- Details
- Written by Our Lady of Lourdes ACN parish representative
- Category: News Stories
Aid to the Church in Need – Red Wednesday 25th November 2020
In Nigeria, around 400 Christians were killed during the first three months of 2020 as villages were attacked, churches burnt and Christians abducted – one kidnapped seminarian, 18-year-old Michael Nnadi, was killed. In April, 32 Christians in Kaduna and Plateau States were slaughtered in their homes as they observed a COVID-19 lockdown.
About 1,000 Christian and Hindu women and girls are abducted every year in Pakistan, according to a human rights organisation in the country, called Movement for Solidarity and Peace.
This year, we would like to bring to your attention Maira Shahbaz (pictured above), a 14 year old Catholic girl, who was abducted at gun point by three men on 28th April 2020 in Medina Town, Pakistan. She was filmed and photographed being assaulted and was then forced to convert to Islam and marry one of her abductors.
- Details
- Written by Fr David Reilly
- Category: News Stories
At what times can I share in the Mass on the live-feed?
From Thursday 5th November, the English Masses will be celebrated at the following times:
Sundays: 10 am
Monday-Friday: 12 noon
Saturdays: 6pm
Funerals will generally be at 10am but please check the newsletter first.
The Masses in Malayalam will be celebrated every day at 7pm.
Will the church be open for private prayer?
Yes, we do hope to open the church for private prayer. We anticipate this will be on Sundays (10.30am-12pm), Wednesdays & Fridays (12.30pm-2pm) initially. Our volunteers will help supervise and clean the church.
- Details
- Written by Fr David Reilly
- Category: News Stories
By now, you will have heard the good news that churches will be able to resume public Masses from 4th July. This is welcome news for our parish and the wider church. On Friday we will receive written guidance from the Bishops' Conference. On Friday afternoon there will be a meeting of the Council of Deans with the Cardinal and auxiliary bishops, and next week we hope to hold a deanery meeting. In addition to these meetings, parish staff are meeting each day to prepare for this next important step.
We have much to do, and we will be looking for help again from parishioners. We are working hard and as fast as we can to make sure everything is in place to do this properly and safely. Please note that things will be different to how they were before the crisis, and we will all need to be generous in adapting our old habits to the new procedures. Everyone will be relying on the patience and cheerful cooperation of the whole parish. In the next week, we will be able to announce what date this parish will begin public Masses, how they will be organised, and at what times they will take place. Please see this statement from the Catholic archbishops in England for more information:
- Details
- Written by Edoardo Albert
- Category: News Stories
- Details
- Written by Fr Davud Reilly
- Category: News Stories
REOPENING OF OUR LADY OF LOURDES CHURCH
From Monday, our church will be open every day, initially from 12pm-2pm. We understand these hours are limited but they will allow us to become accustomed with the new procedures we have been working on. Thank you to all those who have volunteered to help. Our church is a safe and welcoming place for all who want to visit. You might like to pray quietly, visit the Blessed Sacrament, or light candles. If you do come, please bear in mind the following:
• The church is open for private, silent prayer only. We kindly ask that parishioners do not gather in groups to pray out loud.
• Please observe the 2m social distance policy.
• Please use the hand sanitiser on the way in and the way out.
• There is a one-way system (in through the normal doors, and out through the central doors)
• The pews are marked where you can and cannot sit.
• Please don't bring anything with you to leave behind in the church.
• There are no toilet facilities available, either in the church or the hall.
• Please note that although our office is now being manned on some days, it is still closed to visitors. We ask that you either phone or email us but please don't ring the doorbell as we will not be able to let you into the presbytery.
Most of all, we are really pleased to reopen the church. We know that many of you will appreciate the opportunity to visit this house of prayer and peace. God bless you all.