The government has announced that New Zealand is moving to the orange setting in the traffic light system effective as of 11:59pm on Wednesday 13 April 2022.
For faith based gatherings this means the following:
- Registration for Mass is no longer required.
- There is no limit on the numbers who can attend Mass.
- Face masks are encouraged whenever you leave the house. They remain required to be worn by workers, including volunteers, at indoor events and gatherings (ie at Mass). Attendees are not required to wear face masks.
They have previously issued a pastoral letter, Living, Caring, Worshipping and Ministering in a Covid-19 World. In the letter they say,
“We believe that churches should be safe places for all people, physically, emotionally and spiritually. In the spirit of the Gospel, we also want our churches to be places of hospitality and inclusion, open and welcoming to all without prejudice or discrimination.”
The government has given advice for places of worship and we as a diocese are abiding by these.
Liturgy guidelines
Holy Communion is under one kind (no chalice), no shaking of hands during the Sign of the Peace, no communion on the tongue and no holy water available in stoops.
Parishes are now free to decide if they choose to have the collection basket passed around, have an offertory procession and have altar servers.
The dispensation from Sunday Mass continues.
Online Masses are being offered. See below for information about this.
Keep up to date by checking our Facebook page
Online Masses in the Diocese
An online Mass is offered by the Diocese. This is from St Mary’s Pro-Cathedral at 9.30am and can be found at this link or here
Parishes are also offering Masses online
- Christchurch East Parish (St Anne’s Woolston) – Sundays 10.30am. This can be found on their Facebook page
- Timaru Parish (Basilica) – Saturday vigil. Posted by 9pm on their Facebook page
- Waimakariri Parish (Rangiora) – Sundays 10.30am. This can be found on their Facebook page
Mass on Shine TV
Sunday Mass can be viewed on Shine TV at 2.00pm Free-to-air TV Channel 25, Sky TV Channel 201
Prayer of Spiritual Communion
During the online Masses (or at other times) we are invited to pray a prayer of “Spiritual Communion”. This is where we unite ourselves to God through prayer, our desire to be united with him when we are unable to receive Holy Communion.
During the last lockdown when we could not gather as a community of faith to celebrate Mass, a number of resources were developed across the world and made available online to assist people in their prayer. A few are offered below
Lectio Divina for Sunday 20th September can be downloaded below. This is a means of reading the scriptures are reflecting on it. Download the file here
Pope Francis
In last Sunday’s homily, Archbishop Paul Martin encourages us to take this time of lockdown as an opportunity to deepen our relationship with the Lord. Among other things, he suggested that we read the letters of Pope Francis so that we know what he is asking us to be and to do.
Rejoice and Be Glad – Gaudete et Exsultate
With that in mind, here are some resources to help guide you in your study of Pope Francis’ letter Rejoice and Be Glad. In this letter, Pope Francis reminds us all of our call to grow in holiness. He shows that holiness is not an impossible task.
With that in mind, here are some resources to help guide you in your study of Pope Francis’ letter Rejoice and Be Glad. In this letter, Pope Francis reminds us all of our call to grow in holiness. He shows that holiness is not an impossible task.
Here is the document Rejoice and Be Glad
Here is a 30-day prayer journal that you can use for your personal daily prayer
Year of the Family and Amoris Laetitia
Pope Francis established the Year of the Family on March 19, 2021, the Solemnity of St. Joseph. This marks the fifth anniversary of the publication of his Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, which means “The joy of love” and explores the beauty and joy found in family life. The National Centre for Religious Studies (NCRS) put together a resource booklet for reflection and discussion called Blessed to be Family / He Mea Whakapai Te Whānau. This resource can be downloaded here
Below is a short video about Amories Laetitia and more information can be found on the Amories Laetitia Vatican website
Sunday Prayer at Home
The Church has gathered on Sunday from the earliest days. Sacred Scripture speaks of Sunday as the 1st day of the week, the day for the community to gather.
When one cannot gather with the parish community, the prayer of the
Church continues and you can join your prayer to that of the Church. Click here for Sunday Prayer at Home
Drawing Near to the Saints
Drawing nearer to the saints through their prayer strengthens our communion in the Lord. One of the best ways to come to know the saints, and to grow into the love of Christ with them, is to actually practice praying the way the saints themselves prayed.
It is both nourishing and enlivening to know something about the saints, to learn more about their lives and their deeds. If we really want to know a saint on his/her own terms, then we need to enter into the place where the saint themself was most at home. That place is in their life of prayer.
Why are saints most at home in their prayer? That is where each saint came to share themselves fully with the One they love, the One whose love makes them who they are. Over the course of their life, each saint returned over and over again to seek and share themselves with their Lord in prayer. As they did so, the Lord shared himself with his saints.
The prayer of the saints is a dialogue of love. It is a most intimate sharing between the Lord, who calls, and his disciples who respond. Here, perhaps, is the most wondrous part: the saints teach us how to pray. They show us how we too can enter into this dialogue with the Lord. The saints might first draw our attention because of what we have learned about them, what others have told us about them, or we felt ourselves be claimed by one saint or another at some point in our lives. The saints to not want us to stop at them, they want to share with us the life and the communion they themselves have found in Christ.
(Source: Praying with the Saints by Leonard DeLorenzo. McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame)
Prayer and Witness for Children
The Catholic Education Office team has created a Prayer and Witness challenge for students and families, at primary and Years 9 & 10 secondary levels. This resource is designed for you to modify, differentiate and use as you see fit.
Prayer for the sick, dying and deceased
During this time of lockdown our loved ones could be in the situation of being sick, dying or pass away. Below are some prayers for each of these situations.
Creating a Prayer Table at home. Some suggestions about creating a prayer table in your home
Creating-A-Prayer-Table-at-HomeDownload
The Word Among Us Online www.wau.org provides free access to daily Mass readings and meditation. Click here to access
Pray as you go – daily prayer from the Jesuits that lasts about 10 minutes. Click here to access
Liturgy Training Publications is providing a multitude of resources for adults, teens and children. These can be found at: www.ltp.org/resources-during-crisis
These resources include:
- Daily prayer : includes Psalm, Gospel, Reflection and Prayer
- Children’s Daily Prayer: resources with prayers, Grace before meals, Prayer at the end of the day, Blessing for birthdays, sad days and home prayers
- At Home with the Word © gives reflections on the Sunday Scriptures:
- Liturgy of the Hours: daily prayer throughout the day and night.
- Ideas for Teens and Youth Ministers
There are a number of video resources on our website to help grow your faith!
My Catholic Faith Delivered is an online subscription-based faith formation hub for Catholics from all walks of life. There is a variety of resources for parishes, families, adults and children. The Faith and Life programme is a fun, interactive programme for children. MCFD is offering all courses free for three months. Click here to access