Mass will resume at the Chaplaincy Centre on Sunday 27 September at the slightly different time of 6pm. The present Covid pandemic has restricted our chapel capacity to 36, and so there is the possibility that people may not be able to fit into the chapel for Mass. For this reason, following Welcome Week, there will be a choice of Sunday Masses on campus, one at 4.30pm and one at 6pm. If we have reached the limit within the chapel, please tune into the ‘Lancaster University Catholic Chaplaincy Centre’ Facebook page and you can join in the Mass online, and then come and receive Holy Communion at the end of Mass. In between each of the Masses, the church will be cleaned and sanitised to ensure a safe environment for students and staff. Unfortunately after Mass we are no longer able to offer refreshments and cake; however, we will be handing out Thermal Mugs and you can fill these up with tea beforehand and bring it with you and enjoy it (in a socially-distant way) after the Mass with others. Finally, please be assured that you can visit the Chapel during the rest of the week: the doors will be open and you can come in for quiet prayer. You are asked, however, to sanitise your seat after you have sat on it with a Dettol wipe.
If you are living in town, Mass will be available in the surrounding parishes, subject to any restrictions brought about by the Coronavirus:
St Peter’s Cathedral, Balmoral Rd, Lancaster LA1 3BT. Saturday Vigil 6.30pm, Sunday morning 10.30am, Sunday evening 6.30pm. Weekdays at 12.15pm.
St Bernadette’s, 120 Bowerham Rd, Lancaster LA1 4HT. Saturday Vigil 6.30pm, Sunday morning 11am
St Joseph’s, Slyne Road, Lancaster LA1 2HU. Saturday Vigil 6.30pm, Sunday morning 10.00am.
Whilst Fr Philip will be around on campus, you can always contact him through St Joseph’s parish: 01524 32493, or by email.
Covid regulations: As per the instructions from the Bishop, those who can wear facemasks are asked to wear them in the chapel. There is no congregational singing. The Sign of Peace is temporarily suspended to reduce any potential cause of transmission of coronavirus.
Please continue to practise good hand-washing hygiene, and remember these measures are not intended to cause panic, but to introduce sensible precautions to help everyone stay healthy. For this reason, the holy water stoup has also been removed, and people are asked to receive Holy Communion by hand. If you are feeling in any way unwell, please do not come to church and please self-isolate and follow relevant medical advice.
Should Masses be cancelled in the near future, please keep in touch with livestreaming of Masses and services through the Catholic Chaplaincy Facebook page and make use of the wonderful resources that we now have at hand on the internet: in particular the Readings for Mass can be found on the universalis website, and you can order Magnificat, a publication which includes daily prayers and the Mass readings of the day, from the Catholic Herald. Please continue to pray the Rosary and read the Scriptures each day for an end to this virus and for peace in our world.