30th Sunday of the Year
Dear Parishioners
“Life is not back to normal. This pandemic is not over – we all have a part to play.” These are the words of the Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, from the Downing Street press briefing last Wednesday, 20th October.
He warned that we must not be complacent and asked people to take more responsibility and to follow the Government guidance thinking about others around us.
He reminded us that the Government’s guidance, although not mandatory, is still to wear face coverings on public transport or in crowded, enclosed spaces especially if we are coming into contact with people whom we do not normally meet. Regular hand washing and limiting the number of people we mix with is also still advised, as well as letting fresh air in if you are meeting indoors.
And as the Government holds the vaccination programme as the primary line of defence in the battle against Covid, the minister urges us to get vaccinated for Covid-19 and the flu and to get the booster vaccination when the times comes.
He also urges us to take a lateral flow test as part of our weekly routine especially if we are going to visit a vulnerable person, even if we don’t have symptoms.
“These steps make a big difference and they are more important now than they have ever been. If we all play our part then we can give ourselves the best possible chance to get through this winter,” he said.
Sanitising your hands, social distancing, the wearing of face coverings, cleaning the church after each celebration and the maximum capacity of 70 for funerals and Mass are still in place in St. Patrick’s Church, so the church is as Covid safe as we can make it, although there is always an element of risk of contracting Covid-19 when entering any public space.
Thanks to our volunteer stewards we are able to celebrate Mass in St. Patrick’ Church on Tuesdays at 10am and on Sundays at 10.30am.
As we must continue to clean the church after each celebration, the rear of the church will remain closed to reduce the demands on our stewards who sanitise the benches after you leave. Could you help as a steward on a rota basis, either during the week or over a weekend? Please get in touch if you can.
We do not at present breach our capacity for the celebration of Mass on Sundays, so there is no longer a need for you to book a place in advance, nor does the Government require you to provide Test and Trace details.
As the number of new cases in Gateshead has risen to 1077 in the last seven days, please do all you can to be cautious in your everyday life choices which not only affect ourselves, but impact on others too, including the NHS on which we all rely at times.
Statistics show that the uptake of the Covid vaccine in our region has slowed considerably, so it is important for us all to do what we can to encourage people we know to consider being vaccinated if they haven’t already done so. Pope Francis urges us to do so. Please accept your invitation for a “Booster jab” when you receive it and do consider having a flu jab too.
Please pray for our fellow parishioners and all those in our community who have recently tested positive for Covid-19, and please continue to look after one another. May God bless you and your loved ones and may he protect us from all harm.
Fr. Patterson
Mass to view online
Mass is live streamed from our Cathedral on Sunday at 11.30 am.
Alternatively, you may like to follow Mass from the Holy Name, Jesmond celebrated live at 10am on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 4pm. These Masses may also be viewed later.
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. Bishop Robert asks that Face coverings should still be worn in our churches.
- Monday – Deceased members of the Legion of Mary
- Tuesday: 10.00 in St. Patrick’s Church – Father White
- Wednesday – In Thanksgiving (BH)
- Thursday -The sick, their families, NHS staff & Care Workers
- Friday – Funeral Mass for Patricia Smith – by invitation only. Covid restrictions apply
- Saturday – Fr. Patterson’s intentions
- Sunday: 10.30 in St. Patrick’s Church – For the intentions of all our parishioners
When you are unable to celebrate Mass with us 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 ill and,
- all those near and dear to us whose memories we cherish at this time especially Father White
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 139,326 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
A prayer for the people of Afghanistan
May those who are fleeing, find sanctuary,
may those who are staying, find safety,
may those who are fighting, find peace,
may those whose hearts are breaking, find comfort,
may those who see no future, find hope.
Remembering those who died since the Pandemic began
Since the Pandemic began, the ways in which we have been able to say goodbye to our loved ones and to celebrate their funerals, whether they died with the Coronavirus or of other causes, have been severely restricted.
Bishop Robert has asked us to dedicate the month of November to remembering them all.
In their memory, our shared parish Mass will be celebrated on
Tuesday, 2nd November at 10.00, the Feast of All Souls.
Fr. Patterson will include in this Mass the names of all those parishioners, of whom he is aware, who have died during the period of the pandemic since March, 2020. If you wish the names of any other people from our community who have died during that time to be included, please forward their names to Fr. Patterson no later than Monday, 1st November- ideally by email to felling.stpatrick@rcdhn.org.uk. They will then be entered into our Parish Book of Remembrance.
The names will also be taken to St Mary’s Cathedral, Newcastle where they will be remembered during a Requiem Mass celebrated by Bishop Robert on Saturday 27th November at 11am. It is hoped parishioners will be welcome to attend this Mass subject to the Covid restrictions in place at the time.
COP26 Climate Talks
This year the UK Government assumed the presidency of COP26 which provides a unique opportunity for it to present its vision of a “Global Britain” and lead the way in international efforts to tackle the climate crisis.
As a Catholic community Pope Francis has given us a very clear message about the importance of caring for our common home in his encyclical ‘Laudato Si’ in which he states that to “harm the environment is to harm human beings.” “I urgently appeal, he says, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”
Our Bishops ask us, in this week leading up to the beginning of the COP26 talks, to pray that those meeting in Glasgow will work together for positive outcomes for people and the planet. They offer us the following prayer:
Loving God, we praise your name with all you have created. You are present in the whole universe, and in the smallest of creatures. We acknowledge the responsibilities you have placed upon us as stewards of your creation. May the Holy Spirit inspire all political leaders at COP26 as they seek to embrace the changes needed to foster a more sustainable society. Instil in them the courage and gentleness to implement fairer solutions for the poorest and most vulnerable, and commit their nations to the care of Our Common Home. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ your Son. Amen
An Ongoing Appeal from our Diocesan Justice and Peace Refugee Project
Father Patterson continues to be most grateful to the generous response we are receiving to this appeal. The project supports on average 300 clients each week, who all receive a bag of food. 102 of them are destitute and also receive a supermarket voucher.
If you are able to bring donations of rice, sugar, biscuits and toiletries as well as tinned fish in oil and tins of tomatoes and chick peas to St. Patrick’s Church before Mass on Tuesdays or Sundays, they may be left on the table to your right as you enter the Church. Please note: baked beans and tinned meat are not required.
St. Patrick’s Boundary Wall
The work of rebuilding the southern boundary wall of St. Patrick’s Church with Caxton House using the original stone, at a cost of £25,000, is progressing well.
Fr. Patterson is very grateful for donations of £100.00 and £30.00 received during the week towards the cost. Should you wish to make a donation it may be placed in the box at the front of the church or put through the presbytery letterbox. Alternatively you may choose to make a donation by Bank transfer for which you will require the following details: Account name: DHN Felling St Patrick; Sort code: 40-34-18; Account No: 52010453. Donations. Thank you.
Clocks Change
Do remember that the clocks go back one hour next Saturday, 30th October.
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/standing orders and cheques are as follows:-
The details for bank transfers/standing orders 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
The Catholic Universe
This newspaper, which went into administration during the Summer after 160 years, has been replaced by an online subscription digital publication under a new name, “The Universe Catholic Weekly.” It will be topical, controversial, stimulating and packed with news, opinion and features. You can receive a weekly edition on line for £20.00 a quarter paid simply and directly to the publisher. For more information as to how to subscribe, visit the Universe Catholic Weekly website.
Respect for one another – Be aware of personal space and personal choice.
We have lived through a lot since the pandemic started so let us be kind and respect one another. Be aware of personal space and personal choice. Some people might not be ready to hug, kiss, shake hands or reduce social distance. Don’t assume what people are comfortable with. Instead, ask them and respect their personal choices.
Freedom Fails as COVID cases surge amidst new variant – Zoe Covid weekly update
Professor Tim Spector’s update this week looks at the high rates across the majority of regions in the UK. Death rates and hospitalisations are on the rise again and new vaccinations are flagging. He will also be discussing a new variant on the COVID scene.
He continues to remind us that as well as the “classic symptoms” of Covid, (a high temperature, a new continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of taste or smell), there are more symptoms emerging, namely a headache accompanied by a runny nose, sore throat, sneezing and a cough. It may just be a summer cold, but check it out by taking a Lateral Flow Test. These kits are available from the local chemist, are free of charge and simple to use. Check out the Zoe blog Do I have Covid or a cold?
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.
