Short answer – we’re really no further on than we have been for quite some time. As far as St. Matthew’s is concerned, we are still only able to admit 2 people (or bubbles) to any pew, and we need to leave several pews empty between occupied pews. This is why our maximum number to be admitted at any one time is 28.
As many of you know, you can book a place for Mass through Eventbrite, and we do keep a small number of places in reserve for people who do not have access to the internet, so we hope that most people can be catered for.
It may be worth pointing pout that although there is a greater demand for places nearer the end of the week and over the weekend, Monday, Tuesday and sometimes Wednesday are not normally any where near fully booked. Just now, there is no obligation on anyone to attend Mass, so if you can’t manage to book space for one of the Sunday Masses, why not try for earlier in the week? You have a better chance then of being able to claim a space then than you do at the weekend. And of course people who are working may not be able to get to Mass on a weekday at all!
PLEASE DO THINK OF OTHERS WHEN YOU ARE BOOKING A PLACE.
if you can be flexible, please try to take the needs of others into consideration!
I would hate to think that we were on the verge of creating a new set of non-beatitudes, beginning with…
…I was at Mass each day but didn’t think to make way for others…..
BAPTISMS, WEDDINGS, FUNERALS, CONFIRMATIONS, FIRST COMMUNONS are all being celebrated now, and confessions are available on request, so we are getting back to something near to normal.
We’ve already had lovely First Communion celebrations in May, and soon we will have the Sacrament of Confirmation being administered to the p 7 young people of St. Matthew’s Primary school. Please keep all the young people receiving sacraments, their parents/guardians/sponsors and teachers and catechists in your prayers.