ST MICHAEL’S NEWSLETTER What does the Lockdown mean for the Church? My Dear Friends, I have been reflecting on the current situation of the Church in this country in the midst of the Covid 19 lockdown. Each Vol. 59 No 22 th th morning I celebrate Mass in an empty church. I understand the 25 /26 April 2020 need to avoid bringing people together without the necessary “social distancing”, although I notice that in other countries priests and people have found various ingenious ways of celebrating without breaking the rules. St Michael's Parish Office, The Marld, Ashtead KT21 1RS The decision to close the churches is one that I am less Email: [email protected] comfortable with, but I have to recognise that the decision was Parish Priest: Rev. Provost Anthony Churchill not taken lightly and was based on serious scientific advice. Priest’s House – 01372 270842 Deacon: Rev David Pattinson Tel: 07788 916910 I understand that as a community we need to cooperate with Website: www.stmichaelashtead.org.uk the Government at a time of national emergency. At the same To book the Parish Hall please email the office. time, I think we are in danger of agreeing to the idea that Hall wi-fi: Netgear41 (password) grandcomet148 spiritual activity is not as “essential” as shopping. The office is CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE It is difficult to decide what is and what is not essential. Please ring Fr Tony on the number above in an emergency. Certainly, for those who are believers, taking time out in the silence of a church can be a vital lifeline and in normal Second Sunday of Easter circumstances I would say “essential for them.” We also need to acknowledge that it cannot be an absolute. The present situation inevitably asks sacrifices from all of us. NO MASS Many people are unable to get to a church in any case through The bishops of England and Wales have sickness and for other reasons. At this time if we are upset at being cut off from the possibility of visiting our churches, we can decided that Mass and other liturgies will not be perhaps identify with those who are permanently prevented celebrated in public until further notice. from doing so. We can offer our prayers for them. Priests will celebrate Mass in private only. Many people have got great comfort in following the live- C hurches will be closed until further notice. streaming of Mass from churches all over the world. Some people even value the fact that they can worship undisturbed by distractions, which is not always the case in a busy church on a Baptisms9am Maureen in public, Fitzsimmons First Holy RIPCommunion and Sunday morning. Confirmation are all to be deferred. On the other hand, the Liturgy is not a purely private action. Even in an empty church I am united, not only with Our Lady Weddings should be deferred but may be and the Saints, but with the whole Body of Christ throughout the celebrated with just immediate family present. world. I can’t help thinking that the occasional “messiness” of Funeral services must be held only at the the Liturgy on a Sunday morning is part and parcel of being a graveside or crematorium. community of human beings. The Mass is not ever just “Me and God”: It is the action of the whole People of God. That includes those who arrive late Please pray for the souls of those whose because the children were not very cooperative, the children anniversaries occur at about this time. who need to move about rather a lot, and the various “noises off.” Peggy Potter, Fr Paul D’Arcy, Pervinca Scandi, When I stand at the altar in the empty church, I still look Alisa Scott, Alice Vincent,Tony Cliffe, outward. I can see the world going by, but I miss my fellow Paul Cowley, Anne Furlonger Felicity Giles, Christians gathered around me. During Holy Week, I could not Stefan Peturas and celebrate the Liturgy as normal because our Liturgy involves Aloysius Keeley, Eugene Murphy (Carol O’Sullivan’s the interaction of priest and people. There is a very physical father) and Timothy Pride (Nina McCaffrey’s nephew) element with the shared light of candles, touching the wood of Robert Vaudry and Patrick Maher who did recently the Cross, being sprinkled with holy water and so on. “Virtual May they Rest in Peace Liturgy” is better than nothing but it is not what the Liturgy is meant to be. With Pope Francis, I recognise the need to avoid anything that PLEASE PRAY FOR might put people at risk. I also understand that the Church must Paul Gruzalski, Clare Derry, Peggy Brogan, cooperate with the civil authorities at a time like this, but I also Leonard Anderson, Vincent Smyth, share his frustration at how impoverished we are with our Emily Scarborough, George Stuart Baxter, closed churches and “virtual Liturgy”. Bart Gruzalski, Sheila Hanks, Sarah Bishop, Please God, this situation will not continue for too long. Michael Roche, Pauline Hooper, Elizabeth Samson, Fr Tony Fr Alan Sharpe, Bill Danson, Jean Rawlinson, Kay Fry, Margaret Beeby, Anne Burman, Alfredo Sheffield, Nina Grant, Barbara Long, Johanna Rainsbury, Fr Tony is saying Mass every day in private and is Stephen Sullivan, Rachel Fulton and Michael Machese offering each Mass for the intention that was requested and all who need our prayers. on that day. The only exception is on Sundays where the intention is for the People of the Parish. CHRIST IS RISEN. ALLELUIA! Parish Communications HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Do keep an eye on the media while we’re in lockdown! Henaseigh Jewell, 4 on Sunday Kate O'Neill, 11 on Tuesday Visit the Parish website http://www.stmichaelashtead.org.uk/ Thomas Novoa Matos, 4 on Wednesday you will find the Newsletter page and Father Tony’s Sermons, where you can download copy online. On the Eliott Crouzet-Smith 8, Samuel Beale 8 and Finley Kelly 7 Home page you will find current news items. Try some of the on Thursday other pages, including ‘links to other Catholic websites’. Eloise El-Dada 5, Phoebe, McIlwraith 3 and Ewelina Szafran 10 on Friday During lockdown our Face Book Group has grown to 185 members at time of writing. Not everyone likes face book, but Men’s Breakfast Online! the group has been pretty active over the past few weeks This Saturday, 25th April, at 9.30 Men’s Breakfast makes its first and it is a great way to keep in touch. Star of the show has appearance on Zoom! Following the success of our Easter been Father Tony, who has taught himself to ‘live stream’ so Services, we thought – why don’t we do the same for Men’s you can hear his homilies (3-4 minutes each week. Breakfast? To join us, sign up to Facebook, log in and search for St. Our speaker is Jo Sherring and she will be giving an update on the Michael’s Ashtead. We’ll be expecting you! You can join ACT project to re-settle a Syrian family in Ashtead. us, safely distanced, and maybe feel a little less isolated. I know this is late notice, but we only decided to go online this week! We intend to run this way for the next few months, so men, Alison, Steve & Bill to get an invitation email [email protected] Mass for the Sick and their Families, NHS Front-Line Online Giving - Coronavirus workers and those working in Social Care With the closure of our Church, the Coronavirus is now starting to affect us materially as well as spiritually. The Catholic Bishops of England and Wales recognise that Bills keep coming, but income is down. A good many parishioners this time of the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every person give via standing order, cheques or weekly envelopes. If you can in our countries. Those who are sick, and their families, are do this, it simplifies the admin and is great for self-distancing! For suffering many hardships of isolation from contact with those more details email [email protected] they love. Our front-line workers in hospitals and in care homes all over our lands are giving exceptional service to About half the week’s income usually arrives via the collection those who are vulnerable at this time. baskets so we are missing that. In order to show a spiritual solidarity with all those who are The Diocese has set up a web page for online giving. The web link involved in the ways described above, each week from next for this donation page is: Thursday, a Catholic Bishop will celebrate Mass in their https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/parishoffertory Cathedral which will be live-streamed for people to join. This The money will come in to the Diocese and then be sent will take place every Thursday at 7.00pm to the parishes accordingly. This is why it is important parishioners name their parish, area or priest when 30th April Bishop Richard Moth Arundel Cathedral donating. 7th May Bishop Marcus Stock Leeds Cathedral If you have any questions on the Online Donation scheme please 14th May Bishop Robert Byrne CO Newcastle Cathedral do not hesitate to contact; Laura Maydew-Gale E: 21st May Bishop Mark Davies Shrewsbury Cathedral [email protected] T: 07552 249 829 28th May Bishop Terence Drainey Middlesboro Cathedral By visiting the Cathedral webpage, or the Bishops’ Conference Webpage (cbcew.org.uk) links for the live- Praying together. About 70 families and individual parishioners streaming of these Masses can be found.