The Bishops' Conference are now providing some good material to help us all pray at home during these difficult times. These can be accessed on the website of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. You will also find there the prayers for the re-dedication of England to our Lady this Sunday. These prayers have also been placed on the Bulletin. Please remember to print off the bulletin and drop it into the letterbox of anyone you know who does not have access to the internet.
It has been great receiving feedback on our online Masses. You may not realise but the only technology we have is my mobile phone so we do not even have the ability to connect better microphones and we were limited with the very bad internet connection we have at Giffard House. For this reason, we have been recording the Masses and loading them up onto youtube afterwards. We have now upgraded the data package on my mobile phone so that we can bypass the house connection. This means that next week we will try live streaming the Masses. The quality might not be so good but it would mean that we are all praying the Mass together at exactly the same time. The Vatican has also directed that the Easter Triduum services may only be streamed live, so it will be good to practice doing this next week. Please note therefore, that some of the Mass times have changed next week. Check the parish diary or the bulletin. God Bless, Fr Mark The Pope has announced that tommorrow, Friday 27th March , he will preside over a moment of prayer outside St Peter’s Basilica. “I invite everyone to participate spiritually through the means of communication”, he said.
The ceremony will be broadcast live from the Vatican, beginning at 5pm UK time. It will consist of readings from the Scriptures, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. At the end Pope Francis will give the 'Urbi et Orbi' (to the City of Rome and the World) blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live through the various forms of communication. The Urbi et Orbi blessing is normally only given on Christmas and Easter. In his Address to the Nation the Prime Minister outlined the necessary steps that we must now take to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. The Government has mandated the ‘closure of all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores, and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship.’
This means that, until further notice, and with immediate effect, all of our churches must now close their doors to the public. This policy must be implemented without exception. This is an essential component of our contribution to fighting the Coronavirus and living out the Lord Jesus’ commandment to ‘love our neighbour.’ (Mk 12:31). The Prime Minster also stated that all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals, must cease. Given these extraordinary circumstances, the opportunities for us to pray together using technology becomes even more important. There are plenty of resources on our website to help us do this. One example is the daily Mass which is available online. Another is praying at home at specified times of the week, knowing that many others are doing the same. For example:
Keeping you all in my prayers, Fr Mark Light a Candle of Hope: A National Call to Prayer in the Midst of the Coronavirus Pandemic22/3/2020
There is a great national initiative of prayer taking place this evening at 7pm. I will be praying Evening Prayer of the Church at this time. You can say the same prayers at home by going to the Universalis page. Please see the statement below for more details about the initiative:
This Mothering Sunday, 22 March, we are calling all churches to a National Day of Prayer and Action. At such a time as this, when so many are fearful and there is great uncertainty, we are reminded of our dependence on our loving Heavenly Father and the future that he holds. At 7 p.m. this Sunday, light a candle in the windows of your homes as a visible symbol of the light of life, Jesus Christ, our source and hope in prayer. Whether you are continuing to worship as congregations or not, we have the great privilege and freedom to be able to call upon God, wherever we are, individually and corporately, for healing in our nation. We would pray for all in leadership at this time, making decisions about the containment of the Covid-19 virus, for those working in health and social care, and especially for the most vulnerable, whether elderly or those with underlying health conditions. There are already stories being told of wonderful acts of kindness across neighbourhoods. Alongside your prayers, take the opportunity to telephone or email someone who is isolated, buy some additional food for your local foodbank, or offer to deliver shopping for an elderly neighbour. We may not be able to touch physically, but we can make connections in so many other ways. In the meantime, do please attend to all the government health advice that will be issued, and look out for resources from your specific church governing bodies. At least for those of us in the global North, we do seem to be in unusual times, and wisdom and flexibility about worship gatherings are a key part of our Christian discipleship during this period. We note that this call to prayer and action comes on Mothering Sunday: a time of thankfulness, remembering especially mothers who have served us, often in very costly ways. It is also a very mixed day for many. For some the remembrance is painful, and for others Mothering Sunday is a reminder of disappointment or loss. In many ways, this period under the shadow of the coronavirus will be prompting similarly diverse reactions and so it seems especially appropriate that the call to prayer is made this Sunday. At this time of uncertainty join in with the National Day of Prayer and Action, lighting a candle of hope. “Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5.7 Presidents of Churches Together in England: Cardinal Vincent Nichols, The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster Archbishop Justin Welby, The Archbishop of Canterbury Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, The Free Churches Moderator Archbishop Angaelos of London, CTE President for the Orthodox Churches Pastor Agu Irukwu, CTE Pentecostal President |
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