Dear Parishioners,
This is an attempt to communicate with as many people in the parish as possible, given the momentous nature of the effects of the Corvid-!9 virus. Please do share this email with as many other parishioners, neighbours, family and friends who would also like to see it.
The Cardinal has announced that public worship will be suspended across England and Wales from the evening of Friday 20th March.
In short, there will be no public services at Our Lady of the Wayside from midday on Friday 20th March until further notice.
Even though public worship is suspended, we are not without great spiritual resources and support
Joining spiritually in with the continued celebration of mass at our Lady of the Wayside
While public mass is suspended until further notice from Friday, Fr Gerardo will nevertheless continue to celebrate mass privately on behalf of the parish at the usual times and days. You are invited to join him spiritually at these times, so that while we may physically be separated from each other, yet we will be bound together in the communion of saints by prayer and the Holy Spirit. The times of masses will be on the newsletter which will be published on the parish website ( http://ourladyofthewaysidechurchshirley.co.uk/ ). The readings and prayers can be found on Universalis ( https://universalis.com/today.htm ) or in your missal. Fr Gerardo is keen to continue to celebrate mass for those whose intentions have been and will be requested.
Live Streamed Mass
Many churches live stream their masses, including St Ambrose Barlow Church, Hall Green, St George and St Teresa, Dorridge and Our Lady of Lourdes, Yardley Wood. The links are below:
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/saint-ambrose-barlow
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/our-lady-of-lourdes-birmingham
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-george-and-st-teresa-church-dorridge-solihull
Other churches that stream their masses can be found here:
https://www.birminghamdiocese.org.uk/parishes-online
Walsingham, the national shrine for Our Lady streams here:
http://www.walsingham.org.uk/live-stream
Please do consider joining spiritually as well as electronically in the continued divine worship of the church.
Personal Prayer
Attached is a set or prayers sent out by the Cardinal for use when there is no public mass.
As Catholics we also have the Bible and the Rosary.
You are invited to join Fr Gerardo and the rest of the parish community each day at 12.00noon and at 6.00pm in praying the Rosary
Universalis has daily mass readings as well as a reflection on the saint of the day: https://universalis.com/today.htm
There are also many other on-line spiritual resources as well as the Prayer corner on the parish website (under Parish Groups)
Through these various means of prayer and communion, let us pray for each other, for those affected by the virus especially those seriously ill and who have died as well as all those looking after them. Let us pray for those who are lonely, isolated and frightened. Let us offer care and support to those around us, especially the elderly and vulnerable. Above all, let us remember Jesus the Good Shepherd, who will never desert His flock.
Newsletters will be printed as usual and left by the front door of church
We will send on to you further updates and information as it arrives. Please do keep an eye on the parish website for newsletters and developments.
God Bless