Please refer to the documents below which set out the implications of Coronavirus on parish and church life.
I ask you to especially read my Pastoral Letter carefully.
We will continue to send out this email newsletter every week together with the Pew Sheet. If you would like to follow my private mass on the Facebook Live Stream on Sunday please print out the Pew Sheet so you can join in. The hymns are included for your own devotions, but they will to be sung at Mass.
The order for service for the private weekday mass is included below. Please likewise print this out for use during the week.
Hard copies of the attached documents have been sent to everyone on the Parish Database and should arrive early next week.
MOTHERING SUNDAY today
Today we celebrate Mothering Sunday, the day when we give threefold thanks - for our own mothers and those who have offered maternal care in our lives, for Mary, Mother of Christians, and for the ministry and nurture of Holy Mother Church.
STATIONS OF THE CROSS Friday 7.30pm
The service will be live streamed from our neighbours at Ss Peter and Paul at 7.30pm. This is a different live stream to St Mary’s and can be found here: http://ssppilford.org.uk/wp2/live-stream-church-services
MIRFIELD RETREAT
Due to the uncertainty of the current situation we are unsure whether this will go ahead and so we are not collecting balances for the time being. If the retreat is cancelled, all deposits will be returned in full.
COMMUNITY HALL
Use of the Community Hall by all groups has been suspended until further notice. We will be in touch in due course about refunds, but please allow us a little time to grapple with the current situation.
CHURCH KEY HOLDERS
If you hold a key for the church, you are asked not to enter the building at any time, please. This is to ensure we reduce the risk of cross contamination from place to place. When the church is open for private prayer (see document in the email newsletter), only the Nave will be open and it will be thoroughly disinfected before and after opening. The chapels and other areas will be closed off to ensure they are kept clean for Fr Gareth to celebrate mass on behalf of everyone.
AND FINALLY...
Fr Gareth was advised to wear a mask and gloves when visiting the supermarket. He followed this advice, and when he arrived was surprised to find that everyone else had clothes on…
