St Benet’s is open for public worship this Sunday with our Parish Mass at 11.00 am. The heating has been repaired and our church will be nice and warm.
Now our heating is fixed, the celebration of the daily Mass will recommence from Tuesday onwards. In order to allow people the maximum possible space for social distancing, this will now take place each day at the high altar until further notice, with the congregation sitting in the chancel.
There will be no Saturday night Vigil Mass and Sunday evening Mass until further notice in order to reduce the number of services where people meet, and we will concentrate on one Sunday morning Mass at 11.00 am. Numbers of people have been very reduced at the 11.00 am Mass (frequently no more than 10-15 people) so far this year under the lock down, so it strikes me as eminently safe to gather in our large building with those sorts of numbers. The situation will be kept under constant review.
During the current lockdown, public worship remains permitted as long as we follow strict COVID measures. Nobody should feel under any pressure to come to church if you have health concerns or are worried about COVID infection rates, but if you do decide to attend the Mass, you can be assured that every possible precaution has been taken to ensure our worship is COVID secure.
We have all got used to worshipping with social distancing, a mask, and without congregational singing. It is important that we redouble our efforts to implement these measures scrupulously. I am very grateful to you all for so patiently ensuring our church remains a safe place to worship.
Please note that under the present lockdown measures, there can be no Sunday School for the next few weeks. Until now we have had outdoor activities for our children during the Mass, but even that has to stop now that the virus is spreading more quickly than before.
If you have children, they will have to remain with you during the 11.00 am service, and it is crucial that they do not run around the building, and that you keep them physically close to you at all times.
I will keep you all breast of how things develop.
Fr Peter Anthony
PCC Meeting
There will be a PCC meeting on Tuesday 26th January at 6.30 pm by Zoom. Zoom Meeting ID: 850 2893 8069
Archdeacon’s Visitation
There will be an official Archdeacon’s visitation of our parish on Thursday (27th Jan) evening. This is a routine event that takes place every three years. The archdeacon will need to meet with he PCC by Zoom at 7.00 pm. Zoom Meeting ID: 366859. Because of the visitation, there will be no Mass on Thursday evening.
Services from Sunday 24th January 2021
Sunday 24th January 2021
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
11.00 am Sung Mass
Tuesday 26th January 2021
Ss. Timothy and Titus
11.00 am Mass
Wednesday 27th January 2021
S. Angela Merici
7.30 pm Mass
Friday 29th January 2021
Feria
11.00 am Mass
Sunday 31st January 2021
4th Sunday in Ordinary Time
11.00 am Sung Mass