DURING THE VIRUS AS WE ALL KNOW OUR CHURCH HAS BEEN CLOSED AND ALL SERVICES SUSPENDED. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THESE RULES COULD BE RELAXED AND HOPEFULLY THINGS WILL GRADUALLY GET BACK TO NORMAL.DUE TO THESE CHANGES, THIS PAGE WILL NOW GIVE NEWS OF ANY CHANGES THERE ARE AND WILL BE UPDATED WITH NEWS AS SOON AS WE RECEIVE IT FROM THE DIOCESE. ADDITIONALLY,REFER TO THE DIOCESE SECTION FOR WEEKLY UPDATES OF NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE DIOCESE.
      PLEASE REFER TO THE 'FUNERALS:LITURGY' PAGE TO SEE GUIDELINES FOR FUNERALS DURING THIS TIME.

​Below are letters received from the Diocese with updates regarding the phased opening of Churches, please refer to list of Churches affected below this letter.
   Please note the most recent news received is next on this page.

Received 25-06-2020
​
A Message from the Metropolitan Archbishops of the Catholic Church in England
Dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. On Tuesday we heard the announcement that, from the 4th July this year, places of worship will be able to reopen for prayer and services. We welcome this news with great joy. Since the lockdown began, members of all faiths have faced restrictions on how they have been able to celebrate important religious festivals. Our own experience of Easter was unlike any other we have known. Now, in our churches, and with our people, we can look forward again to celebrating the central mysteries of our faith in the Holy Eucharist. The recent reopening of our churches for individual private prayer was an important milestone on our journey towards resuming communal worship. Our churches that have opened have put in place all the measures needed to ensure the risks of virus transmission are minimised. This includes effective hand sanitisation, social distancing, and cleaning. We remain committed to making sure these systems of hygiene and infection control meet Government and public health standards. We want to thank everyone within the Catholic community for sustaining the life of faith in such creative ways, not least in the family home. We thank our priests for celebrating Mass faithfully for their people, and for the innovative ways in which they have enabled participation through live-streaming and other means. We are grateful for the pastoral care shown by our clergy to those for whom this time of lockdown has been especially difficult, and, in particular, towards those who have been bereaved. We recognise too the chaplaincy services that have played a vital role in supporting those most in need. Gaining from the experience of all that we have been through, and bringing those lessons into the future, we must now look forward. With the easing of restrictions on worship with congregations, we tread carefully along the path that lies ahead. Our lives have been changed by the experience of the pandemic and it is clear that we cannot simply return to how things were before lockdown. We remain centred on the Lord Jesus and His command at the Last Supper to “do this in memory of me.” We must now rebuild what it means to be Eucharistic communities, holding fast to all that we hold dear, while at the same time exploring creative ways to meet changed circumstances. It is important to reaffirm that, at present, the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended. A significant number of churches may remain closed as they are unable to meet the requirements for opening for individual prayer. Fulfilling these requirements is a precondition for any church opening after the 4th July for the celebration of Mass with a congregation. Please be aware that there will be a limit on the number of people who can attend Mass in our churches. This will determined locally in accordance with social distancing requirements. We therefore need to reflect carefully on how and when we might be able to attend Mass. We cannot return immediately to our customary practices. This next step is not, in any sense, a moment when we are going ‘back to normal.’ We ask every Catholic to think carefully about how and when they will return to Mass. Our priests may need to consider whether it is possible to celebrate additional Masses at the weekends. Given there is no Sunday obligation, we ask you to consider the possibility of attending Mass on a weekday. This will ease the pressure of numbers for Sunday celebrations and allow a gradual return to the Eucharist for more people. Moving forward, there will still be many people who cannot attend Mass in person. We therefore ask parishes, wherever possible, to continue live-streaming Sunday Mass, both for those who remain shielding and vulnerable, and also for those unable to leave home because of advanced age or illness. When we return to Mass there will some differences in how the celebration takes place. For the time being, there will be no congregational singing and Mass will be shorter than usual. None of this detracts from the centrality of our encounter with the Risen Christ in the Eucharist. We ask everyone to respect and follow the guidance that will be issued and the instructions in each church. “As I have loved you,” said the Lord Jesus, “so you must love each other.” (Jn 13:34) The lockdown has brought forth remarkable acts of charity, of loving kindness, from Catholics across our communities as they have cared for the needy and vulnerable. We have seen love in action through charitable works, and through the service of many front-line keyworkers who are members of our Church. Now we can begin to return to the source of that charity, Christ himself, present for us sacramentally, body, blood, soul and divinity, in Holy Communion. As we prepare to gather again to worship, let us, respectful of each other, come together in thanksgiving to God for the immense gift of the Holy Eucharist. Yours devotedly in Christ

Letter received 23-06-2020
We welcome the news that we can once again start to gather for public worship. I know that this will be news received with great joy by my fellow brothers and parishioners.
We await the guidelines from the Bishops Conference to see what this will mean practically for us. There will still be a need to continue with some restrictions and our worship may feel a little different.  It may also be that not all our churches can open and that there is a reduction in the number of services.
We will issue more information to parishes as we receive it and will provide support to assist parishes as we approach the 4th July. These are unprecedented times and we must recognise that this is the next step in the journey we are on together back to normality, however that may look.
+John


Cardinal's statement on resumption of collective acts of worship
 
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, president of the Bishops’ Conference of England & Wales said:
 
I welcome the statement by the Prime Minister earlier today, that places of worship are now able to resume collective acts of worship from 4 July. This is welcome news for members of all religions in England. I thank all who have worked hard to bring this about, not least my fellow religious leaders.
 As Catholics we now look forward to being able to celebrate Mass together again from 4 July. We have waited with patience and longing for this moment, understanding the importance of protecting the health of people in our society. Now we are full of anticipation that we will be able again to take part together in the Eucharist, which lies at the centre of our faith.
 It is important that we continue to abide by the guidance, given by the Government, on appropriate social distancing and the other measures to avoid all unnecessary risk. Our own detailed guidance will be distributed around dioceses and parishes so everyone can be confident that they may come to Mass securely and understand the part they are to play in protecting each other from any remaining risk of infection.
 The past few months have been a time of fashioning new patterns of prayer, new ways of exploring and enriching our faith and vigorous ways of reaching out to those in need. We can build on these, forgetting nothing of the graces we have been given. Yet now, with the experience of opening our churches for individual prayer already gained, this return to the more normal patterns of worship will be of great importance to all Catholics.
 This time of our ‘Eucharistic fast’ has made our hearts grow in longing for that moment when we can come together and receive again the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist. That moment is now very near and for that we thank God.

Letter received 22-06-2020
Fathers,
 
These past few months have been difficult for all of us, especially with our churches closed and our inability to meet our parishioners as regularly as we would like to. Some priests have also had to self-isolate and many have found it challenging to adapt to the circumstances we have found ourselves in. Communication has not been easy and many of our staffs have been “furloughed” or working from home. Our schools have also suffered.
 
However, things are beginning to improve as “lockdown” restrictions are eased. Making plans have not been easy as some announcements have come quickly and others we are still waiting for. The prediction for the opening of our churches was that it could happen about 4th July, but it came sooner. Fortunately, plans were in place to open a few churches across the diocese once we had permission to proceed. The problem was that with only a few able to open which do we choose. It was agreed that each Deanery would have about two churches that would look to be opened as soon as possible. These churches were chosen according to being central to an area, near a hospital, near to bus routes, car parking, and a sizeable population. I know that many of you would be able to argue for your church to be opened, but difficult decisions had to be made. Volunteer stewards had to be sorted and instructed, PPE and signage obtained, risk assessments carried out for buildings that had been closed for over two months and agreement with each parish priest. As this was a new experience for all of us it took time. We are now well on our way and I hope that those churches that priests wish to be opened, we will be able to do so by early July.
 
Attached to this email is a list of churches in the diocese. The list may not include all churches in a parish, as priests may not want to open every church under his care, but if you would like to add a church, then let me, or Jo Pell know. Jo’s email is reception@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
 
You will find 4 phases. Phase 1 are the churches on the list who were first approached. Most have now opened. Phase 2 is the list of churches that are being visited this week with plans to open next week. This list is made up of churches where the priests contacted us and are also spread reasonably equally across the diocese.
 
Phase 3 is our next phase and each parish will have to be visited by Ricky Davies before any church is able to open. Appointments can be made with Ricky to visit you by contacting him through Jo Pell. You may also need to get safeguarding advice off Dawn and the safeguarding team. An email is being sent out to address this.
 
Phase 4 will be for those churches where priests do not wish them to be open for various reasons e.g. lack of stewarding, too awkward to access safely at the moment, self-isolation or shielding issues. Bishop John stated that no priest should feel guilty if he feels his church can’t be opened for any reason. Phase 4 will mean that we will need to address these churches’ needs when it comes to opening for public worship.
 
I hope that makes sense to you all. I apologise that this information is only just coming to you, but until just over a week ago guidelines were confidential and we did not want any church to be named where the priest did not want to open. There are some churches where the PP had to make an on-the-spot decision not to open after preparing to, due to the increase in the “R” rate of transmission.
 
If we get these preparations wrong our whole program could be marred for when we open for public worship, something we all look forward to.
 
I would like to thank my support team for all the work they have been doing, especially in the last couple of weeks. The whole process has been as new to us as it is to you, but the safety of our parishioners and yourselves is paramount.
 
There were a few changes to directives last weekend which included the following:
 

1. Priests can act as stewards, but be careful how deal with the pressure of people making requests for the Sacrament of Reconciliation or praying together.

 

1. Exposition is allowed but not Benediction, so the Blessed Sacrament can be placed before the church opens and replaced after the church is closed.

 

1. People over 70 can act as stewards but need to be made aware that they are in a vulnerable group and are putting themselves at risk

 

1. Only one steward of a pair should have had safeguarding training re the safety of our people in this situation. If you require further advice then please speak to Dawn or myself or your safeguarding representative. It is so important that all those who are given positions of responsibility are known to you and are able to be trusted. Having a volunteer not known to you, who cannot be given approval by others, risks putting yourself at risk and being accused of not maintaining standards of safeguarding. There are many people in each parish who have safeguarding training. Remember that there are some people, not of the diocese, who will try and test our ability to do this. Whilst given to maintain the guidance of the CBCEW in matters of safeguarding at all times we have to accept that these are difficult times when we are looking for volunteers. It is advised that at least one of the stewards has had safeguarding training whilst not all stewards require to have a DBS certificate.

 

1. Please keep a register of all who have visited, names not wanted, just numbers.

 
In conclusion, to enquire about your church opening in phase 3 contact Jo Pell.
Churches cannot be opened until declared safe by myself with the authority of the Bishop.
We are about to embark on Phase 3 of inspecting churches by risk assessments and safeguarding(where required) to be opened
No priest should feel guilty if he feels he does not want to open his church for any reason.
 
John
Mgr John Daly VG

To open the excel file, click on the file icon with mouse button 3 and select 'Open link in new window'.

tracker_of_reopening_phases.xlsx
File Size:	24 kb
File Type:	xlsx

Download File

---

Below is an e-mail received from the Bishop on Friday 12th June 2020

Fathers,
Quite a big shift has been occurring since I wrote last Friday – with the announcement of a date for re-opening of churches being possible from 15th June, next Monday. I know that you understand that we have to be so careful. A number of our larger churches, spread around the Diocese, have been prepared for opening on Monday and the full list of churches and their opening times will be listed on the website and I would ask you to please circulate the information as relevant to your area of the Diocese. Other churches are also in preparation and Ricky Davis will be helping in making sure that all the conditions for health and safety are being met so that they, too, can open soon. I must say, once again, that meeting the conditions and getting approval to re-open your church is very important. Apart from anything else, we will attract a lot of negative media attention if we get things wrong.


Some priests have decided that they will not plan to re-open their churches at this time. In some cases it is because of the unlikelihood of finding sufficient volunteers or being able to realistically arrange social distancing etc. Others are very much aware of the level of “R” in their local area and do not wish to add to any risk. I understand these reasons and fully endorse the decisions. It remains to be seen just how many people will actually visit the re-opened churches. Whatever your decisions at this time and your reasons, I am very grateful to you. Please make sure to air any questions or problems.


I am sorry for all the confusion and change of policies by government for the re-opening of schools. I certainly have a degree of sympathy with all the difficulties which have caused decisions to be reversed. These are not easy decisions for anyone to make, and no government decision will ever go without criticism and endless speculation by the media. How best to balance the safety of children  without losing for them the time in formal education? And, as always, it is the most vulnerable and those from poorer families who are most adversely affected.


I had a disappointment this week. I had been invited months ago to give the prizes at my old preparatory school. Some weeks later the decision was announced that the school is closing permanently and this would have been the last prize day – today 12th June. Of course, the event has been cancelled. It would have been a great privilege to have gone back for this celebration and I have to say that I have been swamped, in these days, with many happy memories of the school and how much I owe to the Rosminians who were priests and brothers there, at that time. This is where I first had contact with that religious order and how influential they continued to be in my life. I must say that I am sad for all the pupils around the country who are leaving their schools this summer without any sense of “finishing” the academic year. And in the case of my old preparatory school, all the present pupils in each year will be starting somewhere else in September.


You will have received a pastoral letter from me for this Sunday. Please circulate it as far and as wide as your systems allow. It is also available as a sound file. I can only hope at this stage to encourage people in all the good which is being achieved and to acknowledge the difficulties of these times.


Another week of lockdown has passed. For me, time seems to be passing very quickly but I am sure that for many this time must be dragging interminably. However you may be experiencing these days, I am grateful for all that is still being achieved.


“Stay with us, Lord, on our Journey”


+John

Below is a letter received from the Diocese on Friday 5th June 2020

​Dear Fathers
Following on from the policy circulated on Friday please see below Cardinal Nichol’s statement now a date of the 15th June has been given for churches to prepare to reopen for private prayer.  
In all diocesan statements we are emphasising that this will not mean all churches will open on this day but that we are doing all we can to ensure that churches will open safely.
All churches must be inspected and authorised for opening before they are opened for Private Prayer.


If you have any questions please contact Mgr John Daly.
Rachel
Cardinal Vincent Nichols’ Statement
I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his decision that our churches may now open again for individual prayer. I thank the Secretary of State for Communities, Mr Robert Jenrick and the Minister of State, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh, for their leadership of the Task Force which helped bring about this important step.
This is a first, measured step in restoring the more normal practice of our faith and will be welcomed by so many, who have waited with great patience since 23 March when our churches were closed, by Government decision, as part of the fight against this pandemic.
I thank everyone for that patience. It is important that every care is taken to ensure that the Guidance given for this limited opening is fully observed, not least by those entering our churches. Our preparation is taking place with thoroughness. Visiting a church for individual prayer, benefitting from the sacredness of that space, can be done safely and confidently.
Not every Catholic Church will be open on 15 June. Local decisions and provision have to lead this process. But it is a great blessing, for individuals and for the benefit of all in society, that church doors will again be open to all who long to pray there for the peace and grace we need today.
This first step enables us to learn and prepare for those that will take us to a fuller use of our churches, for the celebration of Mass and other sacraments. We await that time with deep longing but patient understanding that the protection of the health of our society, especially of the most vulnerable, is a proper cause for caution and care.




From: Communications
Sent: 05 June 2020 14:25
Subject: Archbishops' Policy on re-opening churches


Dear Fathers


Please find below the message and attached documents sent on behalf of Bishop John.
 
The Archbishops have finalised, and are now publishing, their directives for the re-opening of the churches.  Please read the policy very carefully.
 
These directives are conditions and not guidelines for re-opening. A date for re-opening churches has still not been confirmed.
 
All churches must be inspected and authorised for opening before they are opened for Private Prayer.
 
At present the projected date for re-opening is 4th July but the taskforce negotiating with the Government are still pressing for an earlier date.
 
If you have any questions please contact Mgr John Daly.
 
The attached documents are:
 

1. Reopening Catholic Churches for Individual Prayer
2. Guidance on clergy in schools during the coronavirus pandemic

 
Best Wishes
Rachel

Guidance on Re-opening of Catholic Churches for Individual Prayer The doors of our churches have been closed since 23rd March 2020, following the clear instruction from the Government. Bishops, priests and people share a deep desire to re-open our churches as soon as the Government allows us to do so. Re-opening must, of course, happen in a safe manner, and it is likely to take place in stages. Each stage will be accompanied by guidance to ensure this can happen safely and effectively. These guidance notes are intended to assist Parish Priests to be ready to re-open their churches as soon as permission is granted. They focus on what is needed to open churches safely (i.e. providing the least possible risk of transmission of the virus) for private prayer as a first step. This guidance has been compiled with detailed public health advice and scrutiny and complies with the Principles established by Government. Principles The Principles established by government to enable safe re-opening of churches below have been incorporated into this guidance: i. Protecting those at higher risk (e.g. the elderly, those extremely vulnerable and shielding or clinically vulnerable and accessing annual flu immunisation); ii. Enhanced cleaning of premises - more regularly and no sharing of items; iii. Social Distancing - including when using outdoor spaces; iv. Face coverings for reassurance; v. Hygiene (hand-washing) or hand sanitising facilities for all; vi. Managing children What is “Individual Prayer?” Individual prayer within a place of worship is defined as a person or household entering the venue to pray on their own and not as part of a group, led prayer or communal act. They must be socially distanced from other individuals or households. Collective or communal prayer and regular scheduled services are not permitted at this time. This includes any minister of religion or lay person leading devotions or prayer. First Steps: Preparing for safe re-opening Even before churches can re-open, there are some important preparations that will need to be made. In order to be ready, Parish Priests need to ensure the fundamentals of infection control are in place (which will protect those who are vulnerable) by doing the following: 1. Assembling a team of stewards to ensure that the guidance in this document can safely be put into effect. The number of volunteers required will vary depending on the size of churches, but priests will not be able to manage the re-opening of churches on their own. It is important that those in the team should not be drawn from those instructed to shield themselves, nor, as a general rule, from groups considered more vulnerable to coronavirus. 2. Securing sufficient supplies of alcohol hand gel, cleaning materials (including gloves for cleaners) and tape to mark appropriate distances on floors and to block off areas of seating. When buying supplies, it is important to ensure that hand gel with anti-viral properties is obtained, this should be at least 65% alcohol: many hand sanitisers are only anti-bacterial and offer no protection against coronavirus. Tape can be purchased online (search for ‘floor Guidance on re-opening Catholic Churches for Individual Prayer 2 marking tape’ on Church Marketplace, Amazon etc). The Government advises that normal household disinfectant and detergents are suitable for cleaning. 3. Mark distances on the floor and block off pews/chairs to ensure adequate social distancing (2 metres/6 feet between each person) is maintained throughout the church. As an alternative to blocking off rows with tape, seating may be reconfigured if this is possible (e.g. by the removing of chairs or pews). Depending on the size of the church, it may be beneficial to use different areas of the church on different days to facilitate cleaning. The maximum person capacity at any one time under the social distancing regime must be determined and this made clear to those entering the church, preferably by way of clear signage (see 5 below). 4. Removing from the church all printed materials that are not designed for a single use. This would include service books, hymn books, CTS pamphlets etc. 5. Preparing appropriate signage, e.g. asking people to sanitise their hands, on entry and exit, not to touch or physically venerate statues or relics, clear entrance and exit signs, maximum safe capacity etc. 6. Maintaining as much ventilation within the church space as possible; keeping doors open decreases transmission risk through touching but also allows a flow of fresh air into the church space. If the church has windows that can be opened, these should be. 7. Ensure that all taps, toilets and other water storage devices are run well to flush the systems before anyone uses them, especially if the church has not been in use for some time. How is the COVID-19 virus spread? The Government guidance states that the spread of COVID-19 is most likely to happen when there is close contact (within 2 metres or less) with an infected person. It is likely that the risk increases the longer someone has close contact with an infected person. Respiratory secretions (droplets) containing the virus are likely to be the most important means of transmission; these are produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Opening and operating safely: hand hygiene, cleaning and social distancing The Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales are working with our Public Health advisors, Public Health England and the Government in order to provide clear directives for the opening of our churches safely which minimises the risk of virus transmission. Considering the above understanding of virus transmission, the proposed directives are: 1. At least two stewards must be present in the church throughout the time it is open for prayer; the stewards must ensure that hand sanitisation occurs at entry and exit points, social distancing is maintained by people in the church and if a pre-determined capacity is reached, they prevent others from entering the church. (Through, for example, a “one in, one out” policy.) People with cold or flu-like symptoms should be asked not to enter. 2. Stewards themselves should practice good hand hygiene through either regular hand washing or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitiser. They should not eat or drink or touch their face unless they have immediately washed their hands beforehand and should maintain social distance within the church. They should ensure any cuts or grazes on their hands are completely covered with waterproof dressings. They should not physically assist people Guidance on re-opening Catholic Churches for Individual Prayer 3 unless absolutely necessary, for example in an emergency for first aid1. In this case there are some basic steps which stewards should be aware of: a. Be aware of the risks to yourselves and others in helping someone. b. Make sure you wash your hands and use an alcohol gel, before and after helping someone. Ensure that you do not cough or sneeze over someone when you are helping them. c. Wear disposable gloves or cover hands when dealing with people and dispose of them securely. d. Dispose of all waste from first aid safely in tied bags in bins. e. Do not touch a wound with your bare hand. f. Do not touch any part of a dressing that will come in contact with a wound. 3. It would be an additional infection control measure if people could enter and leave the church via separate doors. If this is not possible, stewards should do all they can to ensure people keep an appropriate social distance while entering and leaving church (eg by having an entrance line and an exit line). 4. Alcohol hand gel should be provided at the doors, with notices asking people to sanitise their hands as they enter and leave the church. 5. Places where people can sit or kneel in prayer should be two metres apart from one another in all directions. Benches should be blocked off, or seats rearranged, to facilitate this social distancing. People who are part of the same household can sit together but those not from the same household should maintain social distancing while in church. 6. The church must be cleaned fully at least once a day, using appropriate cleaning products and paying particular attention to touch points (door handles, collection boxes etc). Areas that are likely to be touched frequently (such as door handles) should be cleaned more often2 . a. Cleaning an area with normal household disinfectant or detergent (including on pews) will reduce the risk of passing the infection on to other people. b. Those doing this work must wear disposable or washing-up gloves and aprons for cleaning. How these are disposed of or cleaned is important.3 c. The cleaning method for surfaces and touchpoints should be by using a disposable cloth or disposable paper tissues; first clean hard surfaces with detergent and water or detergent spray; not polish spray on its own. Pay particular attention to frequently touched areas and surfaces, such as bathrooms, grab-rails in corridors and stairwells and door handles. Anti-viral spray cleaner which does not harm wood and other fittings is available from suppliers. d. Those doing this work must practice good hygiene: wash their hands regularly with soap and water for 20 seconds, especially after removing gloves, aprons and other protection used while cleaning 1 For more information on supporting people in emergency situations see the full government guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-interim-guidance-for-firstresponders/interim-guidance-for-first-responders-and-others-in-close-contact-with-symptomatic-people-with-potential2019-ncov 2 For more information on cleaning and disinfection see the full government guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19- decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings 3 If it is known that there has been an exposure to the virus, disposable cleaning materials should be double-bagged, then stored for 72 hours then thrown away in the regular rubbish after cleaning is finished. If not disposable, they should be washed at 60 degrees or above before re-use. Guidance on re-opening Catholic Churches for Individual Prayer 4 7. Toilet facilities in churches should remain closed to prevent any risk of transmission of infection. If facilities for hand washing only can be provided, and these can be cleaned frequently, then these can be opened to allow people to wash their hands but only if liquid soap can be provided and air driers or disposable paper towels are used. Cloth towels should not be used. 8. Only printed materials intended to be taken away from the church by the user can be made available. Hymn books, missals, devotional materials etc which may be re-used should be removed from the church. 9. Physical veneration of relics or objects such as statues, crucifixes and shrines is not permitted. There should be no holy water in church stoups. Care should be exercised when lighting candles on votive stands using existing candles as a source of ignition, not lighters, matches or tapers. For electric candle stands, clean the row of buttons frequently. Face Coverings Government has advised that cloth face coverings (and not surgical masks) could be worn for reassurance by people in enclosed areas but are not strictly necessary. Churches do not need to supply face coverings. People should not see their voluntary use disrespectful to prayer or the sacred space. Children While children are unlikely to become very ill, they are capable of both being infected by the virus and of spreading it. Parents or guardians bringing children into a church should not be discouraged from doing so, but it will be important for parents to manage their children appropriately, particularly ensuring they touch as few surfaces as possible for their own safety. Vulnerable People It remains a person’s own choice to come to church to pray. Churches may wish to consider setting aside a section only for people who are more vulnerable to serious disease if infected, and clearly signposted as such, or otherwise having a designated time only for people who are more vulnerable and wish to pray privately. Individual prayer only This advice concerns only the opening of churches for private prayer. Further detailed advice will be issued in due course when public worship is safe to re-commence. This advice cannot be followed for other activities that may take place on parish premises, such as groups that would meet in church halls, because at present these must remain closed. This is because group gatherings at the time of writing are not permitted by law, and social distancing cannot be monitored in an effective way with groups that meet socially or for other activities in our premises. The importance of these measures These measures may seem burdensome, or even a little daunting. They are however necessary, not least because if any churches are seen to be operating in a way that may increase the spread of the virus, there is a risk that stricter measures such as prohibition or enforced closure notices could be reimposed by local authorities or even national administrations. It is our hope that with priests and their parishioners working effectively together, we will be able to open churches safely for private prayer, as a significant step towards the resumption of the celebration of Mass and the sacraments.

​Fathers,


During this week I have spoken with many priests and I am so pleased and relieved to find such levels of cheerfulness and positive thinking. I am sure that we are all finding aspects of the lockdown to be difficult but I have heard so many good stories about the kindness of parishioners and the good sense of collaboration and community. I can also tell you that I have many appreciative comments from parishioners about how they value the prayers and presence of their priests in these times. Thank you.
 
I have been enjoying a re-read of the book I mentioned before: “Finding Your Hidden Treasure” by Benignus O’Rourke. I particularly like the fact that the chapters are literally two pages and each one has a good thought for further consideration. I think I am probably typical of many people who make private prayer too wordy and vocal and who could well benefit from the silence and stillness that the author promotes. A quote:
 
“All our lives, perhaps, we have strained to please God by trying to keep or minds attuned to our words in prayer. We have struggled to ward off stray thoughts. We have failed again and again. But we have gone on believing that we must keep trying. The result so often is a weariness with prayer, a feeling of guilt, or we resign ourselves to simply reciting set prayers. Of course, no time spent in prayer is ever wasted. Our efforts are always of value. God accepts all our prayers, delighting in the gift we make him of our time…… But he must weep for us as he sees us wear ourselves down by our struggles and exhaust ourselves in our battles to fight the mind’s wandering. He must weep for us, too, when we get so discouraged. All he wants from us is to rest in him, and allow him to give us rest for our souls. ….. ‘Come to me all you who are weary and I will give you rest,’ says Jesus. How easy it is for us to miss that invitation.” (Chapter 23).
 
This week DLT asked me to choose a book that they could offer to priests and people of the Diocese at 50% discount. I am recommending this book and the following are the instructions for purchase:
 
To order a copy of the book, follow this link to the website of DLT. Add the book to your basket and, when you reach the checkout stage, type DLT50 in the box marked ‘Discount code’ for a 50% discount. This code can also be used for other purchases from the DLT website between now and the end of July. If you would like to buy 25 copies or more, perhaps for a church or a reading group, contact David Moloney at DLT (davidm@darton-longman-todd.co.uk) rather than ordering through the website and he will be able to arrange an additional discount for you.
 
As I mentioned above, I have had many encouraging conversations with priests this week. Several have spoken about having time to think. I would like to suggest that if ideas or concerns about priesthood or the Diocese come to mind which you feel merit further consideration, please feel free to write them down. Canon Jude Harrison, as Chair of the Presbyteral Council, would be pleased to receive ideas and comments and to speak with any priests on the telephone. In addition, of course, I and the Vicars General and Episcopal Vicars are also contactable. We will soon be engaging on a new consultation about the future of structures in the Diocese in a project called “Journey to 2030” in which important decisions will need to be made after careful diocesan-wide discussion.
 
Appointment: I thank Mgr John Daly VG for accepting the appointment as parish priest of St Augustine in Manchester. His contact details are St Augustine’s Presbytery, Clitherow House, All Saints Manchester M15 6BY; Tel: 0161 670 5110. Fr Richard Howard is now Priest in Charge at St Mary, Horwich.
 
I think it important to tell you that the whole question of the re-opening of churches, and how and when and in what way this might be achieved, is in constant discussion among the Archbishops. It will be important that we have a single uniform policy for all dioceses of England and Wales. But it is good to know that the various aspects of re-opening are already under careful consideration. We must pray that it can be safely achieved as soon as possible.
 
You will have heard the sad news that Fr Paul Dillon died unexpectedly but peacefully at his home in County Kerry on 25th April. Fr Liam Comer, of the Diocese of Kerry, who some of you may have known from his ministry here in the Diocese of Salford 1974-1978 died on 18th April. May they rest in peace.


Bishop John Arnold
Bishop of Salford
Wardley Hall | Wardley Hall Road | Worsley | Manchester M28 2ND
Tel: 0161 794 2825

Parish and Diocesan Finances Coronavirus Pandemic – April 2020 A note from the Moderator of the Curia Clearly the unexpected and unprecedented closure of our churches in March presented issues for us in relation to many aspects of parish and diocesan life. Naturally, our first concern was to see how we could continue to serve our people in terms of access to the Mass and this has been successfully achieved both by the ability to stream servicesfrom the Cathedral or a good number of churches and by the fact that people know that their priests are continuing to offer Mass for them even if this has to be done privately. It was good that this could be established speedily, especially in regard to celebrating the Easter Triduum. Alongside the closure of our churches, we took the decision to close Cathedral Centre just slightly ahead of the government imposition of lockdown. By that stage, we had already established that a good number of staff could (or should) work from home and we were making provision for others to also be able to do this. We have continued to monitor this situation and I will say more about that in a moment. Parish Income One significant consequence of our churches being closed is the drop in weekly income that parishes will be experiencing. This will largely be through the lack of offertory collections but also other sources of regular income such as monthly draws (where subscriptions have not been collected in advance), sales of votive candles and piety stall items, rental from the hire of parish facilities by various groups, stole fees for baptisms and weddings (though these may come in later when we can celebrate these sacraments again). Even a few weeks without these regular sources of income will have a big impact on the ability of most parishes to meet their annual expenditure which is likely to remain much the same as in previous years. Thankfully, a good number of parishioners will be aware of this impact and will be concerned to see how they can continue to support the parish financially even when unable to attend church. I know that some have taken to dropping off their offertory envelopes at presbyteries whilst out for their permitted exercise. Some might (hopefully) be saving up the envelopes to bring along whenever we return to using our churches. Others will have enquired about donating by standing order. It’s important that we recognise that many individuals and families will also have been financially affected by the present situation and may not be able to continue contributing or may need to reduce their normal contribution. So, in a sensitive way which respects the financial state of various parishioners at the present time, it would be good to encourage them to think about what they can afford to give and how they might best go about making their contributions. Standing orders are of course the best way of guaranteeing a regular income, so perhaps you might want to have a push on that (however gentle) and getting them to gift aid it if they are taxpayers. To provide for more ad hoc donations, we are in the process of setting up a means for individuals to give online. This will be through the diocesan website, where it will be possible for someone to donate to a specific parish or to a particular diocesan fund. The donations will come into one central account but with a breakdown of who they are intended for and so they will be re-distributed as appropriate. There will be a slight charge by the organisation providing this service but we have explored a number of such options and we believe this one is reasonable. The system should be up and running in the next week to ten days, as it requires our website creators to do some work in the background of the site. If you have a parish website, then you could put a link on there to the relevant section of the diocesan website in due course. If you are still producing a parish newsletter (perhaps distributed by email) then you could give the details on it over the coming weeks. We are also exploring whether parish Facebook pages or other social media platforms might provide a means for parishioners to make donations and we will advise you about that when we have the relevant facts. We won’t recoup all our lost income but, as they say, “every little helps”. Restricted Income Another victim of the closure of our churches is of course the range of charities and organisations that we normally support by our special collections throughout the year. Pope Francis has already decreed that the annual collection for the Shrines of Palestine, which we were unable to take on Good Friday, will be transferred to the weekend of 12/13 September, the nearest weekend to the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. The Bishops’ Conference are looking at dates in the autumn to which they can transfer the various special collections we would normally be having during this forthcoming period of the year and there may be a knock-on effect for some that normally take place in those later months. We will need to do the same for our own diocesan collections, the Ecclesiastical Education Fund (which clearly won’t be taking place on the weekend of 2/3 May) and the Retired Clergy Fund in November (which might be impacted by the changes made nationally), though there will be the option to donate to these diocesan funds via the online giving we are developing at the moment. The director of Missio has already been in touch with diocesan bishops, explaining that the Holy Father has established an emergency fund to come to the aid of those people and communities who are being tragically impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. He has designated US$750,000 as an initial contribution to this fund and has asked the Church in each country to contribute what they can through Missio. Whilst there is no specific appeal at present, Missio will be in touch again over the next few weeks, to invite Catholics to take part in this initiative through their prayer and solidarity with our sisters and brothers in greatest need. They will also be inviting people to support the work of their partners, the Mill Hill Missionaries, many of whom are serving in Coronavirus hotspots around the world. Again, we could add an online donation button for this appeal in due course. Whilst being alert to that specific appeal (in due course) we also need to bear in mind the impact on the work of Missio if funding from parishes/dioceses was to be severely reduced this year. We should no doubt give the same consideration to our normally generous support of CAFOD and Caritas and there may be other specific charities your parish supports. Then there are the mission appeals that have been arranged but cannot at present take place. Given that this year’s income for many of these charities and organisations may well be reduced or at the very least delayed, can I ask that if you have any restricted income in your parish accounts, either from 2019 or from the early part of this year, that you make arrangements to pay it over to the appropriate body as soon as possible. Many of the collections go through our Finance Office and so you can simply email your list of amounts to be passed on (to finance@dioceseofsalford.org.uk) and they can be deducted from your parish account and transferred on your behalf. Our own diocesan charity Caritas Diocese of Salford is of course very much on the front line in terms of continuing to provide services to people in need at this time. They are very grateful for the ongoing support of so many parishes and individuals, either through the donation of goods that can be distributed or money that can be used to purchase what is needed. They are also becoming aware of the increase in destitution and so are looking to establish a relief fund, jointly with the diocese and perhaps some other Catholic charities, so there may be some further information about this shortly. Furloughing of Employees I noted above that, in the run up to the closure of Cathedral Centre, we had thought carefully about whether or not our staff would be able to work from home and we have continued to monitor that situation over the past few weeks. Once the decision to close Cathedral Centre had been made, we implemented the decision of the diocesan trustees (made in anticipation of that event) that we would guarantee all our employees 100% of their salaries for the first 12 weeks regardless of whether or not they were able to work from home. We also informed staff that we would be reviewing that decision after 8 weeks in order to plan what will happen beyond the 12 weeks. At the time that we implemented that decision, there was no mention of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) but this is something which, like many charities and businesses, we are able to benefit from. The scheme pays 80% of an individual’s salary (up to a maximum of £2,500 per month) provided that they agree to be furloughed. This means that they cannot do any paid work and nor can they volunteer for the charity/organisation that normally employs them. The scheme was introduced with effect from 1 March and has currently been extended through to the end of June. The whole purpose of the scheme is that it is designed to help protect employees’ jobs and help employers to stay afloat. Our HR department have worked hard to help us implement this CJR scheme across both the central diocesan staff and those employed in our parishes. Our subsidiary companies (SDC and CTS) and our sister charity (Caritas Diocese of Salford) have also taken this matter seriously and sought to furlough staff wherever possible. The table below shows that, as a result of this action, some 63% of those employed by the main charity and its subsidiaries have been furloughed. I am grateful to parish priests who responded so speedily and at short notice in Holy Week to the request to consider furloughing parish employees; that meant we were in a strong position to make our submission to the government once the portal for applications opened on 20 April.

Dear Father
We are looking at ways that we can help parishes deal with some of the impact of the pandemic and ways to help parishes function more effectively with any longer-term impacts.
One of our immediate priorities was to make online donations easier for those who wish to continue to support our parishes and their work. We have done this by putting a ‘donate’ button on the Diocesan Website, anybody will be able to donate to their own parish or a number of the other funds we have.
You can access the diocesan website via this link:
https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/
The donate button is found in the right-hand corner of the main page when on a desktop and it directs you this this page.
https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/supporting-your-parish-financially/
On a mobile device the donate button is listed in the main menu. We are currently working on improving the access and making the button more prominent when on a mobile device.
Visitors to the donations page will find two options:

1. Setting up a standing order
2. Make a donation

Setting up a standing order
This button takes you to a page on the website where parishioners can access a standing order form for each parish. This page is currently being populated and will be ready next week.
To help with this work please send a copy of your current standing order form to communications@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
Make a donation
This button is already live and accepting donations.
Visitors to this page with see five options.
 
Four picture options for specific diocesan funds and the ability to search for a specific parish and make a donation to that parish.
 
Details of transactions for every parish will be recorded and on a monthly basis the relevant funds from online donations will be transferred into parish accounts.
Each online transaction will have a small fee attached and there is also an opportunity to gift aid every donation.
You will notice when searching for your own parish that the address listed on the forms is the Cathedral Centre. This is for administrative purposes to meet the requirements of the financial services authority.
How can you share in your parish?  
The best way to promote is to do so by sharing this link https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/supporting-your-parish-financially/
You can send this directly to any parishioner who has asked how they can continue to give their offertory donation, add the link to your website or mention (if you feel appropriate) during your live streams.  
When promoting the donation function, we must remain mindful of the changing financial position many of our parishioners find themselves in during this time. You may make the decision that circumstances in your parish mean you do not want to actively promote this option.
If you would like to discuss the options for having a button integrated into your parish website please email communications@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
If you would like to discuss anything to do with your parish finances please email finance@dioceseofsalford.org.uk
If you have any further questions please let me know.

​Fathers,
Despite the current low risk to the public from coronavirus, Bishops’ Conference have issued guidelines to enable Catholic churches and organisations to find the relevant information in one place. The complete document – which will be amended in the future if necessary – is attached but please note the following key messages:
 

• At the time of writing there is no need to take special measures on suspending the Chalice or Sign of Peace. Should that become necessary, more detailed pastoral care guidance will be issued.

 

• Ask anyone with cold or flu symptoms to refrain from taking communion from the Chalice and receive the host on the hand only. (We should be doing this anyway, every ‘flu season.)

 

• Ensuring ministers of the Eucharist wash their hands before distributing communion or sanitise them is a good practice to encourage always.

 

• The best way of protecting us from spread is for everyone to use universal good hygiene, which will effectively disrupt spread of the virus. We should be doing this all the time for ‘flu:

§ Catch it - sneeze into a tissue
§ Bin it - bin the tissue
§ Kill it - wash your hands with soap and water
§ Do not touch your face unless you’ve washed your hands
§ Ensure good regular cleaning of surfaces lots of people touch regularly

• There is a government campaign on hygiene and posters can be downloaded and placed in parishes. It would be sensible to place these in churches and premises and alert people to this in newsletters and bulletins. The link can be found in the further materials section in the document.

 

• Pastoral care remains important

 
o Chaplains and others working in institutions where people with coronavirus are being cared for should seek and follow hygiene guidance from that institution
 
o Those who have been asked to self-isolate in the community as a precaution by medical staff will understandably be anxious but equally it is important not to breach this isolation. “In person care” should be kept to a minimum and advice taken from NHS 111 or call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647 on any precautions needed.