FUNERALS - Information for Mourners
PUBLIC MASSES
For the moment, only St Michael's is open for the public celebration of Mass. Please remember that you can only attend if you have booked a seat beforehand. It will not be possible to turn up and expect to be allowed in. This is strange, and it goes against everything we expect at Mass but it is essential that we do not exceed the numbers allowed and compromise anybody’s safety. You will also have to wear face covering or you will not be allowed to enter. (This does not have to be a mask but can be a scarf)
HOW TO BOOK FOR A PLACE AT MASS? Between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Monday to Friday, please ring Sr Lydwin on 01902 341343. If you have an email address she will then email you an entrance ticket. When you come to Mass, you will need to show this to the steward in order to be admitted into the church. If you do not use emails, Sr Lydwin will print your ticket and you will need to go to the presbytery at St Michael’s before Mass to pick up your ticket before you go into church.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:
+ Have already pre-booked a seat,
+ 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:
+ Will take place after Mass has finished,
+ 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, leave the church in single file.
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.
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.
- 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 and toilets will not be available.
- 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.
- The stewards will indicate when it is your turn to receive Holy Communion. Everyone must exit their pew at this point, whether or not they are receiving Holy Communion.
- If you are receiving Holy Communion: sanitise your hands; stretch your arms out and take the host from the priest in your left hand; move in front of the font and stand on the cross on the floor; lower your face covering; put the host in your mouth and replace your face covering immediately.
- If you are not receiving Holy Communion, place your arm across your chest adn this will indicate to the priest to give you a blessing.
- The stewards will then lead you back to your own bench. It is important that you return to your original seat. in order to prevent cross infection.
- 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
For the moment, only St Michael's is open for the public celebration of Mass. Please remember that you can only attend if you have booked a seat beforehand. It will not be possible to turn up and expect to be allowed in. This is strange, and it goes against everything we expect at Mass but it is essential that we do not exceed the numbers allowed and compromise anybody’s safety. You will also have to wear face covering or you will not be allowed to enter. (This does not have to be a mask but can be a scarf)
HOW TO BOOK FOR A PLACE AT MASS? Between 10.00 am to 5.00 pm on Monday to Friday, please ring Sr Lydwin on 01902 341343. If you have an email address she will then email you an entrance ticket. When you come to Mass, you will need to show this to the steward in order to be admitted into the church. If you do not use emails, Sr Lydwin will print your ticket and you will need to go to the presbytery at St Michael’s before Mass to pick up your ticket before you go into church.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:
+ Have already pre-booked a seat,
+ 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:
+ Will take place after Mass has finished,
+ 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, leave the church in single file.
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.
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.
