Other

Please note the procedures below for maintaining prudent social-distancing and restricted numbers during the Covid-19 pandemic.  Perhaps they won’t be necessary but, for now, we expect that the following needs to be observed:

1. Admission to Holy Mass for 24th & 25th December will be by ticket only on a first come, first served basis
2. Applicants please need to state
   • The Sunday/weekday Mass they normally attend
   • Which Christmas Mass they wish to attend
   • How many will be in their party, especially for families

Successful applicants will be notified of individual ticket number(s) allocated and should approach the sacristan at their usual Mass, with a copy of the e-mail confirmation, so as to be given the relevant number of tickets, which will be valid only for the Mass for which people applied.

To apply for a place (or places) at the Mass of your choice, please send an email to jim.corkery@btinternet.com.

Help Needed: We will also need a good number of stewards/welcomers at each of the four Christmas Masses (6.00pm, 9.00pm, 8.30am and 10.30am).  Kindly offer to assist if you can!  Please speak to the sacristan at the Mass you usually attend.

Throughout Coronavirus ‘Lockdown #2’ the church will remain open for private prayer from Wednesday 11th November, between 11.00am and 12 noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Please feel free to come and pray at those times, in lieu of coming to Mass.

Very regrettably, but following the Government’s latest advice and at the instruction of the Bishops’ Conference, we have decided that the church will, once more, be locked and remain locked until Thursday 3rd December for most forms of public worship. We, as a parish, want to set a good example to those around us by taking very seriously these measures.

Please remember that you can visit the Blessed Sacrament ‘virtually’ or ‘remotely’ online and make your prayers and Spiritual Communions there.

HOLY MASSES (WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF A CONGREGATION) WILL BE LIVE-STREAMED ON THE WEBSITE AT THE FOLLOWING TIMES:

10.30am SUNDAY
10.00am Monday – Saturday (but at 7.00pm on Wednesday)

Thank you all so much for your kindness, hospitality and prayers during this month of pastoral experience at St Mary of the Angels. It has certainly been fruitful as well as highly enjoyable. You will all be in my prayers and do continue to pray for me, the seminarians of our diocese, and for many more vocations. God bless, Gary Carter.

Before opening the church for private prayer, it will be thoroughly cleaned. The cleaning will take place all day, each day, from Monday 22nd to Friday 26th (next week). To give the cleaners maximum time in the church, the Masses next week on Monday to Friday will be celebrated (and streamed) at the later time of 6pm each day (returning to 10am on Saturday).

Please join us online for the Masses.

It is good news that the government have given the go-ahead for churches to be open for the purposes (only) of private prayer. As yet, the details are still being worked out and plans need to be discussed before being put in place. Please watch this space for the latest news. We hope to be open, under specially controlled circumstances, within the next two or three weeks.

Thank you for your forbearance and patience.

Confessions are available under particular social distancing conditions. If you would like to celebrate the Sacrament (usually available each day at 10.30am), please contact Fr Terry by text on 07545 576627 (or by calling 01903 200416) for the details.

At St Mary’s, we have many requests for Mass Intentions throughout the year. Please remember the following: i) whether the priest announces the intention or not, it is always his intention to offer the Mass Intention specified in the newsletter. Announcing the Mass as being for a particular intention is entirely unnecessary (though, perhaps, pastorally helpful); ii) a Mass costs nothing! Some people choose to be associated with the offering of a particular Mass by making a monetary sacrifice/gift, but this is not necessary. We do not speak of ‘paying’ for Masses! Mass is an ‘entering into’ the salvation which Christ won for us – and that cost him his life! That, surely, is payment enough. A Mass stipend helps the priest, certainly – but is not necessary.

Recently, at least three bicycles have been stolen, in broad daylight, from the surroundings of the church during Masses. The thieves are without shame and happily bring bolt cutters with them.
Please take care when leaving your bicycle here at any time. We are looking into ways of increasing security but, as with all vehicles, we have to ask you to take final responsibility for your own bike’s/car’s safety and security.