Parish Office Hours

The Parish Office is open on:

• Monday to Thursday from 10.00am-1.00pm
• Friday from 10.00am-2.00pm

 to deal with all routine parish administrative matters, as well as to help with any other pastoral enquiries. During these hours it is possible to visit the Office, next door to the Presbytery, or by telephone or email. Emails will usually only be answered during Office hours.  Contact details are here.

Masses at St James

Mass is celebrated at St James on:

• Tuesday at 10.00am
• Wednesday at 12noon
• Thursday at 6.30pm
• Friday at 12noon
• Saturday at 6.00pm
• Sunday at 10.00am and 11.30am

It is very important that you let the Parish Office know that you would like to come to a particular Mass.  At the moment there are sometimes spare seats at some of the Masses so you can chance turning up without booking, but there is no guarantee that there will be a seat available

Until now the Government has said that the wearing of face coverings is “strongly recommended”.  However, the Prime Minister announced last Friday that, due to an increase in the spread of COVID-19, the wearing of face coverings will be obligatory in places of worship from Friday 8^th August.   Therefore, anyone coming to church after that date will be required to wear a face covering when inside the building.  Some cloth face coverings made by Christine Pickford are still available as you enter the church.

At least two Stewards (three on Sundays) need to be present at each Mass to ensure the observance of social distancing, take the names and contact telephone number of those present, and to sanitise the church afterwards. We need to have more volunteers to become stewards, so that the responsibility can be shared across the parish community. Please contact Canon Kristian or Rosie if you can offer some of your time. Thank you to those parishioners who have stewarded on an ‘ad hoc’ basis and are ‘on call’ if needed for one-off cover slots, and those parishioners who are stewarding on a regular weekly basis.

The Pope’s Intentions for August

The Pope’s universal intention for August is for all those who work on and live from the sea, among them sailors, fishermen and their families.  During the summer, we also pray for a deeper understanding between Christians and Jews, and for all peoples of faith, that mutual respect and the promotion of peace may be a voice for good.

In Europe we are also asked to pray for a deepening of the knowledge and understanding of our common heritage of faith and for an openness to the stranger and a care for their needs.

Youth Events in the Diocese

Saskia Hogbin, the Diocesan Youth Events Worker, has asked that the following be put in parish newsletters for our young people:

“On 26 September there will be Zoom workshops for young people to discuss the future of our planet and ways we can teach others to look after it.  We plan to share a prayer service at St Peter’s, Crownhill, later that day.  Bookings will be taken in September.

In October there will be a series of five sessions exploring Faith, Music and Creativity.  One Hope Project will lead three of the discussions.  These are aimed at young people aged 13-21.

Lastly I am looking for young people across the diocese to help put together a short film of prayer and reflection.  We are looking for people to sing as well as those that will share thoughts, reflections and read prayers.  The theme will be ‘My Spiritual Journey: Living through COVID0-19’.

If you are interested in any of these events or have ideas for any future events, please email youth@prcdtr.org.uk.”

Holy Mass in Polish

The Mass this Thursday, 6 August, at 6.30 pm, the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, will be in Polish.  Attendance at this Mass is open to all parishioners. However, the same social distancing rules will be in operation, so we encourage people to contact the Parish Office to ensure there is a place available.

Imaginative Contemplation of the Gospel

A handout to help us to pray with this Sunday’s Gospel using our imagination is available to read online or to download as a PDF under the Resources section of the parish website, here. There is an opportunity to pray this Gospel together in our weekly on-line prayer group.   Contact monika.manser@btinternet.com for the Zoom access details.  All welcome.

200 Club

There will be a draw in August.  Those members that pay annually will be credited for the four months not drawn and those that pay monthly will not owe for those months.  For the August draw, those who pay monthly are asked either to leave the money in a clearly marked envelope at the presbytery or to send a cheque to the Parish Office, made payable to the “Parish of St James and St Boniface”.  Any queries, please contact Simon Coombs (01884) 258331 or email sicoombs@aol.com.

Parish Giving

Lockdown has been a difficult time financially for many of our parishioners and so we are truly grateful for those who have continued to give their parish offerings by way of Standing Order. Your offerings are important to sustain the life of the parish. There are baskets at the entry and exit to the church for those who contribute by using Planned Giving Envelopes or cash.

Along with other parishes in the diocese, we will also be introducing “cashless giving” by means of a “Tap and Donate” system similar to the contactless pay methods that are now used in many shops and services.  Further information will be forthcoming when the details are finalised.