Sunday 08th August 2021 : 19th Sunday in Ordinary Time

COVID SECURITY GUIDELINES : Following the recent changes(Monday 19 July) in the regulations from the Government, the parish has issued updated guidelines for continued safe and covid-secure worship in the church.The latest document is Covid-19 Route Map - Step 4

Dear Parishioner,

In today’s first reading, we find a hungry, disappointed and depressed prophet, Elijah. He said: ‘I have had enough. Take my life...’ But an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat’. Now, the Lord God wants us to be his angels to look after our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are hungry, disappointed and depressed. Are we ready to listen and follow His call?Fr Antony

Lebanon Appeal: Lebanon has been facing compounded and unprecedented crises. A severe economic and financial crisis led to a projected 19.2% decline in GDP in 2020, triple digit inflation and a projected increase in poverty to 45% and in extreme poverty to 22%. Approximately 1.7 million people are estimated to fall under the poverty line, of which 841,000 people will be under the food poverty line. Pope Francis appeals to seek solutions for “the worrying situation in the country and to pray together for the gift of peace and stability.” Please keep the people of Lebanon in your prayers. There will be a second collection today for this purpose and the money will be sent to Holy Family Sisters working in Lebanon.

Lebanon Appeal Fund Raiser: This Sunday following the 9:00am Mass and the 11.30am Mass there will be a small sale outside Hartley Hall to help raise money for the Lebanon appeal. On sale will be beautiful wooden plaques made by local craftsman and knitted items and jewellery as well as some fancy goods and home-made cakes. Your support is appreciated. The money raised will be sent to the Holy Family Sisters in Lebanon.

• Please note that the Mass times have been reviewed : See below (Mass Times and Intentions)

All the Masses will be live-streamed: https://holy-cross-stream.click2stream.com

• Holy Mass from Saturday 24th July [if the restrictions are relaxed]: Fr Antony and one other Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharistic will be distributing the Holy Sacrament at all weekend Masses. After receiving the Holy Communion, you can return to your seats to receive the final blessings. Please follow the guidance of the Welcome Ministers as you leave. You may remain in the church for your personal prayers for a short time, up to 5 minutes when a bell will be rung, as the church will need to be sanitised

• Vespers [Evening Prayer of the Church] at Holy Cross: All the members of 9pm Monastery are invited for the Vespers at 5pm in our Holy Cross Church on this Sunday.
  

• Children’s Liturgy: Please keep an eye on the newsletter for further updates. As yet, we are not going to resume the Children’s Liturgy until it is safer to do so. If anyone has any suggestions, or would like to join the group of catechists, please can you contact Fr Antony.

• Until the End of the Pandemic:

1. Please ensure you sanitise your hands as you enter and leave the church.
2. 9pm for Night Prayer [every day except Saturday]: In this Pandemic, let us pray together as God’s family and receive His blessings before going to sleep.

   Please invite your family also to join prayer. Meeting ID: 7578777461; Passcode: 20212021.

• The Holy Mass is offered everyday  via Livestream

• : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTBK92cTt8hZCEZ4mruXZNQ

• Our Newsletter is available by visiting our Newsletter webpage with updates on how and when to register for the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and RCIA

Please take a copy of the Newsletter home with you - please do not leave it in the church. Thank you.

• Diamond Club Magazine is available here