Parish of St Teresa of Avila, Ashford
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Southwark
COVID-19 GUIDELINES UPDATE
As we all know, Monday 19th July is so called FREEDOM DAY from the Covid-19 restrictions. But the fact is that the Covid-19 virus is still circulating in society and the pandemic is not over! Even without legal restrictions the Church in England and Wales will be adopting a cautious approach to capacity and activity within our buildings.
After 19th July the church REMAINS OPEN for MASSES.· Please do not enter the church if you have high temperature or/and persistent cough.
St Teresa’s church has allocated seats – max. capacity approx. 142 seats. St Ambrose, Wye has 20 zones available for households or individuals.
1) Please continue to use QR T&T system, or our online system to tell us you are coming.
2) Sanitise your hands at the entrance to the church.
3) Please wear a face cover at all time, unless you are medically exempt, in which case please sit in the less crowded part of the church.
4) Please follow our sitting rules and keep 2x50cm distance between households. Please do not be selfish n choosing the place so we can accommodate everyone.
5) Congregational singing is permitted, but you can join in singing only if you are wearing a face mask.
6) Holy Communion will continue to be given on hand as before. Should you wish to receive on tongue, please come at the end of the queue and directly to the priest.
- At the moment only the disabled toilet is available.
- We will make sure the church is clean and sanitised regularly, but please mind it is still a building site and some areas may have to be excluded for the public use.
MASS TIMES
Please mind that our church is mainly a building site on weekdays and the special Health and Safety protocols are in place and is not available for private prayer during the day outside of the Services.
PLEASE NOTE that at the moment weekday Masses (Monday to Friday) at St Teresa’s church are at 6.00pm. There is no weekday 10am Mass until the further notice. Mass intentions booked for Saturday morning will be offered the same day at 5.30pm Vigil Mass.
The ordinary system of 10am weekday Mass will come back on Monday 26th June 2021.
Tell us you are coming
We would be grateful if you let us know you are coming by completing the online form
You can as well use the new Covid-19 NHS App & QR Code presented at the entrance to the church/chapel.
EASY FUNDRAISING
Did you know that whenever you buy anything online-from your weekly shop to your annual holiday-you could be raising free donations for St Teresa of Avila Church Roof Fund with easy fundraising. There are over 4,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation-including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S-and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds.
Simply click the link below:
www.easyfundraising.org.uk/
Every time you shop online go to easy fundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping. After you have checked out, the retailer will make a donation to St Teresa of Avila Church Ashford Roof Fund at no extra cost to you whatsoever. There are no catches or hidden charges and we would be really grateful for your donations.
How to book a Mass?
Masses can be celebrated for deceased members of family or friends, thanksgiving, anniversaries, vocations, for the sick and for any particular need. If you would like a Mass said please fill in the Mass envelope at the back of Church and give it to a priest or drop it into the Parish Office.
NOW YOU CAN BOOK A MASS WITHOUT LEAVING HOME
Simply call us or email us about the availability. We will confirm and send you the DONATION link.
There is also an old tradition of Gregorian Masses. Gregorian Masses are a series of Holy Masses traditionally offered on 30 consecutive days as soon as possible after a person’s death. They are offered for an individual soul. The custom of offering Gregorian Masses for a particular soul recognises that few people are immediately ready for heaven after death, and that, through the infinite intercessory power of Christ’s sacrifice, made present in Holy Mass, a soul can be continually perfected in grace and enabled to enter finally into the union with the Most Holy Trinity – our God, Who is Love Itself.
Just to avoid confusion, Gregorian Intention is not a Mass said in the Old Latin Rite but 30 consecutive Masses offered for one soul and must be said each consecutive day.
History of Gregorian Masses.
Gregorian Masses take their name from Saint Gregory the Great, who was sovereign Pontiff from 590 to 604. St. Gregory the Great contributed to the spread of the pious practice of having these Masses celebrated for the deliverance of the souls from purgatory. In his Dialogues, he tells us that he had Masses on thirty consecutive days offered for the repose of the soul of Justus, a monk who had died in the convent of St. Andrew in Rome. At the end of the thirtieth Mass, the deceased appeared to one of his fellow monks and announced that he had been delivered from the flames of Purgatory.
Join us for Duc in Altum, our fortnightly conversations about faith on Zoom. Duc in Altum is Latin for “put out into the deep”, the words that Jesus said to Peter when he first encountered him, prompting him to go into deep water and lower his nets for a catch. On Wednesday evenings at 8pm we meet online via Zoom to talk about some parts of our faith that call for a deeper reflection.
To join in please contact us via ashford@rcaos.org.uk
Donate to our Church Roof Fund
