Weekend message Sept 19th

Dear friends,

Last Week 68 people attended St. Pius X Narborough for Mass between the three celebrations (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) and at least 51 people attended Mass at Our Lady of Victories and St. Alphonsus, Lutterworth between the three celebrations (Saturday evening, Sunday, Tuesday). Each week we hope to be able to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend Church. However, I would ask that you all use the booking system, and do so in good time, so that if there is pressure due to the number of persons who wish to attend, it may still be possible to find a way to accommodate everyone. I am very grateful to those of both parishes who have volunteered to act as stewards or cleaners or both, and to the hoovering group at St. Pius X, for their willingness to serve our communities; and to all who attend Mass for complying with the regulations which we now have to follow.

This Weekend we will celebrate First Holy Communion on Saturday 19^th September (10am Mass) for our three young people who have been making their preparations this year. I hope that we will be able to find sufficient room for everyone who wishes to attend that day.

First Holy Communion Day is not only important for our three young people and their families, but for the whole community. It is a wonderful day to remind us all that Our Lord calls us to receive His Body and Blood so that we may become his Body in this world, to do his work, for he is always with us, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I hold up the large host after the consecration for everyone to adore the Body of Christ; and just a few minutes later that large host is broken into pieces so that we may all share in it. St. Paul tells us: ‘The fact that we share a single loaf means that, though there are many of us, we form a single body, because we all have a share in this one loaf’. Not long after St. Paul was writing, a Christian (whose name we do not know) looked back to where the bread came from, and wrote this prayer: “As the seed was scattered over the hillsides, and was then gathered in and became one loaf, so may your Church be gathered into your Kingdom from the ends of the earth”.

As we receive Holy Communion this weekend, we hear Our Lord calling us to do whatever we can to maintain the community of the Church, by caring for one another, and for those in need, and in so doing to show our love for God.

Holy Communion at Home for the Housebound: We are now permitted to administer the sacrament of Holy Communion to those at home, but under very strict conditions. If anyone who is housebound would like Holy Communion, please let me know and I will try to make suitable arrangements.

 Readers: Thank you to those who have already volunteered to join our Readers’ Rota at St. Pius X, Narborough. More volunteers are needed, so if you are willing please let me know, and also state which Mass(es) you will be attending.

 This week I will celebrate Mass in public at St. Pius X Narborough at 10am on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday; and in private (the doors will not be open) at about 9am on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The intentions of these celebrations will be Saturday (19^th September) 10am William Spendilow RIP; Sunday (20^th September) 10am John Nealon RIP; Monday (21^st September) 10am Mary Hadley RIP; Tuesday the people of the parishes (Mass in time of pandemic); Wednesday Hugh Mellor RIP; Thursday Canon Christopher Tuckwell RIP. Next weekend Saturday (26^th September) 10am Barbara Dunne RIP; Sunday (27^th September) 10am Jean Randall RIP; Monday (28^th September) 10am Maureen Condon RIP.

For the foreseeable future I will not be able to celebrate Mass on Friday morning because I will be teaching students at Oscott College from 8.45am until 12.10pm. I am told that there are 8 students in 1^st year at the College, hoping to be trained to become priests. One of them has been sponsored by this Diocese.

Booking Arrangements for next weekend:

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. 

 At Our Lady of Victories & St. Alphonsus:

Please ring 079 0113 4564 on the following days, and at these times:

Monday 21^st September      between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm

Wednesday 23^rd September between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm

Friday 25^th September         between 9.30am and 10.30am or between 6pm and 7pm

Times of Mass next weekend:

• 5.30pm on Saturday 26^th September;
• 11am on Sunday 27^th September;
• 10.30am on Tuesday 29^th September.

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 6pm and 7pm on Monday 21^st September;
• between 6pm and 7pm on Tuesday 22^nd September;
• between 5pm and 6pm on Friday 25^th September.

 

Times of Mass next weekend:

• 10am on Saturday 26^th September;
• 10am on Sunday 27^th September;
• 10am on Monday 28^th September;

Please pray for Dave Knapper, Michael Maloney, Teresa Maugham, Debbie Bourke,

Elizabeth Fullerton, Mary Dunne, Ranjit Mann, Juanita Zaman, (all parishioners or relatives of parishioners), and Father Michael Horrax (retired priest of this Diocese) who are seriously ill; and for Hugh Mellor, Sheila Knight, Alan Dodds, Pat Johnston, Patricia Mary O’Neill, Mary Kuriam, Nicholas Lash, and all who have died recently. Please let me know of any others who have died, or anyone who is ill and asks for prayers, so that I can add them to the list.

 Parish Magazine: Mrs Sasse has kindly worked hard on producing a new edition of the Magazine for our two parishes. In the circumstances, producing hard copies would not be sensible, but she is happy to send it by email to anyone who would like a copy. Please contact her on parmag22@gmail.com. I’m sure that she would also be very grateful for ‘copy’ to go into a future edition of the magazine.

 A Message from LACY – Leicestershire Active Catholic Youth: Due to the recent ‘local lockdown’ in Leicester, Oadby, Wigston, and some surrounding areas, the ‘Day With Mary’ has been postponed to 4^th October at 4pm. Please save the date, and look for further information on the LACY facebook page.

 Recycling Textiles: At the moment the firm are no longer collecting in the Leicester area and have no plans to restart collections. If anyone knows of any other organization willing to collect clothes and other textiles in our area, please let me know.

Reminders from previous weeks:

The ‘Sunday Obligation’ remains suspended until further notice. The Bishops remind us that people who have been ‘shielding’, or who are caring for anyone who is extremely vulnerable, should not attend Church. Those who are ‘vulnerable’, including those who are over 70 years of age, should think carefully before attending, to make sure that they feel they can do so safely. Children younger than 16 years old, and persons who are physically disabled or who have learning difficulties, must not attend Church unless they are accompanied by a responsible adult, who will be expected to look after them and ensure that safe practice is maintained. Toilets will not normally be open.

When Attending Mass in any Catholic Church:

Face masks must be worn. When you arrive at Mass, a steward will check that you have pre-booked. You will be asked to sanitize your hands in the porch, and to wear your face mask. There is no holy water in the porch, and there will be no newsletter to take into Church. From next weekend (5^th to 7^th September) a newsletter will be available, but if you take one you will be asked to ensure that you take it away with you after Mass.

If you have brought an offering for the parish collection, please put it into the box which will be available in the porch. The collection will not be taken during Mass in the usual way. There will also be a box in the porch for items for the foodbank or for Mary’s Meals.

A steward will show you where you can sit. Places are marked on the benches or chairs, to ensure that all persons keep a safe ‘social distance’. Couples from the same household may occupy a single place. Families may sit together.

Holy Communion will be distributed at the usual time during Mass. The host must be received in the hand. There will be no ‘dialogue’ at that time. The chalice cannot be shared. Those receiving Holy Communion are requested to maintain the social distance in the main aisle waiting to receive; and to come up to the line marked on the floor of the Church.

At the end of Mass, please do not stop in the porch. If you wish to talk to anyone, please wait until you are outside the Church building. This is to avoid causing an obstruction for those wishing to leave.

Contributions to the parish funds: I know that many of you who used the envelopes to make your contributions would like to continue to do so. The boxes of envelopes are available for those who use them. If you would like your box of envelopes, please let me know and I can produce it for you.

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 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