18th December 2021

Dear Parishioners,

It is good to be able to greet you as we enter the final week of Advent, sending the Newsletter for the coming week together with the Readings for Holy Mass this weekend, including the beautiful and poignant story of the Visitation of Our Blessed Lady to her cousin Elizabeth.

With our news stories dominated by the new Covid-19 variant and its incredible rate of transmission many will be understandably fearful and anxious about attending Holy Mass at Christmas. As I have suggested and encouraged since we opened our churches, attending Holy Mass on another day is an option. We celebrate an Octave of Christmas (meaning that the celebration of Christ’s birth is recalled in our Liturgical celebrations throughout eight days beginning on Christmas Day itself) so please do think of coming to Mass during this time. Our weekday Masses offer everyone the opportunity to social distance, should they wish to do so, and everything possible continues to be done to keep our churches safe. 

As always, I assure you (and your loved ones) of remembrance in prayer, thought and affection.

As ever, Fr. Nicholas