Coronovirus (Covid-19) provisions
& what they mean for our parish
& what they mean for our parish
To reduce the spread of the pandemic and assist the NHS, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has temporarily suspended all public acts of worship and closed all churches.
Three times a week you can join our live-streaming of worship.
Though our church buildings are closed you can still have a candle lit at Our Lady's.
The current lockdown is a time to remember that we are the Church, not the buildings. Our faith continues to live in our homes, and we are finding new ways to form community.
As well as the practical impact of the steps listed below, perhaps the biggest blow is that we will not, for the time being, be able to meet physically as a community - this is a vivid reminder that the parish is made up of people, not bricks and mortar.
A first thing then is to take care of yourselves and your family and neighbours - please try to be sure that nobody ends up abandoned, especially those who don't have any family near.
The parish will do all we can to minimise isolation but remember that you are the parish.
Practically the decision of the bishops means means that:
We continue to pray for those in the country around the world who have become ill, and for those working to care for them.
Three times a week you can join our live-streaming of worship.
Though our church buildings are closed you can still have a candle lit at Our Lady's.
The current lockdown is a time to remember that we are the Church, not the buildings. Our faith continues to live in our homes, and we are finding new ways to form community.
As well as the practical impact of the steps listed below, perhaps the biggest blow is that we will not, for the time being, be able to meet physically as a community - this is a vivid reminder that the parish is made up of people, not bricks and mortar.
A first thing then is to take care of yourselves and your family and neighbours - please try to be sure that nobody ends up abandoned, especially those who don't have any family near.
The parish will do all we can to minimise isolation but remember that you are the parish.
Practically the decision of the bishops means means that:
- Father Tony will celebrate Sunday Masses in private in the Day Chapel (Fr. Kelly Room) at 10.00am from 22nd March onwards. This will be live-streamed through our parish Facebook page and the live-streaming page on this website. We encourage you to join in with this celebration via the internet so as to maintain our spiritual unity and sense of togetherness. Please check the live-streaming page to see the other devotions we will be broadcasting.
- Father Tony will also be celebrating Mass in private during the week, and the Mass intentions which have been received will be said. If you wish to have Mass celebrated for a particular intention in the coming weeks please contact him. The times are given on the parish newsletter so that you can join spiritually with the prayer, but weekday Masses will not be live-streamed.
- On Wednesdays at 7.00pm we will live-stream the rosary and the novena prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help – Patron of the Diocese.
- On Fridays at 7.00pm we will live-stream an evening prayer reflection.
- Confessions will be still be heard but by appointment only.
- Baptisms and weddings will be postponed (please contact the parish office if you have a booking).
- Going forwards Funeral services will be restricted to the graveside or crematorium; Masses in memoriam may be celebrated when congregations are allowed to gather again. Masses can, of course, be said for those who have died if requested but this will happen in private.
- Pastoral visits to the dying will still take place but regular house visits will not be made. Phone support is available.
- Various parish groups will not meet, including the preparation programmes for baptism, confirmation, and first communion. Whilst these last two groups will eventually resume, it is most unlikely that First Communions and Confirmations will happen on the planned dates.
- In view of the latest Government guidelines (23rd March) all our churches and chapels will be closed, even for private prayer. However, you can request for a candle to be lit at the church.
We continue to pray for those in the country around the world who have become ill, and for those working to care for them.
