Tony McKone explains what you can expect when attending Mass during Alert Level 2
Weekday Mass Timetable
| Lower Hutt – Ss Peter & Paul Tues, Wed, & Fri – 12:10am Thur – 7pm; Sat – 9am |
Avalon – St Martin de Porres Mon, Tue, & Wed – 9am |
| Naenae – St Bernadette Wed & Thu – 9am |
Taita – St Michael Wed, Fri, & Sat – 9am |
There are signs in each church that are there temporarily for this Alert Level time. And guidance will be offered from when you arrive, and at different parts of the Mass. This will be done so that everyone is able to pray and move together in the least disruptive manner.
All four churches have been marked out so that every other pew in the churches will not be in use, and along each pew will be indicators of 1 metre spacing. Though it will be a delight to see each other it will be important to remember that we are still asked to be physically careful. Please, do not be offended when people step back from you – they are just maintaining the necessary distancing!As we re-open our Churches to celebrate weekday Masses, it is important that we still comply with appropriate social distancing, hygiene and cleaning practices, and keeping contact tracing records.
To help us maintain contact tracing records we ask that if you do attend a weekday Mass that you, please come to Mass with your contact details (Name, address, phone number, email address) already on a slip of paper. You will be able to place this in a basket in the foyer as you enter. Otherwise, you’ll have to sign in! You will need to do this each and every time you attend a Mass during Alert Level 2.
If you are feeling in any way unwell, or have a sniffle or a runny nose, or even have a niggly cough which you may know is due to hay fever, please do not come to Mass. We will all be very sensitive to each other’s health at this time, and do not want to compromise the journey we have all been upon.
Gathering for Eucharist Under Alert Level 2
Gathering: Greeters will be at the door, with tables so that you can either drop in your contact details in a basket or fill in the contact tracing forms. Ushers will offer direction towards the available pews, with families able to sit together, and we will all be reminded of the distancing markings on the pews. We will ask parishioners to sit from the front of the church first.
Sacristy: Other than the Priest, the sacristan is the only other person to access the sacristy.
Ministers: There will be one Reader and one Leader. The ministers can let the usual person know they are present, and then be seated in a position at the front of the church, so they can easily fulfil their ministry. In Ss Peter & Paul Church there will need to be two Ministers of Holy Communion. In our other churches the presider alone will distribute Holy Communion.
Choirs/Singing: At this Alert Level there will be no choirs or singing. If musicians are available, they may provide background music.
Leader: Before the procession, the Leader will welcome and give any guidance required for the Mass.
Procession: Only the Presider will process to the Altar.
Liturgy of the Word: The one reader will proclaim the two the Readings. If possible, the Responsorial Psalm could be projected onto the screens, and the verses be said alternatively by the right and left side of the church. The Gospel will be proclaimed by the presider.
Offertory: The collection will be taken up at the end of Mass when ushers will stand near the church doors for us to place our contributions/ envelopes in baskets as we leave. There will be no offertory procession, rather the gifts will have been placed on the credence table prior to the Mass and the presider will prepare the altar.
Distribution of Holy Communion: Everyone will come forward row by row, keeping the social distancing 1m requirement. Communion will only be available under the form of the Host, and only to be received on the hand. One side of the church will follow when the other side has finished receiving.
Rite of Dismissal: After the post communion prayer, the leader will give any notices and remind us that we are to leave row by row from the back and leave the church immediately remembering the need for distancing.
Cleaning: Door handles and pews will be wiped down and the toilets cleaned after each celebration.
Thank you for your understanding and patience