15th Sunday of the Year
Dear Parishioners
The ongoing generosity of our volunteer stewards make it possible for us 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 is advised to guarantee a place.
There are still places available for Mass this Sunday, 11th July, 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, 18th July, please telephone 07526 232124 on
Friday, 16th July between 5 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 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 and our volunteer stewards will continue to look after you.
Learning to live with Covid-19
Last Monday the Prime Minister outlined a new approach to the situation in our country which he described as “learning to live with Covid.” This will mark a new phase in the Government’s response to the pandemic, moving away from stringent restrictions on everyone’s day-to-day lives, towards advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk. These proposals, which may be found on the Government website, are due to come into effect on 19th July, subject to confirmation this Monday, 12th July.
We still await Guidelines from the Government and the Bishops of England and Wales as to how these changes will effect Places of Worship and I shall keep you informed when we receive them. With the high rate of transmission of the coronavirus in our region, any changes we may make will be gradual and made with your safety and well-being in mind.
The removal of restrictions, while welcomed by many, will not however mean we will be going back to the way of life we were living in March 2020. We must build a new future, living with Covid-19 in our midst.
I am afraid we still do not have sufficient volunteers to be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church and we need more volunteers for St. Patrick’s too. So what we will be able to offer in the immediate future will be determined by the level of help and support we receive.
In the meantime, please continue to look after one another and pray that the Lord will watch over us and keep us safe from harm.
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 am on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. These Masses may also be viewed later from the same website.
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 – Brian Quigley
- Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Margaret and Brian Pankhurst
- Wednesday – Paul Hughes
- Thursday – The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
- Friday – Jimmy, Terry, Richard and Michael Wilson
- Saturday – Fr “P’s” intentions
- Sunday: 10.30 am 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 Fr. Kevin Daly who is seriously ill and,
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time
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 128,365 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.
A prayer for those who are afraid
God of all hope we call on you today.
We pray for those who are living in fear:
Fear of Covid-19, fear for loved ones, fear of what the future holds.
May your Spirit give us a sense of calmness and peace. Amen
The meaning of Love
This is the final short video in the Sycamore Series by Fr. Stephen Wang.
This week Fr. Wang explores “The meaning of Love.”
Thank you
Fr. Patterson wishes to express his thanks to those parishioners who were able to help with the cleaning of St. Patrick’s Church last Friday evening. Thank you so much for your time and energy.
We are still in need of your support
If we are going to 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 needs your help and support to fulfil the roles outlined in our shared parish Roadmap which was circulated at the beginning of May. If you do not have a copy, please email felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk or telephone 0191 495 2277 and one will be sent to you.
Currently we do not have sufficient offers of help and support to be able to reopen St. Alban’s Church and will be struggling to fully reopen St. Patrick’s Church and parish centre when the Covid restrictions are lifted.
If you can commit yourself to help in either church when all the Covid Restrictions have been removed, whenever that may be, please contact Fr. Patterson 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; if you wish to continue helping as you have done in the past or if you would like to help in any of the ways outlined in our shared parish Roadmap please get in touch with me as soon as possible.
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.
Returning your call
If you telephone the presbytery and there is no-one available to take your call, you may choose to leave a message on the answer machine. We will do all we can to return your call, but we are only able to do so, if you leave your telephone number!!
St Vincent’s Support Centre Newcastle – Volunteers & Donations Needed
The Support Centre is next door to St Dominic’s Church on New Bridge Street Newcastle. It is open Monday to Friday 9 am – 4pm. It provides a range of support from helping with a free hot meal service, to providing food parcels, clothing, toiletries and small household items. The Centre also has a small Vintage Charity Boutique shop, which helps to raise much needed funds to support its vital work. Donations of Food, clothing, handbags, shoes, toiletries, accessories and other small household items are always welcomed.
If you have items, you would like to donate or would like to find out more information on how to get involved in volunteering please give Emma a call on 07453615139 or email emmab@svp.org.uk.
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
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. The Newsletter may also be found on our parish website
How many people have you been in contact with this week?
The latest statistics from the Office of National Statistics, suggest that the chances are you could have been in contact with someone who has Covid-19.
According to the ONS Infection Survey, findings for the week to 3rd July in England are that one in 160 people had the virus – up from one in 260 in the previous week and the highest level since the week to 19th February. Many of the infections are among children and young adults.
Dr Jenny Harries, chief executive of the UK Health Security Agency, said the sharp increase in cases being seen had not been followed by a similar increase in hospitalisation and death, suggesting the vaccines were working well.
“Getting both jabs,” she said, “ is the best way to ensure you and the people you love remain safe, so we once again urge everyone to come forward as soon as they are eligible. As we approach the planned end of restrictions, we must remain cautious and careful. Cases are rising across the country, and whilst the vaccines offer excellent protection, they do not offer 100% protection. Be sensible, and follow ‘hands, face, space, fresh air’ at all times and make sure to get tested if required.”
How we might prepare for the easing of restrictions.
I would encourage you to view this weeks update from Professor Tim Spector, the lead scientist on the ZOE COVID Study and Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, which is very informative and reassuring.
He encourages us all to continue to take care especially at this time when cases in our region are increasing at a considerable pace.
The Zoe data also shows that symptoms are more mild and similar to those of a bad cold, so cases are being missed and increasing the spread because people are unaware. It’s crucial that we all recognise cold-like symptoms as possible COVID and get tested to prevent further spreads and increases in rates.
