The “Day of Reflection for Lent” at Buckfast Abbey on Monday 11th March afforded the opportunity for parishioners to come together as members of ‘The Parish of the Holy Family’ in Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton. These Lenten and Advent days of reflection are offered to us as a means of helping us to further our commitment to the Catholic faith by re-affirming our appreciation of the fact that Christ is our common ground.
Father Philip asked us to contemplate, by way of a power point presentation, the profoundly mysterious theme:
“……and darkness covered the earth
… … let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
With particular emphasis placed on the equivalence between ‘darkness covering the earth’ as a 
Pre-Creation state of affairs; ‘darkness covering the earth’ after the Lord’s death on the cross; and yet also, when ‘darkness covers’ our own individual ‘earth’.
When this happens, we were reminded to focus on the Trinity of Light – Love – Life. Taking the active steps of ‘walking in the Light, in the Love and in the Life’.
All this and a wonderful, companionable lunch. The day culminated in the celebration of mass in the beautiful Blessed Sacrament Chapel.
The parish day for Advent has already been booked for Monday 2nd December and I invite you to consider staying overnight at Northgate for an extended period of reflection. Residential spaces are limited to a first come basis and more details are available from the parish office. I encourage you to join other parishioners and book your place soon.
Carol Keay