The last 18 months have been a difficult time for all of us, because of the COVID pandemic. Even those of us who have not been ill have been subject to lockdown and restrictions in many aspects of our lives.  Our church and parish have also been affected – who would have guessed 2 years ago that people would need to book in advance to come to Sunday Mass?   

We would like to hear your views and experiences of how the life of the parish has been affected during the pandemic. There will be a meeting on 28 September at 7.00pm for us to share our experiences. The meeting will be on Zoom and the joining details will be in the parish Facebook Group or contact margaretdoyle1066@sky.com .

If you’d rather tell us about your experiences in writing, there’s questionnaire you can fill in, and if you’d like to talk about your experiences but won’t be attending the meeting, please contact Margaret on 07719 906711.

Please follow the links below for more information about why we are doing this, data protection, etc., and for the questionnaire.

Bishop Robert has issued new Covid-guidance to the Diocese and the main points affecting St. Cuthbert’s and the Catholic Chaplaincy are:

• Please continue to use the hand sanitiser available in the narthex and porch.
• Please continue to wear a face covering in Church.
• Our seating capacity can now be increased, but you still need to book for the Sunday 10am Mass. As University term begins soon and attendance is likely to rise, then we may need to re-introduce bookings for the 6:30pm Mass as well.
• Cleaning routines in church are to be simplified.
• Congregational singing can commence again, whilst continuing to wear a face covering.
• The offertory collection will be re-introduced.
• Please note, however, that the physical Sign of Peace, reception of Holy Communion from the chalice and the availability of Holy Water remain suspended for the moment.
• At Holy Communion, especially on Sundays, we will continue to use our one-way system.

All these points will be reviewed again at the beginning of November.  

From this week our on-line Gospel Reflection moves to Saturday morning.

Join us at 10.30am for the Gospel Reflection, which we expect will last about 50 mins. We’ll then take a 10 minute break (to get a drink!), and our social coffee morning will start at about 11.30am.

You are very welcome to join for the whole 2 hours, but you’re also welcome to leave after the Gospel Reflection, or to join at 11.30am for our social time.

We will be meeting on Zoom, and the joining details are available in St. Cuthbert’s Parish Community Facebook Group, or from margaretdoyle1066@sky.com

Bishop Robert has announced the Year of the Eucharist will be celebrated in the Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle and will be launched during Mass at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Sunday 17 October, simultaneously with the launch of the Synod.

The aims of the Year of the Eucharist are:

To celebrate the Eucharist at the heart of the life and mission of the Church and to gather people back.

To grow as a Diocese in our love and appreciation of the Eucharist.

To deepen our appreciation of the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist through the rites.

To revitalise and renew our faith through a deepening prayer and devotion of the Eucharist.

To go out and serve the world through the nourishment of the Eucharist.

The Year of the Eucharist will be celebrated in Episcopal Areas, Partnerships, Parishes and Schools and will provide a framework of prayer for the Diocese’s participation in the first stage of the Synod.

On Fridays 10th and 17th, Saturdays 11th and 18th and Sundays 12th and 19th of September, St Cuthbert’s will be taking part in the national Heritage Open Days event (https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/st-cuthberts-catholic-church-durham) The church will be open to visitors, a small exhibition will be in place and light refreshments will be available. If you can help staff the church for 60 minutes or more during the day, welcoming visitors and offering refreshments, then please sign up on the list on the noticeboard or contact Andy Doyle (0798 543 4185 or andydoyle1066@sky.com).

For Readers; Saturday 9th October, at Ushaw College.

For Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion; Saturdays 16th and 30th October, at Ushaw College.

This is an opportunity to pray and reflect on your ministry, as we move back towards normality after the restrictions of the pandemic. Training is also being offered for Welcomers, Readers and Sacristans. If you are interested in any of these events, please speak to Fr Andrew or see the leaflet on the church noticeboard.

Thank you very much to those who have been able to come along to Mass over the last months and who have gladly responded to last-minute requests for readers etc. We hope we can return to more regular and formal rotas in the next few weeks.  We will be looking for welcomers, readers, servers, extraordinary ministers of communion, collectors and offertory bearers. Appropriate training will be available, especially for readers and servers.  If you feel you could help with these ministries, at either of the Sunday Masses and particularly if you are new to the parish, please contact Andy Doyle (0798 543 4185 or andydoyle1066@sky.com)   

The Bishops of England & Wales have issued a paper reflecting on the way ahead for a return to a normal pattern of worship in our churches. You can read the paper here.

Pope Francis encourages the Universal Church to pray the Rosary during the month of May, for the end of the pandemic. More information at: http://www.rcdhn.org.uk/faithandmission/marathonofprayer.php

The Bishops of England and Wales have written a Pastoral Letter on the Environment for the Feast of Pentecost. Read it here

Pentecost renewal retreat at Minsteracres. ‘Jesus breathed on them and said; Receive the Holy Spirit.’ In this retreat we will reflect on the role of the Holy spirit in John’s Gospel and pray for the release of the Spirit in our lives, that we may  learn how to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God. There will be times of input, times of silence and times of prayer and praise to help us open ourselves more fully to God. Led by Fr Chris Thomas. Friday 21-Sunday 23 May. Suggested donation: £175. See www.minsteacres.org for details.

Celebrated by Bishop Robert in St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday 22 May at 12 noon, and live streamed via the Cathedral YouTube channel.

The times of liturgies during Holy Week will be as follows:

  Mass of the Lord’s Supper; Thursday 1st April at 7.00pm

   Celebration of the Lord’s Passion; Friday 2nd April at 3.00pm

   Easter Vigil; Saturday 3rd April at 8.00pm

   Easter Sunday Mass; 4th April at 10.00am 

  (No Evening Mass on Easter Sunday).  

All of the services are now fully booked.

All of these liturgies will be live streamed on St Cuthbert’s YouTube channel.

Many thanks to Fr. Nick King SJ for his talk on Friday evening.

If you weren’t able to join us, you can watch the talk on our YouTube channel.

Our Lenten Stations of the Cross continues this Friday at 6:30pm on Zoom. Joining details can be found in the St Cuthbert’s Parish Community Facebook Group or by contacting Andy Doyle (andydoyle1066@sky.com or 0798 543 4185).

If you would like to lead Stations on one of the Fridays of Lent (excluding Good Friday), get in touch with Andy.

If you’re not able to join us on Zoom on Fridays, there’s a recorded version of the Stations, with readings and meditations based on the Gospel of Mark, on our YouTube channel.