Weekend message Mar 20
Dear friends,
Holy Week Instructions: As I explained last week, the Bishops’ Conference has issued some instructions for celebrating Holy Week and the Easter Vigil. The duration of these celebrations should be kept as short as possible, and the congregation are not permitted to sing.
Palm Sunday: No procession; the palms should be blessed at the start of Mass; the short form of the Passion according to St. Mark should be read, without any congregation participation.
Maundy Thursday: The Evening Mass commemorating the Last Supper may be held in the evening as a public celebration; however, there will be no washing of feet, no procession, no altar of repose, and no ‘stripping the altar’.
Good Friday: The Passion According to St. John should be read ‘in a dignified manner’ without any participation by the congregation. The Cross may not be venerated in the normal manner. Holy Communion may be distributed as normal.
The Easter Vigil: The ‘new fire’ is not to be lit or blessed; the Paschal Candle should be lit at the start; the congregation are not permitted to hold candles. The Easter Water should be blessed, and the congregation renew their baptismal promises, but they should not be sprinkled, and the holy water stoups are not to be filled.
Easter Sunday: the congregation may be invited to renew their baptismal promises, but they must not be sprinkled with holy water.
HOLY WEEK ARRANGEMENTS IN OUR PARISHES
Palm Sunday Mass will be celebrated at St. Pius X, Narborough at 10am on Saturday and Sunday, and at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth at 10.30am on Sunday. I will also celebrate Mass at 10am on Monday of Holy Week at St. Pius X Narborough.
Chrism Mass: Only priests may attend. (Father John will attend representing the Leicester Deanery.)
Maundy Thursday Mass will be celebrated at 6pm at St. Pius X Narborough and at 7pm at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth.
Good Friday The reading of the Passion, prayers of the Faithful, presentation of the Cross (without the usual veneration) and Holy Communion will be at 2pm at St. Pius X, Narborough and at 3pm at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth. There will be Stations of the Cross at 7pm at St. Pius X Narborough.
Easter Vigil A shortened form of the Easter Vigil will be celebrated at St. Pius X Narborough at 6pm on Holy Saturday.
Easter Sunday Mass will be celebrated at 10am at St. Pius X Narborough and at 10.30am at Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus Lutterworth. I will also celebrate Mass at 10am on Easter Monday at St. Pius X Narborough.
Please remember that it will be necessary to book to attend any of these ceremonies. Booking arrangements are given below.
Ways for us to show practical charity during Lent:
Walk for Water: Sharon Burman and Claire Harrold are walking 10 miles per week in support of CAFOD’s ‘Walk for Water’ appeal. If any parishioner would like to support their endeavour, please hand your donation to Sharon in person, or leave it in the ‘parish collection’ box in the St. Pius X Church porch, or put it through the presbytery letterbox.
The corporal works of mercy: feed the hungry (and thirsty), clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick, visit the imprisoned, give shelter to the homeless, bury the dead.
The spiritual works of mercy: counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish the sinner, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear wrongs patiently, and pray for the living and for the dead.
Decorating the Church during the Easter Season: If anyone would like to contribute to decorating the Churches during the Easter season in memory of their loved ones who have died, please write the names of those to be remembered (by name, or ‘friends and relations of…’, as you wish) together with your contribution, and leave it in the box provided at St. Pius X, Narborough, or drop it into the letter box at Our Lady of Victories, Lutterworth. I will try to ensure that lists of those for whom we are praying are prepared.
Arrangements for attending Church for Mass and other services: Masks or face coverings will be required for those attending Mass (except for those exempted from wearing them); it is necessary for those attending Church to sanitize their hands on entering; and all need to keep social distance from each other (unless they are members of the same household or family). 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. All who attend (except for the cleaners who remain behind to sanitize the building) should leave immediately after Mass has finished, not stopping in Church to talk to people; and please also maintain a social distance as you follow others out of Church, avoiding any ‘congregating’ in the porch, or the lobby, or at the back of Church. I am very grateful to the stewards & cleaners who support the public celebration of Mass.
Please remember that it will be essential to book a place at Mass on every occasion that you wish to attend. It is not permitted to book for every Sunday, or even for a number of weeks. Please also remember to bring a mask to wear when coming to Mass.
Booking Arrangements for next weekend and Holy Week:
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 22nd:
· between 7pm and 8pm on Tuesday 23rd:
· between 7pm and 8pm on Thursday 25th:
· between 7pm and 8pm on Friday 26th.
Times of Mass for next weekend:
· 10am Saturday 27th;
· 10am Sunday 28th;
· 10am Monday 29th.
Times of Holy Week services:
· 6pm Maundy Thursday 1st April;
· 2pm Good Friday 2nd April;
· 7pm Stations of the Cross Good Friday 2nd April;
· 6pm Easter Vigil Saturday 3rd April
· 10am Easter Sunday 4th April
· 10am Easter Monday 5th April
At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth:
Please ring 079 0113 4564 on the following days, and at these times. It is not possible to leave a message outside these times:
Monday 22nd March between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm
Wednesday 24th March between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm
Friday 26th March between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm
Times of Holy Week services:
· 10.30am on Sunday 28th March (Palm Sunday)
· 7pm Maundy Thursday 1st April;
· 3pm Good Friday 2nd April;
· 10.30am Easter Sunday 4th April
At Narborough the intentions for Mass this week will be: Saturday (20th March) Martin Brookes RIP; Sunday (21st March) Deceased members of the Mears family; Monday (22nd March) Stuart Tomlinson RIP. Tuesday For the people of the parishes in time of pandemic; Wednesday William Snowden RIP; Thursday Terry Barber RIP; Friday Judith Gill RIP. Next weekend Saturday (27th March) Welfare of Jim Oxley; Sunday (28th March) Deacon Robin Pollard RIP; Monday (22nd March) Deceased members of the McEntee family.
Stations of the Cross:
7pm on Fridays during Lent. No advance booking for Friday 26th March, but all who attend must provide the stewards with names and contact details (email or telephone); must wear a mask or face covering and maintain social distance. Booking ahead is required for Stations of the Cross on Good Friday (2nd April).
Prayers for the living and the dead: please pray for Deacon Robin Pollard (of the parish of St. Peter’s, Hinckley), Susan Moore, Bob Dorward, Ranjit Mann, Maria Olga dos Santos, Sister Assumpta Mulroe, and all who have died recently.
Please also pray for Father James Earley, Jim Oxley, Beulah Blomfield, Canon Owen O’Neill, Tom McDermott, Freda Williams, Andrew Madden, Joseph Armeni, Dave Knapper, Teresa Maugham, Debbie Bourke, Elizabeth Fullerton, 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.
Walk With Me Booklets for Easter season available free of charge from Church.
Living Faith booklets with readings for every day in April, May, and June, available from Church, suggested donation £1.
Planned Giving Envelopes (Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth): The new boxes of envelopes start 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 start in April. They are available from the sacristy in Church, or email Father John.
Reminders from previous weeks:
First Confession and Holy Communion: Candidates must be in Year 3 at school (or above). Confirmation: Candidates must be in secondary school (or later). Please let me know as soon as possible about any candidates for these sacraments. So far I have received four applications for First Confession and Holy Communion, and six applications for Confirmation. I have obtained the books for use in these preparations; we will see how we may be able to start preparation for these sacraments. Obviously no face to face preparation can possibly begin until April at the earliest.
Recycling Textiles: At the moment the firm are no longer collecting in the Leicester area and has no plans to restart collections here. If anyone knows of any other organization willing to collect clothes and other textiles in our area, please let me know.
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.
With best wishes to you all, and assuring you all of my prayers, Father John
