Click here for newsletter: 15th Sunday of the Year 2020
Dear Friends in Christ
It was truly wonderful to see our parishioners back at Church last weekend, though be it in small numbers. But to have a congregation after 14 weeks made my heart surge! And as many parishioners said, it was wonderful to be able to go to Holy Communion once again. Our church is now open for Holy Mass on Sundays and during the week. We are upholding the Governmental and Diocesan guidelines of two-meter distancing; one meter plus with a face mask. Obviously, families can sit close together in Church.
IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT FACE MASKS BE WORN THROUGHOUT THE MASS.
Sanitising hand-gel is available as you enter the Church; Offertory Baskets and boxes are in place to receive your Weekly Offertory. Please make you way to your seats using the side aisles, and the direction of the Stewards. Please kindly move right into the benches towards the middle aisle. Doors and windows will be open to allow an air flow of ventilation.
There will be no Holy Water, no hymnbooks or Mass Books, no printed materials, no singing, no Prayers of Intercession; no sign of peace, there will be no reception of Holy Communion from the Chalice.
Holy Communion should be taken in the hand, with arms fully extended and one hand placed on the top of the other; there will be a barrier of distance between the Priest & the Communicant. The Priest will be the only Minister of Holy Communion (he will wear face mask & Visor). When the Priest receives his Communion, he will audibly say The Body of Christ, to which everyone replies Amen. The Same with the Chalice & The Blood of Christ. Stewards will assist in the approach for Holy Communion, ensuring social distancing. No words will be spoken as you receive Holy Communion. Please return to your seats by the side aisles.
On leaving the Church at the end of Mass, please use the centre aisle; apart from the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, to which you will use the side aisle. I know and understand that these guidelines may appear a little awkward and complicated, until we get used to them; but your health and safety is of our prime importance.
Dear Friends in Christ,
Today Jesus tells the parable of the Sower & the Seed; how the seed being the Word of God needs to flourish in the strong healthy soil of our lives of faith. But so often in life we can be distracted by the lures of the world; apathy and indifference where the seed has no depth of soil to grow. This imagery is powerfully strong. Let us ask the Lord to give each one of us what we need for that seed of faith to continue to become strong and fruitful in our own lives.
St Edmund of Canterbury 