Wednesday 11 March 2020

Coronavirus Response

As the coronavirus spread has worsened in our country, the Bishops have produced guidance for parishes, schools and Catholic organisations. This guidance will be revised as the situation changes.

It is paramount that everyone maintains good hygiene at Mass, other services and parish gatherings. Please make sure that you regularly wash your hands with soap and water or sanitising gel, and avoid touching common surfaces.

The NHS advises “catch it, bin it, kill it”:

The holy water stoups in the church have been emptied. Holy water is available from a container at the back of the back of church for personal use.

Hymn books, mass books and cards will not be made available as these can transmit the virus. Please take the newsletters home with you and do not return them as you leave the church. The 9:30 Sunday Mass will be a said Mass for the time being.

The Sign of Peace is suspended for the time being. The Sunday collection plates will not be passed around the church. The collection will be taken as you leave. Please consider switching from cash to online donations, using the standing order forms provided.

If you are displaying any cold or flu symptoms, please refrain from attending Mass and other events at the Oratory. We would also advise those most vulnerable (the elderly, those with weakened immune-systems and long-term conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease) to refrain from coming to church. In such cases there is no obligation to attend Holy Mass on Sundays.

For those who are able, fulfilling your Sunday obligation (which is a Precept of the Church) means attending Holy Mass, not receiving Holy Communion.

The Fathers will be very careful in distributing Holy Communion and will take extra measures to sanitise their hands. If you are concerned about the hygienic aspects of receiving Sacramental Communion, you can always make a Spiritual Communion. In Spiritual Communion, we express our fervent desire to receive our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and to be united with Him. The Church teaches that if you are in a State of Grace and make a Spiritual Communion, you will receive all the fruits of the Sacrament.

Changes to scheduled Masses, events and groups

There are currently no changes to scheduled Masses, except that there will be no music at the 9:30 Sunday Mass for the time being.

Cafe Neri and the Wednesday Morning Group are suspended for the time being.

All other talks and groups will continue as scheduled. In the event that we are required to cancel these, updates will be published here and on our website.