St Werburgh's Roman Catholic Parish, Chester
Parish Newsletter
SUNDAY 28th FEBRUARY: SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT (YEAR B)
Covid-19: Monday’s Announcements
Much to digest in the PM’s announcement on Monday. Basically, it is a four-stage month-month-by-month easing of the restrictions, with the aim of getting us all to Midsummer’s Day - 21st June - when the final one can be lifted. But it is important to stress that this is an AIM, and if the figures do not support it, the next monthly stage will not be happening. To ease restrictions too quickly and so plunge us back into another surge, another lockdown, would be the height of folly.
Infection Figures for Last Week
These are the last such figures Bishop Mark is going to issue. I’m sure we have all found them a very useful guide to what is happening across the Diocese. The figures are reassuringly going down, but we are certainly not out of the woods yet.
- Halton: 102 (171; 220; 378; 522; 897; 1,148)
- Wirral: 102 (119; 184; 252; 384; 763; 976)
- Telford & Wrekin: 175 (187; 245; 305; 373; 588; 550)
- Warrington: 122 (151; 208; 312; 369; 577; 780)
- Shropshire: 109 (142; 178; 211; 244; 500; 420)
- Manchester: 168 (182; 215; 291; 339; 488; 492)
- Cheshire West: 109 (133; 161; 250; 314; 464; 528)
- Tameside: 188 (204; 187; 238; 309; 418; 407)
- Stockport: 185 (172; 202; 251; 274; 416; 503)
- Trafford: 120 (131; 155; 211; 263; 406; 495)
- Cheshire East: 94 (121; 150; 197; 212; 368; 388)
Ash Wednesday
A dozen or so Ash Crosses still available if anyone didn’t receive theirs and would still like one.
More Lent "Day-by-Days"
We’ve obtained another twenty - the first sixty flew off the table - so do pick up yours at Mass today.
Co-operating with our Sunday Stewards
Reports from Stewards last Sunday that they’d encountered some lack of co-operation from some of you when it came to seating at the start and then coming out for Holy Communion. Please, everybody: these arrangements allowing us to have Public Mass were incredibly carefully thought through, in terms of both the Bishop’s and the Government’s rules, and our plans had to be submitted to the Diocese as a formal Risk Assessment, and approved, before we could begin to open our doors again. Each one of these rules or guidelines is for a purpose, and we are very willing to show you the small print if you need convincing. Most of you fortunately don’t and are prepared to trust us, that if we ask you to do such-and-such, it’s for a good reason. I am appealing to you all: please sit where the Stewards ask you to, and please come out for Holy Communion as directed. If you want to object, take it out on me, not them!! ‘Nuff said?
Station of the Cross via Zoom
Delighted that we are able to offer this essential part of Lent. They will be on four Wednesdays at 7.00 pm: March 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st. The Zoom link will be available a week or so beforehand: email me and I will happily forward it.
Primary School Governor Vacancy
We have a vacancy at a Catholic Primary up on the Wirral. If you might be interested or would like further information, do have a word with FP.
Bishop Mark’s Guidance on the Four-Stage Easing
Step One, 8th March 2021
All children and students return safely to face-to-face education. Funerals and wedding arrangements will continue as at present, i.e. 30 attendees at funerals and 6 for weddings (limited to exceptional circumstances). No changes to the current restrictions on Baptisms. The ‘stay at home’ rule will still be in place, until 29th March 2021 and people should still work from home when possible. Maintaining social distancing, face covering, providing good ventilation indoors and continuing regular handwashing/sanitising will still be required. 29th March 2021: The rules around funerals will not change with attendees limited to 30. Weddings will still be able to proceed with 6 attendees and will no longer be limited to exceptional circumstances. Additional guidance will be provided for the safe celebration of Holy Week and Easter.
Step Two, ‘no earlier than’ 12th April 2021
At this point, funerals can continue to proceed with up to 30 attendees. Weddings will be able to take place with up to 15 attendees. People should continue to work from home when possible and domestic travel to be minimised. There is to be no household mixing indoors, therefore social distancing arrangements are still to be observed in church, during Mass and during private prayer.
Step Three, ‘no earlier than’ 17th May 2021
At this step weddings, funerals and baptisms may proceed with up to 30 attendees present. No later than this step, the Government will update its advice on social distancing between friends and families. Until then the advice on social distancing, regular hand hygiene and letting in fresh air will continue. The Government will continue to advise working from home when possible.
Step Four, ‘no earlier than’ 21st June 2021
The Government proposes to remove all limits on weddings, funerals and other ‘life events’ including baptisms (subject to the outcome of the scientific research programme). Legal limitations on social contact will be removed. The Government is to produce guidance on the risk of transmission and protecting oneself. Even as restrictions are lifted, it is essential that we all continue to practise ‘good habits’ to reduce transmission, remembering ‘Hands, Face, Space’; letting in fresh air; getting a test following the first sign of symptoms and self-isolating if the test is positive.
We will await the national guidance from the Bishops’ Conference next week; however, we may need to think about re-establishing parish booking systems as we did at Christmas for Good Friday and Easter morning when in normal conditions we would expect to see all our churches crowded.
This Week’s Photo of the Week: 1958 Wedding
John and Barbara Dolan, in the back garden with Canon Welch, having just tied the knot. 62 years and never a cross word. (She was a child bride). No garage at that stage? And sadly, Canon Welch died the following year, 1959, much before his time.
