Celebrating Sunday Mass          

Coming to celebrate Mass will be a very different experience from the past.

Please exercise patience and have realistic expectations.

Only very limited numbers of people will be able to attend any given Mass due to physical distancing guidelines.

• There is no obligation on anybody to attend Sunday Mass.
• People over 70 years of age, and those with a health issue, are highly recommended not to attend places where numbers of people meet for any length of time, especially indoors.
• Absolute Maximum Capacity of either church is 50 People, (this includes priest, sacristan, musicians, ushers, etc), even with members from the same household sitting together.
• Physical Distancing: If you live in the same house please share the same seat, otherwise stay 2 metres apart, this means two people (one at each end) in a longer seat or one person only in a shorter seat.

• Church will open 30 minutes before Mass time.
• If necessary people will wait outside in a queue, observing physical distancing at 2 metre intervals.
• On entry, and exit, hands must be sanitised;
• You will be directed to a seat by a steward; please remain in that seat during Mass; movement inside the church is to be limited as much as possible. Children are welcome, but parents please note that young children must be kept with you in your seat at all times.
• The church will be filled row by row, from the top down. Once full to the allowed numbers people may wait outside, observing physical distancing. There are loudspeakers outside the main doors of both churches. If people wish to wait in their cars they can follow the Mass via the parish website on a smartphone.
• You are asked to wear a face covering while at Mass. Your mask protects others.
• The gallery will only be available to a musician and at most two or three singers.
• There will be a basket at the porch for the weekly collection envelopes.
• In so far as possible doors and windows will be open to allow for maximum ventilation during Mass.
• Holy Communion will be distributed at the end of Mass, after which people will exit the church. People outside will then be invited to come into the church for Holy Communion.
• Eucharistic ministers will sanitise their hands before and after giving out Holy Communion, as they have done for many years in the parish. They will now also wear masks.
• Holy Communion will be given only into your hand; please extend your arm fully and hold your hand as flat and steady as possible
• Newsletters will be available as you exit the church.
• Once outside the church people are asked to go immediately to their cars / walk home and not gather outside.