The Beatification Mass will be in the Basilica of St Francis this afternoon at 3.30 pm our time (4.30 pm in Italy). You can access this live through the Vatican youtube Channel or EWTN Europe or the Franciscan Channel.

As you will have seen at the top of the Home Page we have had trouble with people receiving emails from me making strange requests about money. Please do not respond to these emails and ring me at once. It is always important to check the actual address from where the email comes. My own email address is now one of the new diocesan addresses, so it ends rcaob.ork.uk. Eventually all the parish email addresses will end in this way. We had to wait for a parish name before we could sign up to the new parish system. As we now have a name for the parish, we will be moving over to new email addresses very soon.

The live-streaming at SS Peter & Paul's is now working. The latest camera is now reliable, in that it always comes on when we switch the system on. (The previous one seemed to have a mind of its own!) The new one does not show the whole of the sanctuary and we will look into improving this eventually. For the moment, however, it is a relief that we have  picture that is reliable. Once again, thanks so much to all the generous people who provided for the live-streaming fund. Your donations were not just towards the camera, but for the computer, all the wiring that connects it back to the house and all the work that was done to ensure a strong enough internet connection to the property.

A primary teacher, children's liturgy catechist and mother of four children from the Dunkeld Diocese has, since the lockdown started, been creating children's liturgy videos so that children can still have access to some form of children's liturgy sessions. The Facebook page she has created to share resources on is called 'Children's Liturgy during Lockdown' and has weekly videos for each Sunday as well as craft ideas for children to have a go at which link to that Sunday's Gospel. The videos are just 10 minutes long, with a children's version of the Gospel, short explanation as well as little song, prayer and something for the children to make to help remind them of each week's Gospel message. She will carry on creating these videos for sometime after the re-opening of churches. YouTube link  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtC6kaDVVVg

Now that  I am doing more public masses and funerals, it means that there is not always a Mass available to be heard by telephone. On the days when there is not an online Mass, the  Knights of St Columba have set up a Dial-a-Mass for those who are unable to participate in the celebration of the Mass via TV or Livestreaming.

The Mass will be available on such days from 12 noon each day and will last about 45 minutes, being available until midnight the same day. It will cost as little as a local call and the phone number is: 01642 130120.

Please tell your friends who do not have access to the internet.

Many thanks,
​Fr Mark

In addition to the previously mentioned main programme on all BBC local stations at 8 am on Easter Sunday, when the Cardinal will be leading an Easter Service, he will also be giving the following media interviews:
 
Good Friday

0745 BBC Radio Berkshire

0830 BBC Radio 4 Today Programme

1030 Sky News (TV) – Adam Boulton

Easter Sunday

0710 BBC Radio 4 Sunday Programme

0730 BBC Radio 2

0800 All 39 BBC Local Radio Stations (as mentioned above) including BBC WM - Main Programme!

0930 BBC Radio London

1300 BBC Radio 4 The World This Weekend

Additionally, the Daily Telegraph is publishing a reflection by the Cardinal on Good Friday. And the BBC will be covering Pope Francis’  usual Urbi et Orbi on Easter Sunday on its news bulletins.

The Bishops' Conference are now providing some good material to help us all pray at home during these difficult times. These can be accessed on the website of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. You will also find there the prayers for the re-dedication of England to our Lady this Sunday. These prayers have also been placed on the Bulletin. Please remember to print off the bulletin and drop it into the letterbox of anyone you know who does not have access to the internet.

It has been great receiving feedback on our online Masses. You may not realise but the only technology we have is my mobile phone so we do not even have the ability to connect better microphones and we were limited with the very bad internet connection we have at Giffard House. For this reason, we have been recording the Masses and loading them up onto youtube afterwards. We have now upgraded the data package on my mobile phone so that we can bypass the house connection. This means that next week we will try live streaming the Masses. The quality might not be so good but it would mean that we are all praying the Mass together at exactly the same time. The Vatican has also directed that the Easter Triduum services may only be streamed live, so it will be good to practice doing this next week.

Please note therefore, that some of the Mass times have changed next week. Check the parish diary or the bulletin. 

God Bless,
Fr Mark

In his Address to the Nation the Prime Minister outlined the necessary steps that we must now take to combat the spread of the Coronavirus. The Government has mandated the ‘closure of all shops selling non-essential goods, including clothing and electronic stores, and other premises including libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship.’

This means that, until further notice, and with immediate effect, all of our churches must now close their doors to the public. This policy must be implemented without exception. This is an essential component of our contribution to fighting the Coronavirus and living out the Lord Jesus’ commandment to ‘love our neighbour.’ (Mk 12:31).

The Prime Minster also stated that all social events, including weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies, but excluding funerals, must cease.

Given these extraordinary circumstances, the opportunities for us to pray together using technology becomes even more important. There are plenty of resources on our website to help us do this. One example is the daily Mass which is available online.  Another is praying at home at specified times of the week, knowing that many others are doing the same. For example:

• Pope Francis has asked Christians all over the world to pray the Our Father together tomorrow, Wednesday 25th, at 11.00am (12.00pm in Rome).
• Many appreciated the "Light a Candle of Hope" initiative last Sunday evening so we will continue this every week. This involves lighting a candle in your window at 7.00pm every Sunday. We will be praying  for all in leadership at this time, making decisions about the containment of the Covid-19 virus, for those working in health and social care, and especially for the most vulnerable, whether elderly or those with underlying health conditions. Some appreciated praying the Evening Prayer of the Church during this time using Universalis.

Keeping you all in my prayers,

Fr Mark

Due to the very poor internet connection at SS Peter and Paul, we are limited in what we do online at present. The problem is not with our internet provider but the actual cable under the ground to the street.

For this reason, at the moment we can only provide Mass once a day. It might be possible in a couple of weeks for us to be able to stream Vespers and Stations of the Cross. Please bear with us as we sort this out.

Today's Mass is now available on our website. This week's bulletin is also available online.

Let us continue to pray for each other.

God bless,
Fr Mark