Parish Newsletter

Open for Sunday Morning Mass - with Bubbles!

Four Half-hour Masses at 9.00, 10.00, 11.00 and 12.00. At all times be directed by the Stewards. Face coverings required. Please sanitise your hands on the way in. The big change last week was the introduction here of Bubbles - households living together being able to sit together in church. Numbers were up on the week before, totalling just 200 for the four Masses, approximately half of what we would normally see on a Sunday Morning. So, well done, everyone! No-one has been turned away from Mass because we were full, and with bubbles, we have raised our capacity to about 80 for each Mass. So, do please all be reassured that we are doing everything in our power to create a safe environment here for Mass. We look forward to seeing you all back just as soon as you feel comfortable in joining us.

Face Masks / Coverings Now Compulsory in Church

Following Government Guidelines issued a week ago, face masks or coverings are now required for church services. Please make sure you bring yours, and we do rely on your co-operation in this vital matter. I myself am now required to wear a mask for distributing Holy Communion. Thanks, everyone, for your co-operation in this and every other aspect.

Car Parking Sunday Mornings: Priority for Stewards

Please DON’T try to park at church if you are coming for one of the four Sunday Morning Masses. Blue Badges: you can park on the main road, as usual.

Shielding Paused: 1st August 2020

For those 2.2 million who have, on Government advice, been shielding during this Covid-19 pandemic, it is officially "paused” on 1st August. I’m sure this has been a difficult and frustrating time for all of you, many here in our Parish, including our own Fr Neill. Welcome back, everyone!

Message from Bishop Mark - Tuesday 4th August

"I have been asked to note that the wearing of face masks requires extra care by people in unlooping the face covering in order to receive Holy Communion and replacing it afterwards. It would be good to draw parishioners’ attention to the importance of this in order to prevent contamination of the covering by the hands. I am told that this is a minimal risk so long as any hand to hand contact is avoided between the priest and the communicant.”

FP Hols This August Postponed! Che Peccato!

I won’t be heading off to Italy in the second half of August, as per usual. With everything starting up again here in church, it’s the wrong time to be away. Italy will still be there next year.

Mass Intentions for 2021

I normally start the Diary for next year’s Intentions when I get back from hols, but as I shan’t be away this year, the new 2021 Diary will start receiving requests on Tuesday 1st September. Strictly first come, first served!

Painting of Outside of Parish House Finished

Scaffolding down, workmen gone. What a performance! But the end result, I hope you agree, is worth it. Do have a look from the far side of Grosvenor Park Rd and then the far side of Bath St.

Retirements and Appointments: Bishop Mark Writes...

I wish to record on behalf of the whole Diocese, my gratitude for the long years of dedicated service of the priests who will be retiring at the end of the summer. We pray they will enjoy a new and active stage of their priestly life and ministry in retirement:

• Father Chris McCurry will retire in October as Parish Priest of Saint Ann’s Cheadle having reached the canonical age of retirement.
• Father Willie O’Riordan will retire in September as Parish Priest of Saint Benedict’s, Handforth having reached the canonical age of retirement.
• Father John Joyce will retire in September as Parish Priest of Saint Vincent’s Knutsford on health grounds.

I am grateful for all the counsel and generosity which allows me to announce the following appointments to provide for the pastoral care of the parishes and of Wythenshawe General Hospital.

• I wish to record our thanks to Father Sajimon Kuriakose for his faithful years as chaplain as he stands down from his service in the Wythenshawe Hospital Chaplaincy.
• Father Martin Onuoha to Our Lady and Apostles, Saint Ambrose and Saint Vincent de Paul, Stockport as Parochial Administrator from September 2020
• Father Tom Cunnah to Holy Angels, Hale Barns as Parish Priest and to serve as Judicial Vicar and Chancellor of the Diocese from September 2020.
• Father David Long from Our Lady’s Stockport to Saint Vincent’s, Knutsford as Parish Priest from September 2020.
• Father Anthony McGrath to assume pastoral responsibility for Saint Benedict’s Handforth as Parish Priest of Christ Church, Heald Green from September 2020.
• Father Sean Davidson to assume pastoral responsibility for Saint Ann’s Cheadle as Parochial Administrator of Saint Chad’s Cheadle from October 2020.
• Father Fr Kuriakose Madathirampil to Sacred Heart and Saint Peter’s Baguley to serve the Wythenshawe Team Ministry and to continue to serve as Chaplain to the Syro-Malankara community from September 2020.
• Father Owen Gallagher from the Cathedral Parish and Saint George’s, Whitchurch to Sacred Heart and Saint Peter, Baguley to serve the Wythenshawe Team Ministry and the Chaplaincy of Wythenshawe General Hospital from September 2020.
• Deacon Anthony Zidan to serve the Chaplaincy of Wythenshawe General Hospital from September 2020.
• Father Thaddeus Opara from the Wythenshawe Team Ministry to Saint George’s, Whitchurch as Parochial Administrator from September 2020.
• Father John Britto from Saint Vincent’s, Altrincham to Saint Mary’s Shifnal and Saint Joseph’s Albrighton as Parochial Administrator from September 2020.
• Father Robert Dykes (newly ordained) as Assistant Priest to Saint Vincent’s, Altrincham from September 2020.
• Deacon Humphrey O’Connor (newly ordained) to Christ Church, Heald Green and to serve the parishes of Heald Green, Cheadle and Handforth from September 2020.

Photo of the Week: Anacapri, Capri

The stunning Mosaic floor of the church of St Michael the Archangel at Anacapri, dating back to 1719. Taken by Steve Michigan on a recent holiday there. If you look carefully, you can just see one of the Monsters by the side of the lake. I wonder where the other one was?