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We can now resume public masses under strict conditions.
1.There is still no Sunday Obligation. You may come to mass on any day of the week. 2.We can only open if there are two Stewards – please follow their instructions. 3.Numbers are strictly limited. There will be a maximum capacity of 80 people in Church. If more arrive at any mass they cannot be admitted. 4.Stewards will direct you to a place to sit in Church. 5.We will be keeping a 1m+ social distance. 6.Everyone must wear a face covering in Church. (Exceptions are the under 5’s and those with breathing difficulties; and those in the sanctuary reading etc) You should provide your own masks. 7.Please observe the one- way system unless directed otherwise. 8.There is no toilet available (unless the centre is open) 9.Please leave church immediately after communion and talk together outside, keeping a social distance. A big thank you to our volunteer stewards!
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 The annual pilgrimage to Hednesford is not taking place this year, so why not come online to join Fr Jeremy Howard, Fr Peter Weatherby, Deacon Peter Tibke and parishioners from Hednesford and Cannock for the Rosary (Glorious Mysteries) and shrine prayers.
The Rosary, prayers and a message from Bishop David McGough will be on Our Lady of Lourdes website – ololhednesford.org and also the Diocesan website and the Facebook pages of both Our Lady of Lourdes Hednesford and St Mary’s, Cannock on Sunday 5 July at 3 pm. Proposed Mass Times from July 4th Saturday 11am - Exposition & Private Prayer | 12pm - 1st Mass of Sunday 5pm - Mass Sunday 8am - Mass | 10.30am - Mass Tuesday to Saturday 9am - Mass each day At last, after more than three months, from July 4th, mass and other sacraments will again be celebrated publicly However, it would be quite rash to describe this as “back to normal”: far from it. A letter from the Archbishops about this return is being sent out with this Newsletter. (It has already gone to those on the WhatsApp list). Much more detailed information for the clergy, can be downloaded from here: bit.ly/3dHrqEx From July 4th, our own masses will continue to be live streamed, and although we will move to mass times closer to what we had before the lockdown, we are now moving to an “inbetween” stage. Not all Churches will be open, and those which are, such as ourselves, will have to follow precise social distancing and hygiene measures. The Church understands that many faithful catholics will not be ready to take part in public masses. The Sunday obligation has not been reintroduced. No one has to attend mass on Sundays and holidays. The Church encourages us to hear mass, but on any day when it is offered, and only if it is safe to do so. Also, mass will be celebrated with some unfamiliar features. There will be no congregational singing, and face coverings must be worn. Social distancing (1m+) must be observed. Communion (in the hand only) will be distributed after mass, and you will leave the Church immediately afterwards. We will need volunteer stewards for every mass or service. Many of you have volunteered already. The celebration of daily mass will depend upon stewards being available. If you can volunteer as a steward and/or help with cleaning please complete the online form here: https:// bit.ly/2BY2hsh We will also need the co-operation of Eucharistic ministers, readers, counters and so on. I will be in touch will all of you again very soon. Times for private prayer this coming week. Will be kept under constant review:-
TUESDAY : 5.00PM-6.30PM WEDNESDAY : 11.30AM-1.00PM FRIDAY : 11.30AM-1.00PM
REOPENING CHURCH
Last weekend, the government announced that from June 15th Churches will be allowed to open for private prayer “in line with social distancing guidelines”. This requires much practical organisation and a great deal of paperwork. Many churches will not open, simply because of the work involved. Fr Jeremy at Hednesford and I are keen to reopen our Churches for private prayer. We will keep the situation under review, but provided we can meet all the requirements in time, we hope to open for the first time at the end of the coming week, and from 21st to open each Church for a couple of hours three days a week, so that on most days one of the churches will be open. We plan to open St Mary’s on Friday 19th from 11am to 1pm. If you can volunteer as a stewards and/or help with cleaning please complete the online form here: https://bit.ly/2BY2hsh This week we received further guidelines which have now been agreed between the Government and the Churches which will apply when the Churches are opened for private prayer. However, THERE IS NO DATE YET FOR THE REOPENING Before Churches are allowed to reopen risk assessment and other documentation will have to be completed. As well as signposting, floor marking and so on. This is no small task. If you are can volunteer as a steward, cleaner or other helper when we are permitted to reopen, you should read the guidance which you can download here Please note that the advice to those who are over 70 has been relaxed a little, but you should still take additional care.
Do not let us know yet, but we may need to ask for volunteers soon. Fr Jeremy at Hednesford and I are also keen that we work together when the churches reopen.  We wait on the government, but, we are preparing to reopen the Centre in three stages
1) Preparing the buildings and grounds - some essential gardening, cleaning and also measures to make social distancing possible. Some important cosmetic work is already taking place. If you could help with some odd jobs, around the centre - all following social distancing rules, - please ring Wayne on 07864 50658. 2) When laws and circumstances allow, we will start to serve and deliver food. 3) When the authorities allow we want to ready to open the bar and serve food. YOU CAN HELP! We applying for a grant for funds so that the Centre can reopen as soon as possible. Please send short accounts to say how much you value the Centre, how it helps build strong communities, how valuable the activities of the centre to people of any age, especially vulnerable people. Send these as soon as you can to 07766 335591 (WhatsApp or text) or email stmary- sttm.cannock@rcaob.org.uk.  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 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.” |
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