It is important to stress that our Archbishop has reasserted that the Sunday Obligation will remain suspended and that no one should feel obliged to come to Mass if they do not feel able to.  

Also, if you are feeling unwell, have flu-like symptoms (fever, a new continuous cough, loss of smell or taste),
​then please do not come to church. 

St Thomas of Canterbury, Tettenhall will open for Holy Mass at 11.15 a.m. on SUNDAY 1st NOVEMBER.  

Please be aware that there is a limited number of seats - our new capacity is 50 individuals.
​

Please do not expect the church to look the same as it did when you last came to Holy Mass.  There is now strict one-way system in use.  At St Christopher's entrance is through the rear doors from the carpark only. At St Thomas's, entrance in through the St Newman Centre.  This is to allow for queuing before entering the church.

To ensure that everyone feels safe when they enter our church buildings, we will be compliant with the government's 1 metre-plus guidance for social distancing.  This means that there will be 1 metre distance between individuals or family groups/bubbles. 

Holy mass:

MONDAY  
9.30 a.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall

TUESDAY 
9.30 a.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall

THURSDAY 
7.00 p.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall

FRIDAY
9.30 a.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall

SATURDAY
5.30 p.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall

SUNDAY 
9.15 a.m. at St Christopher's, Codsall
11.15 a.m. at St Thomas of Canterbury, Tettenhall

What to expect when you visit one of our churches...

How many people can attend?

The obligation to attend Holy Mass on a Sunday continues to be suspended for the foreseeable future.  If you are able to come to Holy Mass during the week, please do so, so that Masses over the weekend are not overly subscribed.  

If it is at all possible it would be much appreciated if members of the same household/bubble can attend the same Mass and sit in the same bench.  But we must follow the "Rule of Six" government policy.

We have installed a camera at St Christopher's, so that we can continue to stream Mass live for those who are unable to be with us.  Visit our Livestream page for more information.

How can i help?

We need at least two stewards 'on duty' at every weekday Mass and four on a Sunday.  They will welcome people, direct people to their places and ensure that social distancing is adhered to.  They will then help to clean the church after each Mass.  
If you are fit and not in any vulnerable category nor shielding or self-isolating, then please think about volunteering.  If we do not have enough volunteers, then we will not be able to open for Holy Mass.
If you can help, please contact Fr Craig today.

Face masks/covering

Because we have adopting the 1 metre-plus policy for social distancing, everyone over the age of eleven will have to wear a face covering or mask etc.  This is a legal requirement.  You will not be allowed to attend a Mass if you do not, unless there is a medical reason.  Please bring your own face mask/covering with you.  We are unable to provide these.  The church might be chilly too due to the requirement for us to ventilation - even in the winter months!  Do come prepared!

How are we going to manage the numbers at holy mass?

We are required to adhere strictly to our new capacity.  This will mean that we can only allow a limited number of people into the church for Holy Mass.  Other parishes are introducing a booking system to attend Mass, and we will be exploring this in the days ahead.

The Church will be opened 15 minutes before Holy Mass is due to begin.  Entrance is through the main front doors only, and exit will be through different routes depending where you are sitting.

Attendance at Mass will be on a first-come first-served basis.  To enable other people to come to Mass, you will not be able to attend Mass every day.

In line with the guidance of the Archdiocese, most of the toilets are locked (although the disabled toilet is available).  Access to the kitchen and sacristies will be restricted for the foreseeable future too. 

Will mass be the same?

There will be a number of differences to how we will celebrate Mass in the coming weeks.  
1) When you arrive at the church, you will be directed to a seat by one of the stewards following the new one-way system in place. This is for everyone's safety.
2)There will be no congregational singing during Mass.
3) There will be a limited number of Altar Servers for the time being.
4) The priest will only preach a very short homily ("hurray", I hear you say!)
5) The bidding prayers on a Sunday will be omitted.
6) Holy Communion will be administered by the priest only.
7) At the time of Holy Communion, you will remain in your place, and the priest will bring Holy Communion to you.  This prevents the need for queuing and potential issues with social distancing.  
8) Everyone, for the time being, will be required to receive Holy Communion in the hand.  
9) At the end of Holy Mass, the congregation will be dismissed a row at a time from the church.  Please continue to ensure social distancing on the car park. 
10) The will be no formal collection at Mass, but donations can be placed into the basket at the entrance to the church.  Perhaps this is a good moment to think about taking out a Standing Order to prevent the need for cash.
11) The Offertory Procession and the Sign of Peace will continue to be omitted.

Most importantly, we need to be very patient with each other.  Things are going to feel very different - and certainly not what we remember from before the lockdown.