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WE'RE BACK ... but not to the "old normal"

If you exhibit any symptoms of cold or flu, or have a serious medical condition, you should NOT attend church. The Bishops of England and Wales have suspended the obligation on all Catholics to attend Mass on Sundays. You may wish to come to a weekday Mass instead, or to pray at home and continue to access the virtual celebration of Mass online.

Social distancing must be observed at all times (one metre at least or more) and so every second bench has been closed off. Only sit together if you live in the same household. You may sit or stand but do not use the bench kneelers. Face coverings (a mask or scarf covering mouth and nose) should be worn while you are inside the church (you may lower it to be able to receive Communion).

To allow social distancing in smaller gatherings, there will be TWO Masses celebrated each Sunday here at Holy Family Church at 11.00am and at 5.00pm. Each Mass will be limited to 90 persons. Mass will be shorter, there will be no singing or processions, the Gloria and Creed will be omitted. Holy Communion will be distributed after Mass, not during it.

Hand sanitizer has been placed in the porch to use before you come into or leave the church. (You may wish to bring your own hand sanitizer with you to use each time before you enter or leave the church.)

The church toilet may not be used except in a case of genuine emergency.

Take a copy of the Sunday Mass Sheet and the Weekly Newsletter and any other papers as you enter church and take them home with you afterwards, either to keep or to dispose of. Do not leave them on the bench or at the back of church after Mass.

There will be no hymn singing at Mass and so hymnbooks are not required. Weekday Missals will not be made available for weekday Mass.

Place your Offertory Collection donation into the baskets provided as you enter or leave church. There will be no Offertory Collection or Procession of Gifts during the Mass. Mass Intention requests and any other donations can also be placed into the baskets.

Holy Communion will be distributed after the Mass is ended; only the priest will receive Communion at the usual place during Mass. Stewards will direct you to come up, observing social distancing. Do not form a queue for Communion. The chalice will not be offered and the Sacred Host will be placed only into your extended open hand, not onto your tongue. The invitation "The Body of Christ" and its response "Amen" will not be spoken. The priest will wear a mask when distributing Holy Communion.

You should leave church immediately after receiving Holy Communion. You should follow the one-way system and continue to observe social distancing, leaving individually, not as a crowd.

Lingering clusters of people in conversation either inside the church or in the porch or outside the church, are to be avoided.

And finally ..... We understand that, after being in isolation for such a long period of time, some will be afraid of suddenly being in a large gathering with others. In which case, instead of coming to Sunday Mass you may wish to come along to a weekday Mass on Tuesday or Thursday at 10.00am when there will be fewer people present. The obligation of Mass on Sunday remains suspended.

Church Giving - options to continue to give during lockdown

With the church closed during the current pandemic it has not been possible for parishioners to make their weekly contribution to church funds using the Weekly Offerings envelopes.

There are now two options available to continue to support our church in the absence of the opportunity to give at Sunday Mass. 

Option 1:
You can now make one off gifts of either £2,£3, £5, or £10 by following the instructions below:

Text HOLYWIGAN to 70085 to donate £2

Texts cost £2 plus one standard rate message and you'll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you'd like to give £2 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text HOLYWIGANNOINFO to 70085

Text HOLYWIGAN to 70450 to donate £3

Texts cost £3 plus one standard rate message and you'll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you'd like to give £3 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text HOLYWIGANNOINFO to 70450

Text HOLYWIGAN to 70460 to donate £5

Texts cost £5 plus one standard rate message and you'll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you'd like to give £5 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text HOLYWIGANNOINFO to 70460

Text HOLYWIGAN to 70470 to donate £10

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you'll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you'd like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text HOLYWIGANNOINFO to 70470 
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Option 2:

This second option allows you to give your offering directly through a website set up specifically for our Church by The Archdiocese.

Just click the link below which will direct you to it.

https://donate.liverpoolcatholic.org.uk/holy-family-platt-bridge

We fully understand the financial difficulties the pandemic has placed on many families and we would certainly not wish you create further financial hardship in supporting our Parish at this time.

However, even though the church is currently closed there is still a financial strain in the day to day costs of maintaining and insuring our buildings, and any donation given by either of the above methods would be most gratefully received. If you are in a position to give, please be as generous as you can reasonably afford to be.

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina (which is Latin for "Divine Reading") is a new way of praying. Actually, it's not new at all, but as old as the hills, going right back to the early Church and even further back into Old Testament times; but it has recently become very fashionable, if one can use that word with regard to prayer.

(Check out Lectio Divina on YouTube: Cardinal Thomas Collins of Toronto is a good one to follow.)

WHY SHOULD CATHOLICS PRAY THE ROSARY?

Catholics pray the rosary because it's a powerful prayer to God, through His mother, Mary.

Praying the rosary has been a tradition in the Church for a long time. It's a bit fuzzy who made it more formal; some say it was Saint Dominic. What matters is that this prayer is super-powerful!

Throughout history, many saints have highly recommended that we pray the rosary.

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