to continue in the Anglican Church

maureenguthrie — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 16:40:22 +0000

The Saturday evening Mass in Padstow will continue to be in the Parish Church until details of Church Sharing are finalised. We shall use our own church on weekdays while the Blessed Sacrament is reserved there. When, and if, we have a tabernacle in St Petroc’s we shall celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving in our own building for all the blessing and graces that we, and others, have received there.

The New Translation will be introduced in our parishes this Sunday 4th September

maureenguthrie — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:23:14 +0000

We will begin to use the new translation of the Roman Missal for the Ordinary of the Mass from this coming Sunday. It will be important to follow the new Mass cards closely. See the important note from Fr Keith in this week’s Newsletter

Eucharistic Adoration from September to Advent

maureenguthrie — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:16:02 +0000

On Tuesdays in Padstow after the 9.30am Mass and on Thursdays in Bodmin before the 6.30pm Mass, to pray for the Pope’s Intentions and Vocations to the Priesthood and Religious life. See our Newsletter for 28th August 2011 for more details.

Consecration of the new altar at St Mary’s

maureenguthrie — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:59:53 +0000

Bishop Christopher Budd consecrated our new altar during the morning Mass at Bodmin on Sunday 14th August, The Feast of the Assumption. The picture of the interior of St Mary’s on our Home Page shows how the church looks subsequent to the re-ordering that has taken place in the last few weeks and months. The consecration of the altar is a significant moment in the life of any parish. It is in keeping with the Eucharistic mystery that Christian people erect a permanent altar for the celebration of Mass so that “it is attached to the floor and cannot be moved” and they have done this from the earliest times.

It is appropriate that a Parish Church has only one altar “so that in the assembly of the people of God the single altar signifies the one Saviour Jesus Christ and the one eucharist of the Church”.

“The altar should be freestanding so that the priest can easily walk around it and celebrate Mass facing the people. It should be the focal point on which the attention of the whole community naturally centres”.

“Since the bishop has been entrusted with the care of the particular church, it is his responsibility to dedicate to God new altars built in his diocese”.

In the rite of consecration, the new altar is:

Anointed with the oil of Chrism as a symbol of Christ the High Priest “the Anointed One” so that on the altar of his body he might offer the sacrifice of his life for the salvation of all.

Incense is burned on the altar to signify that Christ’s sacrifice, there perpetuated in memory, ascends to God as an odour of sweetness, and to signify the people’s prayers ascending, pleasing and acceptable to God

The covering of the altar indicates that it is the altar of Eucharistic sacrifice and the table of the Lord around which God’s people joyously meet to be refreshed with divine food.

The lighting of the altar teaches us that Christ is the light; his brightness shines out in the Church and through it to the whole human family

Finally, the celebration of Mass proclaims the bond that closely connects the dedication of an altar with the celebration of the eucharist.

Extracts from the Rituale of Bishops