Guidelines from the Diocese
Following the First Minister’s announcement on Friday 19th June to ease restrictions from Monday 21st, including possible opening of places of worship for private prayer, Archbishop George Stack, the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Menevia, has released the following documents. We are working to ensure that all required procedures are in place so as to be able to open our church for private prayer as soon as we can, which we hope will be possible in the next couple of weeks. Please follow our blogs to get the latest updates.
The Archdiocese of Cardiff and the Dioceses of Menevia and Wrexham welcome the announcement by the First Minister that churches may be opened for private prayer from Monday 22 June 2020. In the interests of your continued safety, given the measures that will need to be put in place in the coming days, it seems that Saturday 28 June will be the likely date for those churches who fulfil the health and safety requirements may be opened for a specific time to be announced. With the re-opening
of churches, certain responsibilities are laid on both the parish and the diocese to ensure the health and safety of those who come to pray. Amongst these are the following:
- Each parish will need to decide the hours of opening and these times will be published on the diocesan website, once the Risk Assessment has been made and the Health and Safety certificate has been issued.
- Everyone visiting the church will be required to follow the necessary guidelines and signage to ensure the safety of all.
- Each parish will need to provide two or three volunteers to ensure the safe flow and placement of people, seating, distance, cleaning, signage, stewards.
PLEASE NOTE:
a. The obligation to attend Mass on Sunday remains dispensed.
b. Social distancing must be observed
(currently two metres – except for household groups).
c. Each person must sanitize their hands on entering and leaving the church.
d. Should a person feel unwell or has been to an infected place in the past 14
days he or she should not enter the church.
e. The numbers entering the church will be restricted – depending on the seating available. One-way entry and exit paths will need to be established.
f. Churches must be cleaned every day prior to opening, and portions cleaned during the time it is open. Special attention must be paid to pews and door handles. Where possible, windows should be open. Air circulation helps reduce infection.
g. Hymn books, prayer books, pamphlets and leaflets should be removed.
h. Those who are “shielding” or self-isolating must remain at home and not come to the church for private prayer.
i. Some of our churches will be unable to fulfil these requirements through being too small, or not being able to recruit the necessary volunteer stewards or cleaners. Hopefully, the main church in each deanery will be able to welcome visitors from elsewhere.
j. Face coverings may be worn but are not strictly necessary. Their use is voluntary and not disrespectful to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament or the sacred space which is the church.
k. Parents and guardians bringing children to the church should be mindful to care for them particularly by ensuring they touch as few surfaces as possible for their own safety.
“I rejoiced when I heard them say “Let us go to God’s house, and now our feet are standing within your gates O Jerusalem”. (Psalm 121:1-2))
RISK ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES FOR MENEVIA CLERGY
CHURCHES REOPENING FOR PRIVATE PRAYER
IN LINE WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING GUIDELINES
❖ WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE RISK ASSESSMENT FROM MARK PHILLIPS
If you wish to reopen your church for private prayer, please ensure that all the required measures within the risk assessment are in place together with the appropriate signage before requesting Mark Phillips or the Health & Safety Officer to visit your parish.
❖ CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE
A signed Certificate of Compliance will be issued when all measures are in place
and have been verified by Mark Phillips or the Health & Safety Officer.
ST MARY'S CHURCH CARMARTHEN 