Sunday 30th August. 22nd Sunday of the Year.

Matt 16:21-27

If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself, take up his cross and follow me.

These words from the Gospel of St Matthew this Sunday seem particularly apt on a societal scale in these times. Our Lord walks with us but let us also minister to one another, as kind souls did for him: Veronica with her cloth and Simon with his strength, Mary Magdalene with her tears and John with his steadfastness. And of course, Our Lady with her Immaculate and loving Heart.

Our public Masses remain suspended for the moment at St Catherine's but let us pray for one another.

Sunday 23rd August. Parish news.

 

Gospel of St Matthew this Sunday 16:13-20

You are Peter, 

and I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Regrettably, due to Covid 19 restrictions,

we are once again without public Mass at St Catherine's this Sunday.

Sadly, No Masses this Sunday

I write with a heavy heart as I will have to cancel Masses for this coming Sunday at St Catherine's due to the strange times forced upon us all by Coronavirus. 

As many parishioners will know, I have been in France for a few days this week. However, I have been caught out by the sudden imposition of 14 day quarantine for those returning from France. I have made desperate attempts to arrange a booking to allow me to return before the deadline tomorrow but to no avail, as everyone else seems to have had the same idea! So although I may be able to return tomorrow, it will not be possible for me to celebrate public Mass for 14 days.

I have been unable to find a priest to cover at this short notice - many of those who might usually do so as retired priests throughout the diocese are also in age and health circumstances that restrict them from doing so.

With the uncertainty surrounding all this, I cannot say for definite when Masses might resume but I will keep parishioners informed via email and here on the Blog as soon as I can be certain.

We would have been celebrating the beautiful feast of the Assumption of Our Lady into Heaven this Sunday. I hope you will still honour this lovely feast in the best way you can and I will be offering my Mass for all your intentions.

 

Nineteenth Sunday of the Year

 

We restarted public Masses last week but numbers were about half of what we might have expected on a usual Sunday. This seems to be the experience of others who have opened up as well. Not surprising as many will still be shielding for various reasons and others will not have heard that we are open again. Though I fear that there will be a number who have gotten out of the habit and may never return to Sunday Mass. We shall see. 

In the light of the numbers, we are reducing to two Masses, which still leaves plenty of space for the social distancing rules in place. So please make a note that for the time being - Sundays in Covid time, as it were, our Masses will be at 8.30am and 10am only. Actually our 10am Mass was particularly prayerful with just the Latin chant being sung (properly distanced and shielded) by a cantor, very calm and gentle. 

For all the difficulties and tragedies of this time, we trust in the Lord, hearing his words in the Gospel:

Courage! Do not be afraid!

Mass times for this coming Sunday changes

Just a note to give advance warning that this coming Sunday and following we will reduce to two Masses. Simply, there are not enough people returning as yet to warrant three Masses.

SUNDAY 

(both Masses in the Ordinary Form)

Mass at 8.30am

Mass at 10am

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For the rest of this week:

Thursday 7pm - Novena to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Friday 9.30am - Mass (OF)

Saturday 12 noon - Mass (EF)

Return of public Masses

We return to the public celebration of Mass 

here at St Catherine's tomorrow Sunday 2nd August.

8.30am - 

10am - with music but no congregational singing

11.30am - EF

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Eighteenth Sunday. Year A in the Ordinary Form

  9th Sunday after Pentecost in the Traditional Form

Return of public worship next Sunday: Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary time

Dear Friends,

The Parable in the Gospel this week reminds us that the Kingdom of Heaven is worth a great deal. The closest we get to it in this life is the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and it is with great joy that I can affirm that St Catherine's will re-open for public worship next Sunday, 2nd August. Please do disseminate this new to as many people as possible, as not everyone is online.

Masses at the usual times of
8.30am
10am
11.30am - EF


We now have all the necessary PPE to prepare the church building and volunteers who must assist with each Mass.

Stewards at the door will direct people in and to monitor social distancing and cleanse the church after each Mass (disinfecting door handles, light switches, benches etc.) Each volunteer will be provided with an identifying lanyard.

You will know that the lockdown has produced a severe reduction in our finances. If you have been putting aside your collection money each week, please do remember to bring it along. Although quite a few people give by direct debit, we have probably lost about £6,000 in the eighteen weeks of lockdown.

You may also use the Archdiocesan website to contribute to the parish online by going to:

https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/st-catherine-laboure-farington

With joy I now look forward to seeing as many as possible of you next Sunday. Let us pray with the saints (these here are especially associated with relief in times of epidemic and illness)  for an end to these troubles.

Saint Sebastian - pray for us
Saint Camillus de Lellis - pray for us
St Lazarus - pray for us
St Damien of Moloki - pray for us
St Catherine - pray for us


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As we open, here are some of the rules which will be in force:

GENERAL PRINCIPLES:

A reminder that when we do open, those who are socially self-isolating must continue to do so.

Social distancing guidelines are still in force. One metre.

Ever second bench will be roped off and distanced seating arranged on the remaining benches.

Church doors and windows should be left open.

Volunteer stewards are required to be on hand to direct hand sanitising on arriving and leaving, to

direct people to benches and to encourage worshippers to maintain reasonable social distancing.

Votive candles may be lit (but only from a lit candle.)

Single use newsletters, Mass sheets, or other papers may be used but must be taken home. Please bring a Missal if you have one.

Only the priest should be on the sanctuary – without deacons, servers, readers etc. 

There will be no Sign of Peace.

There should be no handshakes or hugs etc. after services.

Collections should be in a basket on the way in and the way out.

Lingering clusters of conversation in the porch or outside the church are to be avoided.

Volunteers are required to sanitise bench surfaces and doors etc. after each Mass. That may mean

the number of Masses needs to reduced.

To avoid volunteers having to sanitise toilets after each individual use, they must remain closed and

only be used in a genuine emergency.

You will enter by the main door but leave by the emergency exit in the Confessional Room.

There will be no refreshments after Mass.

Communal singing is not allowed.

You must wear a face mask. Please bring yours with you.

HOLY COMMUNION is not allowed to be distributed during Mass.

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Your Mass intentions are still offered as requested and you may continue to send them in.  Mass is offered each day for all who live in the parish and for all our intentions each day.

Your Prayers are asked for all the sick, including: Rita Sarbrick, Rosena Stacey, Vivienne Lee, Tom Miller, Paul Casey, Linda Melling, Tilly Gee, Kathleen Ward, Clare Butler, Maureen MacDonald, Louie Baines, Maureen O'Brien, Margaret McNiff, Elle Miller, Mark Duncan, Hild Gibbons, Bill Sutton, Barbara Fow, Mary Ann Monaghan, Bernard Lawson, Mick Marshall, Carol Parkinson, Margaret Cheston, Eric Neilson, Alan Cottam, Seámus McLoughlin.

We pray for those who are housebound and for those who love  and care for them. 

O Mary conceived without sin - Pray for us who have recourse to thee.

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If you would like to pray through the Mass online or via TV here are some links below. Some people find it a way of preparing in some fitting way to make a Spiritual Communion in these times when the actual Mass is not available:

If you have access to Facebook, the beautiful little church of Corpus Christi on Maiden Lane in London has Mass each day.           https://www.facebook.com/corpuschristimaidenlane

Also on Facebook, the Canons at St Walburge's in Preston stream many Masses and Devotions: https://www.facebook.com/icksp.preston/

If you have Sky TV or you can also access EWTN at: https://www.ewtn.com/

With many other programmes that you might find useful.

The Oratorians at Cardiff: http://cardifforatory.co.uk/live-stream/

 
The Fathers of the Fraternity of St Peter also stream their Masses and devotions from Warrington St Mary's at: http://s3.amazonaws.com/livemass/warrington/index.html 

You can even join in Mass live from Westminster Cathedral: http://www.westminstercathedral.org.uk/index.php

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God keep you,

Fr Simon.