No dates yet, but we expect that churches will open first for private prayers, and sometime later for worship. Churches will not be allowed to open if they do not meet the requirements of social distancing, which includes the kind of measures we are familiar with in the banks and supermarkets.

We will need to provide cleaning, sanitising and protection equipment, and have signage to ensure social distancing. Thorough cleaning will be needed each time the church is open. We have been told that not all churches will be able to open at once, and that the measures put in place may need to continue till the end of the year, perhaps longer.

​We will need a good number of volunteers for cleaning and stewarding, and anyone who is self-isolating or shielding, which includes most over the age of 70, will not be able to be a volunteer. The Diocese has produced detailed documentation (about 20 pages) which I am happy to share with anyone who is interested. We are already starting to work on the guidelines. 

​

​18 April 2020 7:20 AM

Good morning everyone!

Today is Easter Saturday
“Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation”.

MASS streamed live this morning at 8.30am. 
at facebook.com/cannockcatholic/live
and available to watch afterwards from the same address 
and from about 11:30am on YouTube bit.ly/youtubecnk

Thanks to those who continue to contribute to our masses with pre-recorded music and readings. We seem to have conquered the sound problems!  (famous last words? …)

READINGS
If you wish you can follow the readings, you can find them each day at  universalis.com/mass.htm

PETITIONS
Please send petitions beginning with the word “PRAY” by 8am for them to be included in today’s mass. 

The mass is offered for the soul of Shelagh Gleve.

REFLECTION ON THE GOSPEL
This simple ending to Mark’s Gospel gives three accounts of appearances of risen Jesus, yet the first two are not believed. When we live in darkness, it is hard to believe in the light, much as we may yearn and long for it. And yet, we learn that God does not give up on us: and we should not give up on him. 


PRAYER
Have mercy on us all, we pray,
that with the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God,
with blessed Joseph, her Spouse,
with the blessed Apostles,
and all the Saints who have pleased you throughout the ages,
we may merit to be co-heirs to eternal life,
and may praise and glorify you
through your Son, Jesus Christ.

—--
Coming soon …

… Later this morning, the parish newsletter will be sent out. And I have extended the time for submitting an entry to the Easter Prize Quiz till Tuesday … still had no 100% replies, so everyone is in with a chance!

God bless, 


Fr Peter

CCN Cannock Catholic News  3 April 2020 8PM

Good Evening Everybody, 

A——— GIVE THANKS! 
Thanks for the videos of your singing - MORE please! 

PALM SUNDAY
As I have already mentioned, the Church has provided guidance on how the ceremonies of Holy Week are to be adapted for the present circumstances. I’ll give you more information as we go along. 

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and the form of the mass will not include the blessing of palms. We have been told that we may bless them and distribute them later, that is to say, once the present restrictions have lifted. I think this will make this year’s palms especially precious to us, for they will become a sign, like the rainbow, of restoration and hope, after a time of darkness and trial. 

Someone sent me a post on the internet in which the priest was asking people to put green branches on their doors to mark Palm Sunday (I’ve looked for this message, but can’t find it now) - a nice idea, and worth following. 

RESOURCES FOR HOME
The latest newsletter from the Archdiocese highlights a range of interesting online resources about the faith and celebrating the faith. You can read it here: bit.ly/3dRNptY

Those who have followed our journey in faith courses will probably enjoy Fr Stephen Wang’s live conversations on faith which are on YouTube. Called “Pause for Faith” you can follow them here: bit.ly/3aG8wgX 

For those who are not online, there is a helpful “Retreat for Holy Week” which can be downloaded by a net-connected family member or friend, and printed out to be used during the week. bit.ly/2X4Zcir

There also various resources for children. 
Colour and Shape is a weekly children’s Liturgy bit.ly/39I2N8V
Weekly Worship is a series of Liturgy and Song led by Dan Callow and Emily Clarke (who used to be lay chaplain at Cardinal Griffin and several local primary schools) bit.ly/2xOfsK4
Wednesday Word for the next few weeks, in booklet form, can be downloaded here: bit.ly/3dOKFO5

​Faith at Home is a document from the Archdiocese which includes these and many more resources. https://bit.ly/2wSJ3SO

WORSHIP ON RADIO AND TV
Since I mention this earlier today, I have found out that Cardinal Vincent Nichols’ service for Easter Sunday will be broadcast at 8am on Easter Sunday, 12th April, on the BBC’s 39 local radio stations. In some places this is described as “Mass”, but most other reports describe this as an “Easter service for all listeners”, which probably means it isn’t a mass.
Our nearest local radio station which is carrying the service is BBC WM (95.6 FM).
If you have an Amazon Echo (or similar) then all these local radio services are easy to connect to. That is also true of RTE One (mentioned earlier today), and many other radio stations around the world such as EWTN who will be broadcasting masses. I don’t have any specific details about these at present though. 

​There is a wide range of religious programming planned by the BBC in Holy Week and Easter, including a live broadcast of the Holy Father’s Urbi et Orbi (“To the City and the World”) message on Easter day. Details here: https://bbc.in/3dQYD1R

AND FINALLY … 

Mentioning the Amazon Echo leads me to reflect that being locked down in our homes can certainly make us “stir crazy”, as the Prime Minister pointed out. We miss our friends, and might even try having a conversation with  Alexa, and if that is unsatisfying, then go on to talking to the other electrical appliances in our homes. 

Actually, I've just been discussing this with the microwave and the toaster and although it got a bit heated, all of us agreed that things are getting bad.

I didn't mention anything to the washing machine, it always puts a negative spin on everything, and certainly not to the fridge as it's been acting cold and distant.

The hoover was very unsympathetic... told me to just suck it up, but the fan was more optimistic and hoped it would all soon blow over.

The toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and didn’t say anything (probably because of the shortage of paper) but the door knob told me to get a grip.

The front door said I was unhinged and the curtains told me to just pull myself together, but in the end the iron straightened everything out as it said everything will be fine, and there's no need to get steamed up.

God bless you all!


Fr Peter

-----------

PS  (I claim no credit and accept no blame for the last part of this message

Full Closure of Catholic Churches

Following the Prime Minister’s historic announcement last night (23 March) strengthening restrictions in an attempt to combat the spread of COVID-19, Catholic Churches are closed to the public at this time.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols stresses that we must all play our part to safeguard the NHS and to save ‘precious lives’.  “We’re going to play our full part in it. That was the call of St. Paul that we ought to be good citizens and today we ought to be good citizens playing our part in the protection of the vulnerable, in our support for the NHS and in the preserving of human life, which is so precious to God in the face of this virus.”

Good Afternoon everyone. 
Another couple of quick notices.

This morning’s mass can be viewed here: https://bit.ly/3bk1heb
It has a bumpy start. Facebook lets me “trim” the video, but it doesn’t seem to work. For me, anyway.  So far, facebook tells me the Mass has been watched by about 400 people
​(! probably not all the way through). I’ll have to find out how to do a virtual collection! 

Church is open today till 4pm. (This is a change from an earlier notice). There are mass sheets in Church with the readings and responses on them (as usual). I will also produce a handout/bulletin, though I might not get it into Church by the end of the day. 

Tomorrow - there will be posies for the Mums, which I will bless at the 10:30 mass - livestreamed and recorded - more about this in the next post. (No panic buying please!)

God bless, 


Fr Peter

​UPDATED : 20.03.20
​Here is a bit more news about arrangements for keeping and practicing the Catholic faith during our time “in the wilderness”. 

As you know, from Saturday 21st March there will be no public celebration of mass throughout the UK. These are the arrangements for us for the next few weeks.

I will celebrate Mass privately in Church at 8:30am from Tuesday to Saturday. The mass will be live streamed through our facebook page, and a recording of the mass will remain on the facebook page for the rest of day at least. On Sunday, the mass will also be broadcast live on the parish web page at 10:30am.  Mass intentions will be published in advance each week through CCL (this list), the website and facebook. 
 If possible watch the mass live or later in the day.

(Our Lady of Lourdes are planning to broadcast mass live in the same way at 9am each weekday except Wednesday and at 9:15am on Sundays).

The Church will be open every day (except Monday) for prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. I plan this to be from 9am till 6pm Tuesday to Saturday, and 12pm to 5pm on Sundays. We will keep these times under review. 
Please try to visit the Church at least once a week, even if it is just for a few minutes. Come along at any time in this period. Please use the prayer sheets for Spiritual Communion, as well as  to light candles, privately pray the rosary, or the stations. Music will also be played during this time - mostly recorded, and sometimes performed by our parish musicians. Please note, though, that groups should not gather in Church, and no formal worship should be arranged for set times. When in Church at the same time parishioners should sit apart, about 2 metres or more from one another.