Weekend Message July 24

Dear friends,

 

Looking to the Future:

Public Worship in Churches: Advice from the Bishops of England and Wales is that from this weekend we can bring all our benches and seating areas into use. However, we intend to limit the number of persons per bench, to retain a measure of social distancing. In Lutterworth only two persons will be permitted to each bench, except for families who can occupy an entire bench. In Narborough we will limit the number of persons per bench to three (a couple at one end and a single person at the other), except for families who can occupy an entire bench. We have already brought all the existing benches back into use in Lutterworth, and after this weekend we will endeavour to do the same in Narborough, thus increasing the capacity of the Churches while maintaining social distance.

For the time being we will keep the advance booking for Narborough. The advance booking by telephone for Lutterworth will be replaced by the need for evberyone attending Mass to sign in on arrival.

Face coverings are still required (unless you are exempt for medical reasons or you are a young child). Readers (including Deacon Kevin and myself) do not need to wear a face covering while reading.

Everyone arriving for Mass or any other celebration in Church is required to sanitize their hands on entry; and ‘frequently used touch points’ will be cleaned afterwards. We will still open windows during the celebration to ensure good ventilation.

Young persons under the age of sixteen years, and all persons who suffer from physical or mental disability, must be accompanied at all times by a responsible adult. We are not allowed to kneel down while in Church: please stand or sit as appropriate, but please do not kneel.

We are still not permitted to have Holy Water at the entrance. Those who wish to take Holy Water home may do so – please bring a bottle to the sacristy and I will fill it for you.

Altar servers and Eucharistic Ministers may perform their duties again. However, we will still not be permitted to offer the chalice at Holy Communion.

We are permitted to take the collection in the usual manner, but online or contactless giving is encouraged. I will take advice regarding whether we wish to continue the current practice of placing collection boxes in the entrance porch of our Churches, rather than taking a physical collection during Mass. I am very grateful to the many people who have moved to standing orders or other methods of ‘online’ contributions.

There will be no restrictions on numbers for baptisms or for weddings, other than the capacity of the Church, and the need to wear a face covering will still apply. The same is true for funerals.

Home Visits, including Holy Communion for housebound people: These are now permitted, but anyone visiting a housebound person (whether to administer Holy Communion or just a visit) should not visit anyone else during the same morning or afternoon. Visits should be short (in order to minimize the likelihood of passing on an infection) and hand sanitization must be used before and after the visit.

Social Activities: these can resume from 19^th July. However, “It is strongly recommended that a risk assessment for both the activity and the space is completed for the gathering.”

Booking Arrangements for next weekend:

At St. Pius X, Narborough:

You may book by email: johnhadley1971@gmail.com  or by phone: (0116) – 2863676

at the following times on the following days:

 

• between 7pm and 8pm on Monday 26^th July;
• between 7pm and 8pm on Tuesday 27^th;
• between 7pm and 8pm on Friday 30^th  July.

 

Times of Mass next weekend:

• 10am Saturday 31^st July;
• 10am Sunday 1^st August;
• 10am Monday 2^nd.

 

At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:

It is no longer necessary to book your place at Mass at Our Lady of Victories. However, all who attend Mass will be required to sign in on arrival, and to sanitize their hands.

 

Times of Mass next Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday:

• 5.30pm on Saturday 31^st July;
• 11am on Sunday 1^st August;
• 10.30am Tuesday 2^nd.

 

Saturday Evening Mass: We intend to celebrate Mass on Saturday evenings at 5.30pm at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth, starting 31^st July (when we will celebrate the Feast of our Patron Saint, Alphonsus of Liguori).

 

At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be: Saturday (24^th July) Mary Hadley RIP; Sunday (25^th) People of the Parishes; Monday (26^th) Doug & Patricia Partridge RIP. Wednesday John Bradshaw RIP; Thursday Jean Hodgkinson RIP; Friday Betty Danaher RIP. Next weekend Saturday (31^st July) Maxwell Corby RIP; Sunday (1^st August) People of the Parishes; Monday (2^nd) Peter & Miranda Hill RIP.

 

At Lutterworth the intentions for Mass will be: Sunday (25^th July) Welfare of Phoebe Doyle; Tuesday (27^th July) Holy Souls. Next Saturday (31^st July) 5.30pm People of the Parish; Sunday (1^st August) People of the Parish; Next Tuesday (3^rd August) Holy Souls.

 

Prayers for the living and the dead:

 

Please pray for Kit Stappard, Sister Francis Martin, Sister Margaret Mary Herlihy, Father Andrew Smith, Doreen Sullivan, and for all who have died recently.

 

Please also pray for Monica Teeling, Peggy Merrell, Jane Bolsover, Suzanne Foxon, Jim Oxley, Beulah Blomfield, Tom McDermott, Joseph Armeni, Dave Knapper, Teresa Maugham, Mary Dunne, and Juanita Zaman and for all who are ill.

 

Please let me know of any others who have died, or anyone who is ill and asks for prayers.

 

Banns of Marriage: Please pray for Etike Joy Chidima and Okoye Maduako Dilichukwu who intend to marry at St. Pius X on 1^st August. We pray that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage. If anyone knows of any reason why they should not marry, please tell Father John without delay.

 

Please pray for Demi-Leigh Nicol and Francis John Latham, members of this parish, who intend to marry in Ravello, Italy, on 16^th August. We pray that they will be blessed with a long and happy marriage. If anyone knows of any reason why they should not marry, please tell Father John without delay.

 

First Holy Communion: We hope to begin preparation for First Confession and First Holy Communion in September. I am very grateful to those who have already indicated that they wish to be included. Candidates should be in Year 3 at school from September (or older). Please let me have any names and contact details so that a group can be organized.

 

Confirmation: Bishop Patrick is willing to start administering the sacrament of Confirmation. I am grateful to those who have already said they wish to be confirmed. Are there any others who would like to join the group? Please let me have any names and contact details. Candidates for Confirmation should be in secondary education (or older) in September this year. Because of the continued restrictions, preparation for Confirmation will be delayed until the autumn.

 

**Important notice concerning car parking**

 

Please park in the Church car parks whenever possible. If that is not possible, for whatever reason, please ensure that you are not causing an obstruction of the roadway or driveways to properties, and please remember that homeowners may wish to park outside their own homes. Please exercise Christian Charity when parking your car.

 

Reminders from previous weeks:

 

Financial matters:

 

Planned Giving Envelopes (Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth): The new boxes of envelopes started in April If you require your box, please ring June (01455 – 553730) or Ashley (01455 – 553493) or email Father John.

 

Planned Giving Envelopes (St. Pius X, Narborough): The new boxes of envelopes started in April. They are available from the sacristy in Church, or email Father John.

 

Standing Orders: I will provide the parish Bank details to anyone who would like to donate by Standing Order or similar electronic means – many of you already do so (and I am very grateful indeed). I can provide standing order mandates for anyone who wishes – please just ask.

 

Gift Aid: I have copies of the form to complete, so if you are a taxpayer and would like the tax paid on your contributions to be given to the parish, please ask me for a form.

 

Recycling Textiles: At the moment the firm are no longer collecting in the Leicester area and has no plans to restart collections here. I hope to have better news soon.

 

With my prayers for your wellbeing and salvation, Father John