Changes to our weekly service
COVID update within our parish. – 31.01.2021
With looking towards Lent, we hope to hold a service on Ash Wednesday at the usual times. This will obviously reflect on the guidance and numbers within our area due to COVID.
In the meantime, please review the information with attending Mass, because our church is smaller than some with a single isle, which makes a difference with attendance and distancing. This is one of the reasons to why we have not had services these past three weeks. Please follow the information from our stewards as this is essential.
We will confirm Ask Wednesday times next weekend, as this is when the online bookings will be open to all, if we hold a Mass.
Take care
17.01.2021
Thank you to all who understand why the decision was made to withdraw our weekly Masses from the public, for the next few weeks. Many of you said you were surprised we were still able to hold services due to present times and supported the reasons to why this decision was made, following the information and increase to persons during this lock down.
In this past week Bishop Patrick has received an update from the Coronavirus Places of Worship Task Force. The highlights of the discussion were as follows:
There is no blanket closure of places of worship. It has been asked that each Place of Worship should re-evaluate their own local situation and examine all factors that could affect the good covid security, demonstrated by places of worship so far. This is to include (but is not limited to):
- Sufficient stewarding and management of the venue
- Sufficient cleaning after acts of communal worship
- Maintaining good social distancing in the space available along with good ventilation
- Factors affecting travel to and from the place of worship, such as public transport
- The length of exposure time for an act of worship is critical and should be minimised – anything that is not necessary should be omitted.
- Those who have gathered for worship should not mingle before or after the service outside of the church. They should disperse immediately.
- All non-essential worship should be postponed or cancelled
It was decided by our PPC and Fr Paul, for the safety of visiting clergy, stewards who are unable to support with services just at the moment and parishioners becoming very concerned, as well as some of the points listed above, we could not be guarantee due to our parish church layout whilst the COVID infection rate increases, the safety and well-being is paramount. Our parish will be closed for 4 weekends with the hope we will reopen on the 13/14th February, just before we celebrate Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent.
The PPC will revisit this time scale following government advice during the start of February. Please take into account this is what we would ideally like to do but this depends on circumstances at the time and how the COVID pandemic is affecting everyone in different ways, including how the vaccine program is going for the older generation.
I do understand our neighbouring churches may be open, taking into account their own parish family. You may wish to visit, but please take on board what the government is asking in regards to Hands, Face, Space, and “stay at home”.
If you know of anyone who doesn’t have access to the parish website and would like to receive the weekly gospel reflection and a miselett with the weekly readings, please email me on Fiona.Cooper@live.com with their name and address, as I am happy to print and post parish news through their doors, because we all are part of the family of Christ.
I pray in June we can celebrate our Sacred Heart Feast day, where we all are able to come together and celebrate for many reasons.
God Bless and stay safe from all in the PPC team.
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Information when attending our Parish Public Mass on the days we are open
Please find the Parish Risk Assessment during these difficult time for when we are able to open our doors.
The information below must be followed to ensure we are all safe.
Charnwood Tier 4 Lock Down- Public Mass within the Parish and COVID
As we are entering the season of colder weather, it is imperative we follow the information below. It is one of the ways to ensure we can keep the churches open, especially with Advent and Christmas in our sights. Please think:
- Do not attend Mass if you have any symptoms of COVID – 19.
- Face masks are to be worn at all times. (Remove briefly only to receive the host)
- Stewards will be on duty at each Service.
- At all times, use the distancing rule advised by Government.
- Within the church you will see signage. Please ensure this is followed.
- Enter the church via main door. There will be a one-way system only. Please do not go back on yourself.
- Sanitiser is to be used before entry into the church via hand pump, located either side of the doors above the Holy Water font.
- Within the church you will see areas where you may or may not sit. You will be guided by the stewards.
- You need to sit at the end of the pews and not the centre. The tape indicates this.
- No hymn or service books will be used during Mass.
- All kneels are not to be used, as these have been put out of action temporarily.
- All prayers and dismissal will be said before we receive the Holy Sacrament.
- You must take all your belongings with you as you will not be able to return to your pew.
- A steward will guide each person when to receive the Holy Sacrament.
- The Holy Sacrament will be placed in your left hand and NOT YOUR TONGUE.
- Remove you face covering slightly to enable placing the host into your mouth. You must replace your face covering as you walk out of the church following the directional signs via foyer and exit.
- Please do not linger in the foyer due to social distancing.
A guidance to be followed please – Any queries please speak to our friendly stewards
How was this decision made – Urgent update from the Prime Minister and COVID-19
As many will have heard due to increase of COVID cases, the Prime Minister and his advisors have said from Wednesday 2nd December, all faiths are able attend worship once again, as long as all aspects of safety is carried out to reduce the risk of COVID 19.
To enable the christian faith to celebrate Christmas, we ALL need to follow the government guidance.
Information from the Nottingham Dioscese
Update on Covid-19 and Vaccination: In September 2020 the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales issued a statement COVID-19 and Vaccination (24 September 2020). In the light of the recent breakthrough in vaccine development they have now issued a follow up statement (3rd December 2020) which can be found on the CBCEW website along with the original September statement. The Bishop would be grateful please if you would circulate this information to your parishioners and include the link to this information to be found on the CBCEW website, and make mention of this please in your Parish Newsletters and Websites. Link: https://www.cbcew.org.uk/home/our-work/health-social-care/coronavirus-guidelines/update-on-covid-19-and-vaccination/
