We want you to enjoy your visit to Holy Rood.

Rules and guidelines introduced over the last two years help to protect each and everyone of us. The changes in these rules and guidelines relate to the level of threat from Covid-19. We all react differently to this threat and have individual experiences and circumstances.

The items below include our own thoughts to help you and related materials from different sources. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Guidance for Lent and Easter 2022

Updated 5th March 2022: As the Government has now lifted most of the covid-19 restrictions and exhorted all people to adopt the recommendations of the “Covid Response: Living with covid-19” document, the principal means of protecting people who attend Catholic Churches in England and Wales is through participation in the Government vaccination programme. Those who are fully vaccinated (i.e. two routine vaccinations plus booster) will have significant personal resilience against major illness from the covid-19 virus and its variants. The Catholic Church has promoted the participation of all in the vaccination programme as part of its mitigation of virus transmission in church and ancillary buildings. Alongside the positive effects of covid vaccination, it should be stressed that any people displaying symptoms of Covid-19 should stay at home and not participate in acts of worship in church. This is good practice for any transmissible illness. Medical advice should be sought as appropriate for those who are ill. The following points are suggested as methods of good practice against the transmission of the virus in our churches:

• Hand sanitiser should be available for all to use at places of entry and exit to our churches.

• The necessity for social distancing is removed so churches should operate up to their normal capacity figures.

 • Those who wish to wear a face covering may do so during the celebration of Mass. • The use of hymn books and other worship aids are permitted as part of the liturgy. Servers and their various ministries (acolyte, book-bearer, incense) are to be encouraged to return.

• The vessels containing the altar breads for consecration at Mass should remain covered until the moment of distribution of Holy Communion to the faithful.

• Holy Communion is to be distributed to the faithful under one kind only (i.e. the Sacred Host). At concelebrations involving a number of priests, communion for them should be by intinction of the Sacred Host in the Precious Blood.

• Those who distribute Holy Communion should wear a face covering and sanitise their hands before doing so.

• Singing can occur and there is a general encouragement to wear face coverings while singing. However, it is recognised that not everyone will feel able to do this.

Easter

On Holy Thursday, the Washing of the Feet as part of the rite of the Mandatum is restored. The celebrant should wear a face covering whilst performing this rite.

On Good Friday, the Veneration of the Cross is also restored. Those who approach the Cross, after making the customary reverence before it, can either touch the Cross in a devotional way or kiss the Cross provided that an alcoholic wipe is used to clean the place that is venerated after each kiss by the faithful.

The Easter Vigil is restored in its full Rite. The faithful gathering for the ceremonies can have candles and the baptismal liturgy can take place along with any associated confirmations. For the anointings as part of this, the thumb or a cotton bud can be used, with the celebrant taking care to cleanse his hands appropriately. The sprinkling of the faithful during the vidi aquam is permitted.

Conclusion Whilst the circulation of the virus continues in society, the clear direction of the UK Government is that after two years of restrictions and following the successful roll-out of the vaccination programme, the usual patterns of life should return. This is true for the life of the Church in England in Wales in all of its activities. Whilst recognising this principle, there should be vigilance at the local level in terms of viral infection and transmission and local adaptations should be put in place.

Rev. Canon Christopher Thomas 28th February 2022  BCE&W

Updated information from the Catholic Bishops Conference.

Updated 29th Jan 2022: While the legal requirements enforced by the government on Plan B ending, the regulations and responsibilities will fall under Health and Safety law.

We will be following guidance that those who test positive or are unwell do not attend, and isolate as recommended even when the legal requirements end there too.

As per the CBCEW we are still recommending that mask wearing in services is strongly encouraged, and likewise encouraging people to get the vaccines and boosters. Mask wearing during singing is specifically mentioned and strongly encouraged.

In relation to ventilation and hand sanitising, in all settings, this should continue to be part of our risk assessments going forward.

Holy Water Stoops may be refilled, but should be changed on a weekly basis.

Returning to Holy Mass

Updated 4th December 2021: For all of us, returning to normality isn’t as easy as it sounds. The impact of the last two years has disturbed our habits and many aspects of our life. Some of you have expressed how uncertain or how strange it felt to go back to work, go shopping, take part in a social event, and other activities we all take for granted.

Returning to Church is one of those activities and is better done one step at a time. Perhaps you feel nervous or hesitant or even unsure about what to do. Do not worry, all is not lost. We have set aside certain areas of the church for you to just sit during Mass. You do not have to kneel or stand but simply sit, relax, and enjoy the Mass. We have sanitisers in place. You can choose how near or far you sit from others. While making these initial steps towards returning you do not have to feel obligated to stay for the full Mass; you can just do a little at a time each week to grow your confidence again. We will be happy to see you. Maybe your first step is just to come to coffee after Mass for a little social catch up with others who have taken those steps to return. Please feel free to call me and we can have a little chat about what would make you feel most comfortable.

Fr. Robert

Practical Guidance

Updated 29th November 2021: With respect to the current situation with the Omicron variant it is important to ensure the following points are followed in our churches:

• That people displaying any symptoms of covid-19 should stay at home and not travel to church or participate in person.

• That hand sanitiser is available to those attending the Church.

• Face coverings are obligatory by law for  those attending public acts of worship unless there is a genuine medical exemption, or the person is leading worship or participating in a role that requires the mask to be removed for a period of time.

• That there is good ventilation and air throughput in the building; in this case, because of climatic conditions, it would be important to remind people to wrap up well in church

Bishops Conference

The Gift of Sunday Eucharist

Updated 29th November 2021:The Sunday Eucharist is a gift; as God’s holy people we are called to praise and thank God in the most sublime way possible. When the Church speaks of the Sunday obligation, it reminds us that attending Mass is a personal response to the selfless offering of Christ’s love. At this time, we recognise that for some people there may be certain factors which hinder attendance at Sunday Mass. The pandemic is clearly not over. The risk of infection is still present. For some, there is legitimate fear in gathering together. As your bishops, we recognise that these prevailing circumstances suggest that not everyone is yet in the position to fulfil the absolute duty to attend freely Sunday Mass. Responding to the Gift We now encourage all Catholics to look again at the patterns which they have formed in recent months with regard to going to Mass on Sundays. This would include consideration and reflection about what we might do on Sundays, such as sports or shopping, or other leisure and social activities. This review, and the decisions which arise from it, fall to every Catholic and we trust this will be done with honesty, motivated by a real love for the Lord whom we encounter in the Mass. The Sunday Mass is the very heartbeat of the Church and of our personal life of faith. We gather on the “first day of the week,” and devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42). The Eucharist sustains us and spurs us on, renewing our gratitude and our hope. When we say “Amen” to Christ in receiving his Body and Blood, we express the love of God which is deep within us, and at the end of Mass, when we are sent forth, we express our love for our neighbour, especially those in need. These two dimensions reveal the full meaning of our faith. We are gathered together and sent out, we pray and are fed, we worship and we adore; these are intrinsic to our lives as those baptised into Christ.

Approved at the Plenary Assembly of Bishops in Leeds