With effect from Monday 6th July we opened our 3 churches for Mass.
THINGS ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM BEFORE LOCKDOWN.
Our churches are restricted to the number of places in church for each Mass as follows:

St Theresa's 43 places
Corpus Christi 40 places
St Gregory's 23 places
(A place is made up of 1 single person or up to 3 persons from the same household)
The Sunday obligation is still suspended allowing you to attend a Mass during the week not just Sunday.

We MUST practise the 2m social distancing at all times. Masks have to be worn unless you are exempt.
Stewards will be on duty at the church doors to disturb and ask you to sanitise your hands on entry and departing the church.
After Mass the Stewards will then sanitise all areas when people leave the church.

We will be having additional Masses from our usual schedule. This will mean more morning Masses available during the week and evening Masses at our churches during the week.
Mass times have started to vary each week so please check the website, bulletin or church door.
Our Sunday Masses will remain at the same times as previous.
TO ALLOW AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO GET TO MASS EACH WEEK WE ASK YOU TO ATTEND JUST ONE MASS PER WEEK.

For everyone's safety we will continue without the following:

• Sacristans
  
• Servers

We have now seen the return of the Sunday Mass Sheet. This allows Readers to read the first 2 reading from their Mass sheet NOT the book.
The Mass sheets are for SINGLE USE ONLY and must be taken home NOT left in church after Mass.

During the Mass again for everyone's safety there will be:

• NO HOLY WATER
  
• NO SINGING
  
• NO OFFERTORY PROCESSION
  
• NO KNEELING
  
• NO SIGN OF PEACE
  
• NO CHILDRENS LITURGY

We have received an update from the Diocese advising us of the following:
Music can be played at Mass and services but NO SINGING BY THE CONGREGATION.
Toilets can now be made available in our churches.
There will still be no access to the following:

• VOTIVE CANDLES FOR LIGHTING
  
• PIETY SHOP
  
• ADMITTANCE TO THE SACRISTY

BUT there will be basket for your offertory collection as you enter church instead of the bag passing between the congregations.
We thank everyone for their continued financial support.

Holy Communion under one kind will be distributed at the end of Mass before you leave the church to avoid crossing other parishioners. This will be explained before Mass.

For half an hour after each weekday Mass there will be an opportunity for CONFESSION. This will be in a private area within the body of the church. (This includes Saturday lunchtime)

The churches will then close at 11am (weekday) and 1.15pm (Saturday) for cleaning until the following day.

To attend a Saturday vigil and Sunday Mass at any of our 3 churches you MUST book a place by ringing 01132645260 any weekday morning or email office.stjohnnewman@dioceseofleeds.org.uk.
Your name and contact details will be recorded and retained for 3 weeks and then destroyed.

If you wish to help with stewarding please contact the Parish Office on 0113 2645260 any weekday morning or email as above.
We thank all those who already help with the stewarding. This has allow the Parish to open the churches and have so many Masses.

The Masses from the Cathedral will continue to be live streamed each day.

Removal of the obligation to attend Mass during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Owing to the serious situation, the Bishops' Conference of England and Wales has updated its guidelines. The Obligation for the Faithful to attend Holy Mass on a Sunday or Holy day of Obligation has been removed, until further notice.