News & Events

Covid-19

Dear Parishioners,

You will no doubt have seen and heard the news that churches can reopen as from 4th July. But this is not as simple as it may first appear. Stringent safety precautions are still understandably in place. Among others things, these requite numerous volunteers to help steward people safely and to sanitise the church each time it is used. The number of people entering a church for Mass are strictly limited.

In the light of this, and the fact that the pandemic is still virulent, Bishop Arnold has proposed that in the Diocese of Salford we do not reopen our churches for public Mass just yet. This advise came via email from the Bishop on Friday of last week. The relevant parts of that email are copied below.

After giving it much thought and seeking further advice, and keeping everyone's well-being in mind, I think it wise to be guided by the Bishop's proposal. We will resume public Mass as soon as it it is safe to do so for everyone. The situation is changing rapidly, and we may not have long to wait.

Our Lady of Walsingham, pray for us.

God Bless you all.

Fr John

RE-opening of Churches

With regard to the re-opening of churches, in this Diocese of Salford it has been decided to approach a few of the larger churches spread around the Diocese to make sure that some churches will be ready to open immediately the Government announces the date for re-opening (possibly on 4th July). At this moment in time, no church in either Hyndburn nor Rossendale has been approached about re-opening. Churches in these areas, and other parts of the Diocese, will re-open once the health and safety conditions implemented in the re-opened larger churches have proven to be effective and successful. Obviously, a period of time will be needed in order to monitor this. More churches will then re-open on a rolling -programme. Before re-opening, all churches will be inspected by a diocesan representative; only when the conditions laid down by the Archbishops have been met (see below) and the diocesan Bishop's permission has been given can a church re-open for private prayer only. There is still no mention of the re-introduction of public Masses.

At this time of uncertainty when we need to ask  God for His grace we find ourselves in a position where we cannot enter our church even for private prayer. With this in mind and to give our parishioners an opportunity to partake in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass the following links maybe useful:-

https://www.clonard.com/web-cam/ Redemptorists in the Falls Road (3 masses daily)

https://www.strabane-parish.com in Derry

Also this is the link to Vatican's own media outlet MondoVisione Vatican News :-

https://www.vaticannews.va/it.html

https://www.ewtn.com

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Fourteenth Sunday in ordinary time

First Reading from the prophet Zechariah 9:9-10

Responsorial Psalm Ps 144:1-2,8-11,13-14. R. v.1

Response :- I wiil bless your name forever, O God my King.

Second Reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8:9, 11-13

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia, alleluia

Blessed are you Father,

Lord of heaven and earth;

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia

Gospel Matthew 11:25 - 30

The following important notice has come from the Vatican:

A Plenary Indulgence is granted to the faithful suffering from Coronavirus, who are subject to quarantine by order of the health authority in hospitals or in their own homes if, with a spirit detached from any sin, they unite spiritually through the media to the celebration of Holy Mass, the recitation of the Holy Rosary, to the pious practice of the Way of the Cross or other forms of devotion, or if at least they will recite the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and a pious invocation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, offering this trial in a spirit of faith in God and charity towards their brothers and sisters, with the will to fulfil the usual conditions (sacramental confession, Eucharistic communion and prayer according to the Holy Father's intentions), as soon as possible.

Health care workers, family members and all those who, following the example of the Good Samaritan, exposing themselves to the risk of contagion, care for the sick of Coronavirus according to the words of the divine Redeemer: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (Jn 15: 13), will obtain the same gift of the Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions.

This Apostolic Penitentiary also willingly grants a Plenary Indulgence under the same conditions on the occasion of the current world epidemic, also to those faithful who offer a visit to the Blessed Sacrament, or Eucharistic adoration, or reading the Holy Scriptures for at least half an hour, or the recitation of the Holy Rosary, or the pious exercise of the Way of the Cross, or the recitation of the Chaplet of Divine Mercy, to implore from Almighty God the end of the epidemic, relief for those who are afflicted and eternal salvation for those whom the Lord has called to Himself.