FUNERALS - Information for Mourners
  • The Government is still only allowing 30 mourners to attend a Funeral in Church.
  • Please be aware that face masks/coverings must be worn in church.
  • Main mourners please make yourselves known to a steward  and stand under the veranda
  • Everyone else, please wait in the car park with the people you have arrived with so that you stay in your 'bubble'. It is important that you stay as a group so that you can be allocated a row together in the church.
  • If you have come alone, you will be allocated a individual seat.
  • The stewards will tell you when to enter into the church porch.
  • They will point out the donation box and hand you a booklet if appropriate.
  • Please sanitise your hands before entering church.
  • The stewards will escort you to your seat. Please stay in your seat throughout the service.
  • Holy Communion will be brought to you. Please remain in your pew.
  • If you are receiving Holy Communion: stretch your arms out and take the host from the priest in your left hand. Wait until the priest has moved away before lowering your face covering to put the host in your mouth. Replace your face covering immediately.
  • If you are not receiving Holy Communion, place your arm across your chest and this will indicate to the priest to give you a blessing.
  • At the end of the funeral, the stewards will lead you to the exit. Please sanitise your hands before exiting into the car park.  
  • Please remember to stay in your bubble and keep your social distance as you return to the car park.


PUBLIC MASSES 

All three churches are open for Mass. Please remember that you can only attend weekend Masses if you have booked a seat beforehand. You will also have to wear face covering or you will not be allowed to enter.

HOW TO BOOK FOR A PLACE AT MASS?

FOR ST MICHAEL, please email or ring Sr Lydwin on 01902 341343 on Thursday and Friday.

FOR SS PETER & PAUL, please ring or text Val on 07934905283.

FOR ST BERNADETTE, please ring Judith on 01902 620 764 between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays or email judithpitt64@gmail.com

Special arrangements for St Michael's - When you arrive, enter St Michael's Hall through the Fire Exit that opens onto the Car Park, then pick up your ticket from one of the sisters who will be sat at a desk in the hall. (If you have booked a mobility ticket, do not go into the hall but go straight to the Church entrance and pick up your ticket from the steward there.) Then follow the guidance from the stewards. If you are in the extremely vulnerable category of shielding or have received specific personal instructions from the Government not to attend religious services then you must not attend.

WHAT WILL MASS BE LIKE? Attendees must:
+ Wear a face covering,
+ Remain 2 metres apart,
+ Sanitise hands on entering and exiting the Church,
+ Follow the signs,
+ Listen to the stewards,
+ Not enter the sanctuary area or sacristy.

Holy Communion at St Bernadette's and St Michael's:
+ Watch for stewards’ instructions when to proceed row by row to communion,
+ Receive in silence by hand only. Fully extend your arms so that you are a safe distance from the priest.
+ Move to the side and partially lower face covering to consume the host.
+ Once you have reverently received the host, follow the stewards' instructions back to your row.

Holy Communion at SS Peter and Paul's:
+ Holy Communion will be brought to you. Please remain in your pew.
+ If you are receiving Holy Communion: stretch your arms out and take the host from the priest in your left hand.
+ Wait until the priest has moved away before lowering your face covering to put the host in your mouth. Replace your face covering immediately.
+ If you are not receiving Holy Communion, place your arm across your chest and this will indicate to the priest to give you a blessing.

Please Note:
+ Holy water is not available,
+ The Church will be disinfected after each Liturgy,
+ All parish meetings and ministry events, remain suspended until further notice.

Please stay at home if...
+ You may have a pre-existing condition or are immuno-compromised, 
+ You are feeling ill, 
+ You suspect you may be ill or have been exposed to COVID-19, 
+ You have a sick family member at home. 

During Mass No...
+ Altar servers,
+ Children’s liturgy,
+ Eucharistic ministers,
+ Offertory procession,
+ Physical sign of peace,
+ Chalice distribution,
+ Parish missalettes or hymn books, 
+ Singing,
+ Collection bags,
+ Toilets available,
+ Congregating afterwards outside.

Government advice is that those with severe breathing difficulties and the under 5’s are not required to wear face coverings.  For the adults who cannot wear face coverings the advice is that they stay 2 metres distant from others. Children must be with their families and so distant from others.
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For the safety of all who attend Mass, the government has advised that contact details be kept for everyone who comes to Mass, for a period of 21 days. That information will be destroyed after 21 days. It will be made available to the Track and Trace Service if they contact the parish to request that information. It will only be made available to any third party if that is required by law.

The parish is committed to ensuring that information we hold about you is properly and securely held in accordance with the law. You can find out more from our Privacy Notice, which is at  https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/privacy-policy. It is in the legitimate interests of the parish to hold this information about you This parish is part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham, registered charity number 234216.