The Feast of the Holy Trinity
Dear Parishioners
Once again, thanks to our volunteer stewards, we are able to open St. Patrick’s Church for Mass on Tuesday at 10 am, when no booking will be needed, and on Sunday at 10.30 am when booking will be required.
There are a few places remaining for this Sunday, 30th May, offered on a first come first served basis. Please bring Test and Trace details if you haven’t reserved a place. You will receive a warm and reassuring welcome.
To reserve a place for Mass next Sunday, 6th June, please telephone 07526 232124 on
Wednesday, 2nd June between 5.30 pm – 6.30 pm
Friday, 4th June between 5.30 pm – 7 pm
This number will be unavailable outside of the above times. Bookings cannot be made via the presbytery telephone number nor by email and can only be made for the approaching Sunday and not for any other dates. Text messages cannot be accepted as a method of booking.
You will be encouraged to provide your name and telephone number to comply with the NHS Test and Trace system and also the number in your family if you are attending as a household. You should only sit with members of your own household or bubble. On arrival at the church you will be welcomed by a steward and your name will be checked against the booking list.
For Mass on Tuesday, where booking is not required, you are invited to bring your Test and Trace details in an envelope and place them in the box in church.
You may still be feeling a little hesitant about coming to Mass and that is perfectly understandable. The Sunday obligation is still suspended so you are under no obligation to attend Mass. You must not come to Church if you are experiencing any signs of Covid-19 or feeling unwell in any way.
The easing of restrictions which came into force on 17th May do not effect our Church. The mandatory wearing of face coverings, sanitising your hands, 2 metre social distancing and cleaning the church after each celebration remain in place within our church and the maximum capacity for a parish Mass remains at 70. So the church is as safe as we can possibly make it for you.
As many of you will be aware, we are trying to make plans for the possible reopening of St. Alban’s Church and the full reopening of St. Patrick’s Church and parish centre when all the Covid restrictions have been removed.
It is important for me to know as soon as possible:-
- If you have helped in either church before the pandemic and no longer feel able to continue in your previous role. I am grateful to those of you who have asked to step down and thank you for all you have done for us over the years.
- If you would like to help in any of the ways outlined in our shared parish Roadmap.
- If you wish to continue helping as you have done in the past
Please contact me as soon as possible by emailing felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or by telephoning 0191 495 2277/.
In the meantime we must continue to exercise caution for whilst 71% of adults in Gateshead have had their first vaccination only 44% have the added protection of a second vaccination. So do “look out” for each other and maintain an element of social distancing.
Please keep each other in your prayers asking God to watch over us all and to keep us safe.
God bless
Fr. Patterson
Mass to view on line
Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on Sunday at 11.30 am and on weekdays at 12.05 pm. These Masses may be viewed live or anytime later.
Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, Jesmond celebrated live at 10.00 am on Sunday or anytime later. There are no weekday Masses at the Holy Name this week.
Mass Intentions for the coming week
With the exception of Sunday and Tuesday, Fr. Patterson will celebrate Mass privately during the week remembering the following Intentions:
- Monday – Mary and Ritchie Wilson
- Tuesday: 10 am in St. Patrick’s Church – John and Annie Donald
- Wednesday – In Thanksgiving (BH)
- Thursday – The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
- Friday – Jean and George Gill
- Saturday – Fr “P’s” intentions
- Sunday: 10.30 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners – booking required
When you are unable to celebrate Mass with in Church, you may wish to make this act of spiritual communion:
Lord Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you. Never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.
In case you are not aware, a parish priest is obliged to celebrate Mass for the “Intentions of the Parishioners” every Sunday or Holyday, which prevents him from fulfilling personal intentions on those occasions.
Please keep in your prayers this week:
- all our parishioners who are sick, housebound or in hospital and,
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially John Donald
A Prayer for Carers, Nurses and Doctors
Lord Jesus, who healed the sick and gave them new life, be with doctors, nurses and carers, as they act as agents of your healing touch. In desperate times, keep them strong yet loving; and when their work is done, be with them in their weariness and in their tears. Amen.
A time to pray
Please join together in prayer for the 127,768 people who have died in our country from the coronavirus. (Friday’s figure):
Gracious God, as we remember before you the thousands who have died from the coronavirus, surround us and all who mourn with your compassion. Be gentle with us in our grief, protect us from despair and give us grace to persevere and face the future with hope. We make this prayer in Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.
National Rosary Rally
This Sunday, 30th May, as part of the National Rosary Relay Rally for Faith, Life & Peace across the Dioceses of the British Isles, Bishop Robert will lead our Diocese in the Rosary livestreamed from the Cathedral from 4 pm.
It is a time to pray for our family intentions and for the peace of Nations and the conversion to Christ of peoples. The core intentions are for a renewal of Faith, Life and Peace. We pray to invoke the special protection of the Holy Family upon our Church, our families, communities, schools, nations and the global family. We continue to pray for an end to the global pandemic, for those who have died, for those who grieve and for all who care for the sick and the dying.
Who is Jesus?
We continue the series of short videos by Fr. Stephen Wang.
This week Fr. Wang explores the question “Who is Jesus?”.
Shared Parish Roadmap
A shared Parish Roadmap has been prepared and distributed via email and at Mass in St. Patrick’s Church on Tuesdays and Sundays. It is designed to look at how we might be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church and fully reopen St. Patrick’s Church and parish centre once all the Covid restrictions have been removed.
Fr. Patterson would like to thank those parishioners who have already responded to our Parish Roadmap and looks forward to hearing from more of you by the end of this week.
It would be unwise to presume that those parishioners who have been actively involved in our shared parishes in various capacities in the past will be able or prepared to resume their previous roles so please inform Fr. Patterson if you wish to step down and of course, if you would like to volunteer it is also important to contact him.
When reflecting on the proposals in the Roadmap, please remember that you are not being asked to take up the role of volunteering until all the Covid Restrictions have been removed for churches (whenever that may be). However it is important for us to have a bank of volunteers in place to enable us to determine whether we can reopen St. Alban’s Church and fully reopen St. Patrick’s Church and parish centre when the time comes. If you haven’t received a copy of the Roadmap, please contact me on felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or telephone 0191 495 2277.
Thanks to our Stewards and Telephone Bookings operator
1st June marks the beginning of National Volunteers Week. This provides a great opportunity to renew our thanks to our volunteer stewards and telephone bookings operator for their commitment and service to us during the course of the pandemic. Without their help we could not have opened St. Patrick’s Church.
The stewards welcome you, invite you to sanitise your hands, ensure you follow the current Covid restrictions by wearing a face covering and socially distancing before showing you to your seat. They invite you forward to receive Holy Communion, and once you have left the Church, they sanitise each bench as well as the many “touch points.” Our telephone booking operator gives of her time to ensure you have a place for Sunday Mass. Thanks to you all.
St Vincent’s Centre – Blackfriars
St Vincent’s Centre is located next to St Dominic’s Church in Newcastle and provides help and support to anyone finding themselves in a time of need. The Centre supports people with food parcels, clothing, toiletries and essential children/baby items. It is open Monday – Friday 9 am – 4pm. Donations of food, clothing, shoes and toiletries are always very welcome and can be dropped off at the centre.
If you or anyone you know are in need of support or you would simply like more information about the services offered or find out how you could help, please drop an email to Emma at emmab@svp.org.uk or contact 0191 261 6027.
Funerals in Church
The Government has announced that from 17th May, the number of people able to attend a funeral will depend on how many people can be accommodated safely within an individual place of worship with social distancing and where, in our case, the Diocese has carried out a risk assessment of the individual church and taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmission of Covid-19.
In the case of St. Patrick’s Church the risk assessment carried out by the Diocesan Health and Safety Adviser has determined that a maximum of 70 people may attend a Funeral Mass or Service by invitation only. The numbers permitted in other churches will vary according to their own risk assessment.
To minimise the risk of viral transmission, the Government continues to advise that only the following should attend a funeral: members of the deceased person’s household, close family members and close friends.
For “Test and Trace” purposes, families will still be asked to provide the parish with a list of those people they will be inviting to attend a funeral who must also adhere to the Covid-19 protocols which are in place for the safety and well-being of everyone. The Funeral Director will explain these protocols to the bereaved family.
The Sacrament of Baptism
Covid restrictions and limited human resources to enable us to comply with these restrictions, prevent us being able to open St. Patrick’s Church for anything other than Mass on a Sunday and Tuesday and for funerals at present.
We are still unable to reopen the parish centre which prevents us offering the necessary baptismal preparation for parents who are considering presenting their child to the Church for Baptism.
As such, we are still unable to offer the Sacrament of Baptism in St. Patrick’s Church.
Roadmap Step 3 (from 17 May)
These are the changes that came into effect on 17th May – (COVID-19) Coronavirus restrictions: what you can and cannot do.
This information accompanies the changes. Whilst social distancing with close family and friends is now a matter of personal judgement, we are asked to remain cautious around close contact, like hugging. Remember too that you should always make space for other people to keep their distance if they want to.
In some settings, there will be specific guidance that we will need to follow even when we are with friends and family. This is important to reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 to other people such as staff and other members of the public. You should always follow guidance associated with the setting you are in (for example in a place of worship).
Covid-secure rules, including social distancing requirements, continue to apply in the workplace, and in businesses and public venues including places of worship. This guidance does not affect a site owner’s responsibility to calculate the number of people that can be accommodated with social distancing in place.
CAFOD Covid-19 in India
India is facing a devastating second wave of coronavirus. The country has confirmed more than 20 million cases and more than 200,000 deaths, with some reports concerned that the number of deaths is just the tip of the iceberg, because of under reporting. The pandemic has put a strain on the medical infrastructure of the country, with hospitals unable to cope with the influx of patients. Our Catholic aid agencies will be distributing medical kits and setting up temporary treatment centres as well as providing PPE to frontline health workers. You can help by donating online at Covid-19 in India: How we are responding | CAFOD.
Catching Covid-19 after being vaccinated.
Can you catch COVID-19 after being vaccinated? Who is most at risk of catching COVID-19 after being vaccinated? Are the symptoms of COVID-19 different after you’ve been vaccinated? How can I protect myself and others from COVID-19 after vaccination?
These questions have raised their heads during the course of the past week.
The ZOE Covid Symptom Study provides you with the answers.
Parish News by Email
If you are aware of parishioners who would like to receive the Newsletter and other news from the parish by email, please ask them to email Fr. Patterson at felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk and they will be added to our contact list.
Your ongoing financial support is welcomed and needed
Fr. Patterson continues to be grateful for your offerings during these difficult times and is especially grateful to those parishioners who regularly contribute to parish funds by standing order helping us meet the regular financial commitments of our churches.
You may bring your envelopes to Mass on Tuesdays or Sundays or drop them through the presbytery letterbox. For security reason, envelopes should not be put through the letterbox of St. Alban’s Presbytery.
The parish is still able to reclaim the tax from Gift Aided offertory contributions made by bank transfer. It would be helpful to enter your name and Gift Aid envelope number as the reference when making the transfer.
The details for bank transfers and cheques are as follows:
St. Alban’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Pelaw St Alban, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 92010984
St. Patrick’s HSBC bank account name: DHN Felling St Patrick, Sort code: 40-34-18, Account No: 52010453