Changes To Weekday Liturgies
During the months of July and August we will generally only be offering one public Mass each weekday. These will be at the usual times in whichever church they are celebrated. Occasional exceptions will be made e.g. First Friday Mass in Bletchingley (7pm). The weekend schedule will be maintained unchanged.
We are also changing our policy and practice on the use of Liturgies of the Word with distribution of Holy Communion. These services were originally intended for use on Sundays; in extraordinary circumstances when the faithful might be denied Holy Communion on the Lord’s day. They were never intended to be used as a normal part of a schedule to plug gaps on weekdays.
From the beginning of July we intend to replace these liturgies with the celebration of Morning Prayer of the Divine Office of the Church. This may be combined with Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and also include the weekday readings.
Ministers of Holy Communion visiting the sick requiring access to the Tabernacle on a particular day can still do so reverently, but without ceremony.
The only time that Liturgies of the Word with Holy Communion will be used is when a Mass is withdrawn that has already been published in the newsletter; in other words when a congregation gathers expecting Mass and there has been no adequate opportunity to inform them otherwise.
This measure is not intended to shut churches or break up worshipping communities nor to deny the faithful the sacraments. It is to maintain the proper connection of Holy Communion to the celebration of the Mass. For those who are interested more details are available on information sheets at the back of church.
Frs Kevin, Charles, Laurence
Parish Update
On Wednesday the Clergy Team had a very valuable away-day at Worth Abbey, facilitated by Katrina Avery, our Diocesan Pastoral Co-ordinator. At our gathering we prayed and planned carefully for our first meeting with all the members of our newly formed Core Groups. Our first coming together will take place on Sunday 28th June from 7 - 8.30pm. The venue will be the Parish Rooms at Merstham.
At our meeting we were very conscious of the Ministries Audit that took place earlier this year. THANK YOU to all who prepared the audit and to all who indicated they were happy in their current ministries, wished to retire or be considered for new ones. We identified a real need to develop this audit and incorporate a skills audit across the parish with the information being properly stored on a new data base. Fr Kevin and Fr Charles are looking at how best to set this up as soon as possible.
With July and August rapidly approaching and many people away for summer holidays including members of the Clergy Team it will be necessary to do some rationalization on weekday Masses. Fr. Charles will speak briefly about the planned arrangements immediately after his Masses this week (Mon-Redhill, Tue-Reigate, Wed-Merstham). Afterwards, he would also like briefly to meet with those who lead the liturgies of the word with holy communion
As we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi this weekend we offer our warmest congratulations to all those who will be celebrating their First Holy Communion in either St Teresa’s, Holy Family or St Joseph’s.
Our prayers and Good wishes to everyone,
Frs Kevin, Charles, Laurence & Deacon Tim