WELCOME TO THE PARISH OF BLESSED EDMUND SYKES
Farewell to Fr Duane
Fr Duane has been asked by Bishop Marcus to become a permanent Chaplain at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals from the 1st August.
Fr Duane says: “I’m sad to be leaving after such a relatively short time of around 4 years and take with me some fond memories of the parishioners of the parish of Blessed Edmund Sykes. I wish my successor Fr Craig Fitzpatrick every success, and I am sure you will make him welcome and strive to support him as we enter the next stage of the Coronavirus pandemic, which has had such a large impact on the parish.
Could I also thank all those who have been so generous with their kind messages and gifts.”
Fr Craig Fitzpatrick
Fr Craig takes over from Fr Duane this Sunday and has a few items that he wanted to address to the Parish.
Firstly, there will be no weekday masses this week as Fr continues to get settled in to the Parish. From next week, however, weekday masses will recommence and will take place every weekday except for Wednesday. Fr Craig will make known the times for each mass and at which Church they will take place at next weekends mass.
Secondly, Fr Craig will be going back to the original times and days for the weekend masses from the 14th August, which means that the Saturday Vigil mass will return in place of the 8.30 Sunday mass, and Sunday masses will return to 9:30 at St Nicholas and 11am at Our Lady's.
Fr Craig looks forward to celebrating his first masses in the Parish and wishes all the parishioners every blessing.
New Parish Guidelines
The Dioceses of England and Wales have produced new guidelines on how congregations can now go forward with regard to the lifting of restrictions on July 19th. Below are the most important and relevant areas that concern our Parish:
Face Masks: face masks are still highly recommended to be worn during public acts of worship
Social distancing: social distancing can still be applied if there is a high risk within the parish, however where there is no high risk, social distancing can be structured to individual needs. If you would rather not be near someone while in Church, simply ask if there is an area allocated for those who wish to social distance
Singing: parishioners are now permitted to sing, including choirs and cantors, but this should phased in gently
Liturgy roles: servers, readers and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion can now resume these roles. However, communion will continue to be under one kind, and so only one minister of Holy Communion will be needed for each mass. Sanitising rules will apply and face masks must still be worn by ministers of Holy Communion
Sign of Peace: the sign of peace will continue to be omitted from the liturgy
Also, you do not have to book yourselves for any of the masses if you do not wish to. QR codes are now at both Churches of our Parish. If you have the NHS track and trace app, all you need to do is go to the Church for the mass of your choosing and scan the QR code. Hopefully this should make things easier. If you do not have the NHS track and trace app or can not gain access to it, please do continue to book, making sure to provide some contact information for the purposes of track and trace.
Parish Donations
There are different ways you can make a donation to the Parish.
You can make a donation online by clicking the following link.
Unable to go to confession?
Pope Francis has given this advice for those unable to go to confession:
“But many people today would tell me, ‘Father, where can I find a priest, a confessor, because I can’t leave the house? And I want to make peace with the Lord, I want him to embrace me, I want the Father’s embrace.'”
The pope said his response would be:
“Do what the Catechism (of the Catholic Church) says. It is very clear: If you cannot find a priest to confess to, speak directly with
God, your father, and tell him the truth. Say, ‘Lord, I did this, this, this. Forgive me,’ and ask for pardon with all your heart.”
Make an act of contrition, the pope said, and promise God:
“‘I will go to confession afterward, but forgive me now.’ And immediately you will return to a state of grace with God.”
The Catechism of the Catholic Church, N. 1452, says:
“When it arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called ‘perfect’ — contrition of charity. Such contrition remits venial sins; it also obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible.”
“As the catechism teaches,” Francis said, “you can draw near to God’s forgiveness without having a priest at hand. Think about it. This is the moment.”
RELICS
As previously highlighted the relics of three saints have been found in St Nicholas Church.
Below are photographs of the boxes and envelopes they were discovered in. If you have any information or memories of how they came to be deposited at St Nicholas, please would you drop Fr Duane a line. At the end of the lockdown they will be placed on display within the Parish Church.
