A message from Fr Keith 

I rejoiced when I heard them say ‘Let us go to God’s House’.

Well, the day has come.

We are being given permission to celebrate the Mass together again. This is joyful news.

But, as you would expect, we have been given strict instructions on how we are to do this, though we are able to manage key elements after carrying out our own assessment of the building. Much of this is to do with capacity. Having consulted with Fr. Jackson, our secretaries and M.Cs, we have devised a scheme which will need to be followed to allow all who wish to, to return to Sunday Mass.

Mass will be celebrated as follows

Saturday Mass 5.30pm: FAMILY BUBBLES ONLY
Saturday Mass 6.30pm: COUPLES AND SINGLES ONLY
Sunday Mass 9.00am: COUPLES AND SINGLES ONLY
Sunday Mass 10.00am: FAMILY BUBBLES ONLY
Sunday Mass 11.00am: COUPLES AND SINGLES ONLY
Sunday Mass 12.00am: COUPLES AND SINGLES ONLY
Monday -Saturday am Mass: 10.00am
Thursday pm Mass: 7.30pm

The rationale behind this programme is to do with maximising capacity whilst keeping two metre social distancing (which is still the government and diocesan preferred position) and preventing having to ask people to wait around till the next Mass.

If we follow this pattern our capacity is as follows:

COUPLES AND SINGLES approx. 60-120 (assuming 2-4 every other pew)
FAMILY BUBBLES approx. 200-230 (assuming 7-8 every other pew)
Mid-week masses approx. 40-80 (assuming 2-4 every other pew
Balconies closed)
Family bubbles is a term we have all become familiar with and allows us to maximise a pew’s capacity, including grandparents.

We know this is not an exact science (it may be that we have the balance of Masses all wrong), and that even if we reached maximum capacity at every Mass we would still be a little short with regard to the getting all 1000 of us through on a Sunday morning. But this is not set in stone and we will endeavour to respond to the situation as it develops. I am expecting a slow return to normal numbers, but would be happy to be proved wrong.

With regard to the nature of the Mass, they will all be said, and we are instructed to keep them as brief as possible. Sermons will be just a few sentences and we are to omit the Prayers of the Faithful.

Communion will be in one kind, into the hand (extended to full reach) at the very end of the Mass, and communicants are instructed not to return to their seats. The church will not be accessible to anyone not attending the upcoming Mass, private devotions should be said at home, and the building will be open for private prayer mid-week as previously advertised. You do not have to keep your hands in your pockets, but try to keep touching fixtures and fittings to a minimum. The backs of all the pews will be sanitised between each Mass, along with the secure offerings box which will be at the back of the church as no collections will be taken. The Easter offerings will be received on a publicised date (probably in September). There will also be no Offertory Procession. Movement once in the church should be kept to a minimum, especially at the busiest Masses, and so the votive candles will NOT be accessible for Sunday Masses.

We will consider in the coming week or two, having consulted with the diocese, how we might celebrate the sacraments with our 1st Holy Communions and RCIA candidates.

HOPE THIS IS ALL VERY CLEAR. We will publish on the website and Facebook page an old style ‘public information film’ to demonstrate how we are to enter, move around the church and exit.

Finally, do share this information with everyone who may not regularly access online material.

God bless. See you all soon.

Fr. Keith & Fr. Jackson

Attending Mass guidelines

Fr Keith guides you through the steps for when church re-opens for Mass. Please note Mass will continue to be streamed at 10am on Sundays. Mid-week Masses resume as of the 6th July.

Letter from the Archbishops

A message from the Metropolitan Archbishops of the Catholic Church in England regarding the easing of restrictions on worship: download.

Church opening times for private prayer
Monday – Saturday 9.00am – 10.50am

Live Masses
Our next service will be streamed on our Live Mass page at 10am on Sunday 12th July: Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Our Parish welcome
We are a large, dynamic community at Our Lady’s, with activities for all ages, as you’ll see from browsing our website. You will find information on the celebration of the sacraments, schools and life in the parish generally. Our weekly newsletter gives the most up-to-date information on Mass times and parish events. 

If you need further information, please contact the Parish Office (9am – 3pm, school term-time weekdays only, closed Wednesdays).

• Fr. Keith Sylvia – Parish Priest
• Fr. Jackson Sebastian – Assistant Priest

Weekly newsletter
Items for the weekly newsletter must be emailed to
addiscombe@rcaos.org.uk no later than Wednesday evening or they will not be printed until the following week.

Vacancy
Receptionist at John Fisher School

Three-bed property required
Do you have a three-bed property available to rent? The Addiscombe Welcomes Refugees group would like to hear from you. Find out more.