Covid-19 News & Resources (& other news)

Published by HSK in News · 22 March 2020

» In line with the latest government and ecclesiastical directives relating to the Covid-19 pandemic, the community's liturgy is no longer open to the public. When the monastic community is not using the abbey church it will remain open for private prayer. For the time being visitors are discouraged, and contact with any of the monks is best made either online or by telephone. Earlier in the month the community had decided to close the guesthouse, and this remains closed indefinitely. Indeed, all these emergency provisions must remain in place indefinitely. Any change in the restrictions will be announced here.

» Apart from the fortumnate few who live in monasteries, most Catholics now have only the option to watch Mass online. For those who do not know where to start looking for an online, live-streamed Mass the following are suggested:

The Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham.
Our parish in Alcester for Sunday Mass.
At Holy Mass Online live-streamed Masses from around the world are listed by chronological schedule.

Fr Boniface, in precautionary self-isolation with Fr Godric at Ormskirk, offers a homilette for the readings of today and also for the readings in coming days.

» On 11 March Archbishop Bernard Longley, Bishop William Kenny and Fr David Evans of Birmingham diocese met with the abbot to discuss our involvement in the three parishes we serve in the diocese: Stratford-upon-Avon, Alcester and Studley. The next day the abbot visited Stratford and Alcester.

» The Historic Churches Committee met at Douai on 12 March to discuss the latest tranche of applications for development from Catholic churches in the south of England.

» During that week tree surgeons were at Douai to trim or remove a number of trees in the monastery garden and elsewhere on our property. The ongoing task is now to remove all the wood.

» On Wednesday 18 March the abbot's council met at Douai, though Fr Paul was unable to attend due to the pandemic restrictions. During the meeting the monastery's ongoing response to the pandemic was discussed.