The (virtual) gathering is also so volunteers can be made aware of all the practical aspects of being at the vigil, including the Statement of Peace which everyone must abide by if they want to be at the vigil. Even if you only pray outside the abortion centre you are doing much more than you think, and great good can only come out of such witness. The very important thing to do is to be motivated by charity and love.
Assistant: Fr Ian Verrier, FSSP, (also Organist
& Choir Master)
Visiting Priest: Fr Andrew Jolly
Shrine Secretary: Mrs Jane Wright
Safeguarding: If you have concerns about children or vulnerable
adults, please contact the Archdiocesan Safeguarding Department
on 0151 522 1043 or e-mail safeguarding@rcaol.co.uk, or speak with Clare
Fraser, St Mary’s Safeguarding Officer. Thank you for your awareness.
Church Opening Times (with stewarding):
Weekdays: 11:00am – 1:30pm
Saturdays: 10:00am-1:30pm
Sundays: 10:00am– 1:00pm& 5:00pm-7:00pm
Daily
Mass open to all present on site, and accessible online for free daily viaLiveMass.net.
Holy Mass times:
Mon-Sat:
12:10pm Mass
Sundays:
11:00am Sung Mass; 6:00pm Low Mass.
Confessions: ½ hr daily before every Holy Mass:
Sun:
10:30am-11:00am, and 5:30pm-6:00pm;
Mon-Fri:
11:40am-12:05pm;
Sat:
10:00am-12noon
No
booking is required to attend Mass at St Mary’s Shrine Church.
COVID: Please observe social distancing, sanitizing and
one-way system as signed, and kindly cover your face with a mantilla, scarf or
mask unless exempt.
To receive Holy Communion: one
must be a Catholic, in state of grace, one-hour fasting at least. In the EF
liturgy, Holy Communion is received kneeling (unless unable to) and always
on the tongue. Thank you in advance.
Modesty in church: please cover your bodies at least down to elbows
and below knees; no tight or see-through garments.
Access: Make sure to park in our TWO car parks, both of
them adjacent to the church.
Our lesser known car park is easier to access and to exit: when driving along St Mary’s
Church (on your left) on Buttermarket Street, turn left immediately
before the Porter’s Ales House pub,
into Priory Court car park, and walk through the pedestrian gate on your left
into the back garden of the presbytery towards St Mary’s church.
Our better known car park is accessed via Smith
Street, a cul-de-sac off Mersey Street immediately on your left before The Borough Arms pub, and to the end of
Smith Street through the gates and into the car park.
OFFERTORY COLLECTION at the END
of EVERY Mass, daily: a steward will be holding the collection basket by the Porch
door as you exit, for you kindly to drop your offering.
Your
financial support is greatly appreciated, since St Mary’s Shrine and community
do not receive any money from the Liverpool Archdiocese where we serve. The
cost of running St Mary’s is an estimated £1,700.00 per WEEK (including
priests’ allowance and healthcare, car allowance and building maintenance).
You can
send your donation to St Mary’s Shrine via our Donate page: https://fssp.co.uk/donate/.
Ask us for a Gift Aid form to increase your donation by 20% at no extra cost to
you. Gift Aid envelopes can be
obtained from our Secretariat. Standing
orders are easier and quicker for us to process than cash:
Bank
Name: Lloyds Bank
Sort
Code: 30-80-27
Account
number: 30993368
Account
name: FSSP Warrington
Mass readings: If
you are new to St Mary’s Latin Mass community, please note that we normally
have printed sheets with English translations and booklets to help you follow
Holy Mass. Those are currently not available due to anti-virus regulations. But
you can find on our website a link to the readings for
the Mass of each day. You can also subscribe for free to our weekly circular emails with
all news and interactive links.
Save babies: peaceful prayer presence 6am to 9pm outside Liverpool BPAS abortuary for 40 days from 23rd Sept. to 1st Nov. Can you give one hour? Contact Gabrielle Stanley: Liverpool40daysforlife@gmail.com; 07895128073. Website: www.40daysforlife.com
Prayer intentions:
for our sick: John Marechal, Hilda Creagan, John
Sunderland (cancer);
thanksgiving for a former member of our
congregation, Miss Raya C., now Sister Mary Charity, who became a novice at a
convent in America on 12th September after seven months of postulancy:
“The postulants process into church dressed as brides. The wedding dress
symbolizes the totality of the gift which each postulant is making of herself.
Like a bride, each postulant makes a spousal gift: a total gift of self to the
beloved, Jesus Christ.”
thanksgiving for the happy birth of Elisabetta, sixth
child of Antonello and Suzanne Mary Mosca last 31st August.
Sun
13
15th
Sunday after Pentecost5pm
Vespers & Benediction
11:00am 6:00pm
Our
Lady’s intentions
Thanksgiving
to St Joseph
Mon
14
Exaltation
of the Holy Cross
12:10pm
Agnes
Weaver RIP
Tue
15
Seven
Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary
12:10pm
Holy
Souls
Wed
16
Sts.
Cornelius & Cyprian, Martyrs
Men’s
Group 7:00pm-9:15pm
12:10pm
7:00pm
Homeless
Man
Conor
Jones
Thu
17
Stigmata
of St. Francis (Comm.)
12:10pm
Holy
Souls
Fri
18
St.
Joseph Cupertino
12:10pm
Sandra
Sleigh
Sat
19
Adoration
& Confessions 10:00am-12noon
St.
Januarius & Companions, Martyrs
12:10pm
Salvation
of the Dying
Sun
20
16th
Sunday after Pentecost5pm
Vespers & Benediction
11:00am 6:00pm
Ronald & Patricia Jones
Marie Dean RIP
Mon
21
St.
Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist
12:10pm
Anita
Rawsthorne
Tue
22
St.
Thomas of Villanova
12:10pm
Thanksgiving
Wed
23
Ember
Wednesday
Men’s
Group 7:00pm-9:15pm
12:10pm
7:00pm
St
Mary’s Clergy
Thanksgiving
to St Joseph
Thu
24
Our
Lady of Ransom (Comm.)
12:10pm
Jim
Aherne
Fri
25
Ember
Friday
12:10pm
Thomas
Sat
26
Adoration
& Confessions 10:00am-12noon
Ember
Saturday
12:10pm
St
Mary’s Clergy
Sun
27
17th
Sunday after Pentecost5pm
Vespers & Benediction
11:00am 6:00pm
David
Harris Jr RIP
St
Mary’s Clergy
All
activities subject to Covid-19 regulations:
Men’s Group Wed 9th
& 23rd September, 7:00pm Holy Mass, 8pm Talk and prayers).
Youth Group
Juventutem Warrington: Sat. 26th Sept.10am: facebook.com/juventutem.warrington/.
Women’s Group: Sat
19th Sept, 1:00pm
Weekly family educational afternoon: resumes
on Wed. 16th Sept., 1pm. Contact: Alison Kahn.
Priestly Ordination of Deacon
Roger Gilbride, FSSP (back in New Zealand before Easter 2020
after his pastoral stage here at St Mary’s): Sat. 3rd October, Auckland, New Zealand, by Bishop Denis
Browne, Bishop emeritus of the Hamilton diocese. A live-video link should be
available via www.fssp.nz. We hope then-Fr Gilbride will offer a First Mass
here this year.
Last
seven days to
contribute to the spiritual bouquet for Deacon Gilbride by us at St
Mary’s. Put in the basket in St Mary’s Porch an anonymous note with the prayers
you pledge to offer for his intentions, for example: five decades of the Holy
Rosary; or Litany of Loreto; or one hour of Eucharistic adoration; or attending
one weekday Holy Mass, etc. Deadline for
bringing your prayer note: Sunday 20th
September 7:00pm.
Volunteering: Can you help with cleaning the church, car parks,
Priory Court rooms/toilets? More specialised assistance is also envisaged for:
cooking for clergy, cleaning Presbytery, management of buildings, fundraising,
maintenance, light admin work etc. As St Mary’s Community increases, so do our
needs for help. Thank you for getting involved. Let us do more for God and
souls.
Maundy Thursday Homily on the Sacred Priesthood was our peak live audience on LiveMass with 1,754 households connected. Listen to the nine-minute homily by Fr Alex Stewart, FSSP, freshly uploaded here: vimeo.com/455615905
Priory Campaign: With
the summer recess behind us, we are now going to be able to update our fundraising
figure. A rough estimate seems to indicate that your prayers and generosity
might soon allow us to complete the purchase of Priory Court (Unit 1) before
the mid-October deadline. We will soon communicate on this and on the plans and
costs for the conversion work of the three units.
Assistant: Fr Ian Verrier, FSSP, (also Organist
& Choir Master)
Visiting Priest: Fr Andrew Jolly
Shrine Secretary: Mrs Jane Wright
Safeguarding:
Children, teenagers
and vulnerable adults must be accompanied or supervised at all times within the
Shrine. If you have concerns, please contact the Archdiocesan Safeguarding
Department on 0151 522 1043 or e-mail safeguarding@rcaol.co.uk, or speak
with Clare Fraser, St Mary’s Safeguarding Officer. Thank you for your awareness.
Church Opening Times (with
stewarding):
Weekdays:
11:00am – 1:30pm
Saturdays: 10:00am-1:30pm
Sundays:
10:00am– 1:00pm& 5:00pm-7:00pm
Daily Mass open to all present on site, and accessible online for free daily via LiveMass.net.
Holy Mass times:
Mon-Sat:
12:10pm Mass
Sundays:
11:00am Sung Mass; 6:00pm Low Mass.
Confessions: ½ hr daily
before every Holy Mass:
Sun: 10:30am-11:00am,
and 5:30pm-6:00pm;
Mon-Fri:
11:40am-12:05pm;
Sat:
10:00am-12noon
No booking is required to attend Mass at St Mary’s Shrine Church.
COVID: Please
observe social distancing, sanitizing and one-way system as signed, and kindly cover
your face with a mantilla, scarf or mask unless exempt.
To receive Holy Communion: one
must be a Catholic, in state of grace, one-hour fasting at least. In the EF
liturgy, Holy Communion is received kneeling (unless unable to) and always
on the tongue. Thank you in advance.
Modesty in church: please
cover your bodies at least down to elbows and below knees; no tight or
see-through garments.
Access: Make
sure to park in our TWO car parks, both of them adjacent to the church.
Our lesser known car park is easier to access
and to exit: when driving along St Mary’s Church (on your left) on Buttermarket
Street, turn left immediately before the Porter’s Ales House pub, into Priory Court car park, and walk
through the pedestrian gate on your left into the back garden of the presbytery
towards St Mary’s church.
Our better known car park is accessed via Smith
Street, a cul-de-sac off Mersey Street immediately on your left before The Borough Arms pub, and to the end of
Smith Street through the gates and into the car park.
OFFERTORY COLLECTION at the END of EVERY Mass, daily:
a steward will be holding the collection basket by the Porch door as you exit,
for you kindly to drop your offering.
Your financial support is greatly appreciated, since St Mary’s Shrine
and community do not receive any money from the Liverpool Archdiocese where we
serve. The cost of running St Mary’s is an estimated £1,700.00 per WEEK (including
priests’ allowance and healthcare, car allowance and building maintenance).
You can send your donation to St Mary’s Shrine via our Donate page: https://fssp.co.uk/donate/.
Ask us for a Gift Aid form to increase your donation by 20% at no extra cost to
you.
Gift Aid envelopes can be
obtained from our Secretariat.
Standing orders are
easier and quicker for us to process than cash:
Bank Name: Lloyds Bank
Sort Code: 30-80-27
Account number: 30993368
Account name: FSSP Warrington
Mass readings: If you are new to St Mary’s Latin Mass
community, please note that we normally have printed sheets with English
translations and booklets to help you follow Holy Mass. Those are currently not
available due to anti-virus regulations. But you can find on our website a link to the readings for the Mass of each day.
You can also subscribe for free to our weekly circular emails with all news and
interactive links.
We give thanks for a pleasant celebration of
the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday 22nd August in the
Priory garden.
Holy Mass times 1-13 September 2020
Holy Rosary prayed at 11:30am every weekday.
Tue
1
St
Giles (feria)
12:10pm
Rawsthorne
Family
Wed
2
St.
Stephen of Hungary
12:10pm
Mary
Lawton
Thu
3
St.
Pius X
12:10pm
Holy
Father & Bishops
Fri
4
Votive
Mass of the Sacred Heart
12:10pm
Patrick
Cahill RIP
Sat
5
Adoration
& Confessions 10:00am-12noon
Votive
Mass of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
(St.
Lawrence Justinian)
12:10pm
Conor
Jones
Sun
6
14th Sunday after Pentecost 5pm Vespers & Benediction
11:00am
6:00pm
Ronald
Hannah
Doreen
Houghton
Mon
7
Mass
Against Pestilence (feria)
12:10pm
St
Benedict’s Academy
Tue
8
Nativity
of the Blessed Virgin Mary
12:10pm
Eileen
Corcoran RIP
Wed
9
Votive
Mass of St Joseph (feria)
Men’s
Group 7:00pm
12:10pm
Thanksgiving
to St Joseph
Thu
10
St.
Nicholas of Tolentino
12:10pm
Craig
& Kayleigh Sartland
Fri
11
Votive
Mass for priestly Vocations
12:10pm
FSSP
Confraternity
Sat
12
Adoration
& Confessions 10:00am-12noon
Most
Holy Name of Mary
12:10pm
Thanksgiving
(Seymour Family)
Sun
13
15th Sunday after Pentecost 5pm Vespers & Benediction
11:00am
6:00pm
Our
Lady’s intentions
Thanksgiving
to St Joseph
All
activities subject to social distancing:
Men’s Group
resumes on Wednesday 9th September, 7:00pm (talk & prayers, no
Mass).
Youth Group
Juventutem Warrington: Sat. 26th September, 10:00am –
facebook.com/juventutem.warrington/.
Women’s Group:
Sat 19th Sept, 1:00pm
Weekly Family educational afternoon: to be confirmed shortly
Priestly
Ordination of Deacon Roger Gilbride, FSSP (back
in New Zealand before Easter 2020 after his pastoral stage here at St Mary’s):
Sat. 3rd
October, Auckland, New Zealand, by Bishop Denis
Browne, Bishop emeritus of the Hamilton diocese. A live-video link should be
available via www.fssp.nz. We hope then-Fr Gilbride will offer a First Mass
here this year.
A spiritual
bouquet will be offered to Deacon Gilbride by
us at St Mary’s. Put in the basket in St Mary’s Porch an anonymous note with
the prayers you pledge to offer for his intentions, for example: five decades
of the Holy Rosary; or Litany of Loreto; or one hour of Eucharistic adoration;
or attending one weekday Holy Mass, etc.
Deadline for
bringing your prayer note: Sunday 20th
September 7:00pm.
Volunteering: Can you help with cleaning the church, car parks,
Priory Court rooms/toilets? More specialised assistance is also envisaged for:
cooking for clergy, cleaning Presbytery, management of buildings, fundraising,
maintenance, light admin work etc. As St Mary’s Community increases, so do our
needs for help. Thank you for getting involved. Let us do more for God and
souls.
New logo for St Mary’s: After consultation it was found
that the depiction of Our Lady overleaf, from the great Lady Window above the
altar, is the most recognisable feature of our church. It will be included in
the official logo of St Mary’s Shrine, soon to be released.
Priory
Campaign: With the summer recess behind us, we are
now going to be able to update our fundraising figure. A rough estimate seems
to indicate that your prayers and generosity might soon allow us to complete
the purchase of Priory Court (Unit 1) before the mid-October deadline. We will
soon communicate on this and on the plans and costs for the conversion work of
the three units.
Thank you for celebrating the Immaculate Heartof Mary
after Holy Mass last month in the Priory garden: it was a good opportunity to
meet with our newer parishioners.
Unlike Communion on the hand which took place for some time in Christian antiquity, digital Communion never existed in the Catholic Church until modern times.
Confessions are heard in the confessional from 10.30am and during most of the 11.00am Mass, and again at 5.30pm before the 6.00pm Mass.
No booking is required to attend Mass at St Mary’s Shrine Church.
Please observe social distancing as signed, and kindly bring your face covering unless you are exempt as per Government guidelines (see last Sunday’s post on this page below).
Make sure to park in our TWO car parks, both of them adjacent to the church.
The better known one is accessed via Smith Street, a cul-de-sac off Mersey Street immediately on your left before The Borough Arms pub, and to the end of Smith Street through the gates and into the car park.
Our lesser known car park is easier to access and to exit: when driving along St Mary’s Church (on your left) on Buttermarket Street, turn left immediately before the Porter’s Ales House pub, into Priory Court car park, and walk through the pedestrian gate on your left into the back garden of the presbytery towards St Mary’s church.
Church Opening Times:
Weekdays 11:00am – 1:30pm & 5:00pm – 6:30pm
includes 12:10pm Holy Mass, following Confessions 11:40am-12:05pm and Holy Rosary 11:30am-11:55am
Saturdays: 10:00am-1:30pm (no opening in the afternoon)
With Confessions & Adoration 10am-12noon before 12:10pm Holy Mass
Sundays 10:00am– 1:00pm& 5:00pm-7:00pm
(no Sunday Vespers & Benediction in August)
Daily Mass open to all present on site, and accessible online for free daily via LiveMass.net)
OFFERTORY COLLECTION at the END of EVERY Mass, daily: a steward will be holding the collection basket by the Porch door as you exit, for you kindly to drop your offering. Thank you for your vital support to St Mary’s.
Mass readings: If you are new to St Mary’s Latin Mass community, please note that we normally have printed sheets with English translations and booklets to help you follow Holy Mass. Those are currently not available due to anti-virus regulations. But you can find on our website a link to the readings for the Mass of each day. You can also subscribe for free to our weekly circular emails with all news and interactive links.
Celebrate the Immaculate Heart of Mary next Saturday: 22nd August after the 12:10pm Mass, meet in Priory Gardens for refreshments. For the sake of anti-virus regulations, would each household bring their own food and drinks?
Summer Recess in August:
There will be one priest at St Mary’s rather than 2 or 3 for most of August. He will be responsible for our usual schedule:
Mon-Sat: daily 12:10pm Mass and 11:40am Confessions (Sat: 10am-12noon Eucharistic adoration and Confessions)
We look forward to resuming our Sunday Vespers & Benediction, Men’s Group, Women’s Group, Youth Group, Educational Activities and sacramental preparation in September, pandemic allowing.
Please bear with the priest in charge in August, remembering that our part-time Shrine Secretary Mrs Jane Wright is also away on a well-deserved summer break. For these reasons, please do not expect speedy responses from St Mary’s this month outside of cases of emergency.
Fr Henry Whisenant in East Anglia: Please do not write to him at St Mary’s, but contact him directly via his email address: henrywhiz@hotmail.com.
Looking Ahead in the UK:
From New Zealand Deacon Gilbride is asking for prayers as his priestly ordination now re-scheduled on October 3 in New Zealand. More on this later.
We are delighted that Fr Neil Brett, a diocesan priest, was given permission by his Bishop of Brentwood to join the FSSP as Postulant. He is to begin at our personal parish in Reading next month (with Frs Goddard and Phipps), succeeding Fr Patrick O’Donohue who is to launch our permanent apostolate in his home country of Ireland.
Fr Emerson remains in charge in Edinburgh.
At St Mary’s: There are no changes planned as regards Fr de Malleray and Fr Verrier. Fr Whisenant is now gone and Fr Stewart still unwell, not residing at St Mary’s. This leaves us at St Mary’s with fewer clergy than we were used to (unless some priest wishes to learn our ways here, succeeding Fr Whisenant). Two (youngish) priests is still twice more than during our first year (2015-2016). We are also grateful to Fr Andrew Jolly, a retired diocesan priest from Wigan, who generously assists us at St Mary’s for Holy Mass and Confessions.
But over the past 4 1/2 years, our congregation has grown and our activities have multiplied. The acquisition of 2/3 of Priory Court and the maintenance of St Mary’s Church and Priory, plus two car parks, manifest this dynamic expansion of St Mary’s Community against difficult odds. However, this also means a heavier load of administrative work. Without entering into details, and while thanks to the assistance of several competent persons we have done well so far, we will have of a necessity to muscle up our organisation for the care of the St Mary’s Shrine site. Unless additional competent and reactive collaborators are found, we might need to hire someone so that the two priests can meet the growing pastoral demands in accordance with their priestly calling, while shifting to lay persons more of the administrative tasks. We ask for your prayer for this important need.
Dear Newcomers:
With great joy, we have noticed many new faces in our pews since the reopening last month. We welcome you all wholeheartedly. Please note that like all other churches, we are prevented by the COVID restrictions from functioning as we would normally wish.
For instance, we are not allowed to provide as before a printed sheet with the epistles and gospels for the entire week. You can find them in your recent Traditional hand missal.
No more Baronius missals for now:
We sold our last copies. Sadly Baronius Press was unable to accept our latest bulk order for hand missals, due to a shortage of supply caused by the virus.
We advise you to check on the website of the Latin Mass Society for second hand and new traditional hand missals.
We also would normally give conferences to help everyone become more familiar with the traditional Latin Mass. This is more difficult because of the retrictions. But you can find explanations here https://lms.org.uk/resources .
Similarly, our parish hall is not yet re-opened. It is obviously an essential feature of our community life.
Do feel very welcome to chat with our parishioners after Holy Mass and ask any question about the traditional liturgy and spirituality. They made the same journey as you, since there was only the new Mass in English at St Mary’s until our Fraternity was invited to take over in November 2015. Naturally, priests are also happy to answer your queries and, after the Summer recess, to offer various options to support you and your family in your faith. Already, make use of the many articles in our online magazine Dowry: https://fssp.co.uk/category/dowry/
Your financial support is greatly appreciated, since St Mary’s Shrine and community do not receive any money from the Liverpool Archdiocese in which we serve. The cost of running St Mary’s (including priests’ allowance and healthcare, car allowance and building maintenance) is an estimated £1,700.00 per WEEK. You can send your donation to St Mary’s Shrine via our Donate page: https://fssp.co.uk/donate/ . Ask us for a Gift Aid form to increase your donation by 20% at no extra cost to you.
Some of you many not know that St Mary’s Shrine is run by an international priestly society, the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP). The FSSP is the largest traditional priestly community in full communion with the Holy See: https://www.fssp.org/en/ . St Mary’s was owned and run by the Benedictines of the Abbey of Ampleforth. For want of priests, they had to withdraw and after two years the Archdiocese of Liverpool was about to shut down this magnificent church. Our Fraternity took it over. Our registered charity legally owns the church, presbytery and entire site. Archbishop McMahon of Liverpool entrusted us with the canonical mission of making the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite available to all in the Liverpool Archdiocese. Needless to say, anyone is welcome also from other dioceses. The Confirmation of 19 candidates from several dioceses last month illustrated this point. We are grateful for the active support of our Archbishop McMahon, who came twice to ordain our priests at St Mary’s and every year to confirm our candidates, always in the Traditional liturgy. He also granted the Imprimatur for the last two books by Fr de Malleray, X-ray of the Priest in A Field Hospital and Ego Eimi – It is I – Falling in Eucharistic Love.
Vocations:
Our three First Year seminarians from the UK & Ireland are to resume formation in Nebraska later this month after spending a fortnight on apostolate in Warrington and Reading. Please pray for them, as well as for our three other seminarians from the UK; and for possibly two new seminarians to begin formation in October. Pray also for two young ladies from our youth groups in England taking their first steps as religious sisters in America, and for three more actively discerning.
The Government announced mandatory face masks in churches from 8th August. Until then, wearing a mask was only recommended. We at St Mary’s take every proportionate precaution to ensure the safety of our congregation. Our safety settings were checked and approved by the Archdiocesan authority.
For believers, such measures include spiritual welfare. We prayed and still recite after every Mass the Latin Prayer Against Pestilence from the Roman Ritual [click HERE to open this prayer in Latin and English as pdf to download or print].
We also had the Votive Mass Against Pestilence offered. Twice we had outdoor processions to ask God for protection, right before the lockdown and during (then with only the clergy and resident servers). Just before lockdown, we preventively administered the sacrament of Extreme Unction with Plenary Indulgence to 1/3 of our congregation.
Over the past 5 months, no member of our congregation has died from Coronavirus, and to our knowledge none has contracted the virus. Thanks be to God.
While wearing a facemasks is presented as a proportionate precaution (the pictures in this post show that it can also be a way of evangelising), the British Government recognises that not everyone is able to wear one. Anyone will agree that the mask makes breathing difficult, especially in this summer month; it also obscures one’s spectacles with moisture, causing trip hazard; some wearers can feel claustrophobic and others might feel distressed by the lack of facial communication. Should you fall into any such categories, the Government has provided a badge to print and wear so as to indicate that your not wearing a mask entails no neglect or carelessness. The Government writes (see below) that displaying or wearing such an exemption sign “is not necessary in law“. Click here to access the Government badges. Obviously no mask can be worn to receive Holy Communion.
In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances, for health, age or equality reasons, where people are not expected to wear face coverings. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
It is not compulsory for employees of indoor settings or transport workers to wear face coverings (see section 6), although employers may consider their use where appropriate and where other mitigations are not in place. Employers should continue to follow COVID-19 Secure guidelines to reduce the proximity and duration of contact between employees.
You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. This includes (but is not limited to):
young children under the age of 11 (Public Health England do not recommended face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)
not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and you do not have a face covering with you
to eat or drink if reasonably necessary
in order to take medication
if a police officer or other official requests you remove your face covering
There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering when asked:
if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification
if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, the purpose of assessing health recommendations, such as a pharmacist, or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol
if speaking with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. Some may ask you, either verbally or in writing, to remove a covering to help with communication
Exemption Cards
Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.
Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering.This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.
This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law.
Last month (July 2020) a generous benefactress bequeathed £50,000.00 from the estate of her late husband (R.I.P.) to the Priory Campaign. This is the fourth largest donation received since the beginning of our Campaign two years ago. It was totally unexpected and came as special blessing, since the benefactress was not in regular contact with us and does not live near Warrington. It confirms that our goal to secure a traditional stronghold in England appeals to Catholics nationwide, not only in the North West.
This providential donation brings completion within reach, leaving what we currently estimate to be only about £77,000 (this figure is still to be updated with more recent donations).
While we already own Units Two & Three (bought last October for £480k, i.e. £240k each), we need to raise the remaining funds before 16th October 2020 in order not only to complete the purchase of Unit One, currently leased to us, but also to carry out the necessary work to convert the property for our use.
As you are aware, our aspiration is to buy the remaining part of Priory Court (Unit 1) as part of the Campaign, but should we not have sufficient funds to convert and reconfigure the whole Priory Court building to better suit the needs of St Mary’s Shrine, then Unit One will be handed back to its owner in October 2020 and Campaign funds would then be used for the purposes of conversion and reconfiguration of the parts of Priory Court that we do own (namely, Units 2 and 3).
Each unit is 2,561 Sq ft on three floors. We will thus own 5,122 Sq ft, plus 18 parking spaces.
Please get in touch with us if you would like further clarification or wish to discuss a donation that you have made. Kindly email any inquiries to malleray@fssp.org.
God bless you.
Moving here? They are building the trad Village for us!
St Mary’s Shrine is the Catholic church building in the centre of Warrington. Warrington Borough Council is promoting the construction of many residential buildings within a few minutes walk from our Shrine. You could move here. Further below, we explained two years ago our vision for a strong traditional hub of families and individuals living geographically close to each other around our Shrine. The ongoing lockdown, with the extreme difficulty of accessing the sacraments and of finding support from among one’s peers, is leading Catholics to consider very seriously this option.
Right outside Priory Court, dozens of flats are currently being built. Fancy this: from your kitchen you could see the procession start and arrive in church before the Asperges begins, without having to cross any street! (Admittedly, better arrive earlier for Holy Mass.) Take a look for instance at: https://www.laneend.org/academy-street-warrington.
A few minutes walk south of St Mary’s Shrine, Howley is a quiet residential area with bungalows and small houses, with pedestrian access to Victoria Park through the lovely Howley suspension bridge across the Mersey River.
and to our 6.00pm Low Mass (Celebrant & Homilist Fr Philomeno of the Marian Franciscans),
we will offer an extra Low Mass at 12:30pm.
Confessions are heard in the confessional from 10.30am and during most of the 11.00am Mass, and again at 5.30pm before the 6.00pm Mass.
No booking is required to attend Mass at St Mary’s Shrine Church.
Please observe social distancing as signed, and kindly bring your face covering unless you are exempt as per Government guidelines (see last Sunday’s post on this page below).
Make sure to park in our TWO car parks, both of them adjacent to the church.
The better known one is accessed via Smith Street, a cul-de-sac off Mersey Street immediately on your left before The Borough Arms pub, and to the end of Smith Street through the gates and into the car park.
Our lesser known car park is easier to access and to exit: when driving along St Mary’s Church (on your left) on Buttermarket Street, turn left immediately before the Crossed Keys pub, into Priory Court car park, and walk through the pedestrian gate on your left into the back garden of the presbytery towards St Mary’s church.
Church Opening Times:
Weekdays 11:00am – 1:30pm & 5:00pm – 6:30pm
includes 12:10pm Holy Mass, following Confessions 11:40am-12:05pm and Holy Rosary 11:30am-11:55am
Saturdays: 10:00am-1:30pm (no opening in the afternoon)
With Confessions & Adoration 10am-12noon before 12:10pm Holy Mass
Sundays 10:am– 1:00pm& 5:00pm-7:00pm
(no Sunday Vespers & Benediction in August)
Daily Mass open to all present on site, and accessible online for free daily via LiveMass.net)
OFFERTORY COLLECTION at the END of EVERY Mass, daily: a steward will be holding the collection basket by the Porch door as you exit, for you kindly to drop your offering. Thank you for your vital support to St Mary’s.
Mass readings: If you are new to St Mary’s Latin Mass community, please note that we normally have printed sheets with English translations and booklets to help you follow Holy Mass. Those are currently not available due to anti-virus regulations. But you can find on our website a link to the readings for the Mass of each day. You can also subscribe for free to our weekly circular emails with all news and interactive links.
Summer Recess in August:
There will be one priest at St Mary’s rather than 2 or 3 for most of August. He will be responsible for our usual schedule:
Mon-Sat: daily 12:10pm Mass and 11:40am Confessions (Sat: 10am-12noon Eucharistic adoration and Confessions)
We look forward to resuming our Sunday Vespers & Benediction, Men’s Group, Women’s Group, Youth Group, Educational Activities and sacramental preparation in September, pandemic allowing.
Please bear with the priest in charge in August, remembering that our part-time Shrine Secretary Mrs Jane Wright is also away on a well-deserved summer break. For these reasons, please do not expect speedy responses from St Mary’s this month outside of cases of emergency.
Good Bye Fr Whisenant!
Thank you to all for your very generous collection as a farewell gift to Fr Henry Whisenant last Sunday. He is now back in his home diocese of East Anglia after spending a year with us a priest-in-residence to learn the traditional ways. He asks for prayers, that his attempt to launch a traditional apostolate in his part of the country might be successful. Please do not write to him at St Mary’s, but contact him directly: henrywhiz@hotmail.com.
Looking Ahead in the UK:
From New Zealand Deacon Gilbride is asking for prayers as his priestly ordination scheduled on 8th August in Sydney’s cathedral was postponed again due to virus restrictions in Australia.
We are delighted that Fr Neil Brett, a diocesan priest, was given permission by his Bishop of Brentwood to join the FSSP as Postulant. He is to begin at our personal parish in Reading next month (with Frs Goddard and Phipps), succeeding Fr Patrick O’Donohue who is to launch our permanent apostolate in his home country of Ireland.
Fr Emerson remains in charge in Edinburgh.
At St Mary’s: There are no changes planned as regards Fr de Malleray and Fr Verrier. Fr Whisenant is now gone and Fr Stewart still unwell, not residing at St Mary’s. This leaves us at St Mary’s with fewer clergy than we were used to (unless some priest wishes to learn our ways here, succeeding Fr Whisenant). Two (youngish) priests is still twice more than during our first year (2015-2016). We are also grateful to Fr Andrew Jolly, a retired diocesan priest from Wigan, who generously assists us at St Mary’s for Holy Mass and Confessions.
But over the past 4 1/2 years, our congregation has grown and our activities have multiplied. The acquisition of 2/3 of Priory Court and the maintenance of St Mary’s Church and Priory, plus two car parks, manifest this dynamic expansion of St Mary’s Community against difficult odds. However, this also means a heavier load of administrative work. Without entering into details, and while thanks to the assistance of several competent persons we have done well so far, we will have of a necessity to muscle up our organisation for the care of the St Mary’s Shrine site. Unless additional competent and reactive collaborators are found, we might need to hire someone so that the two priests can meet the growing pastoral demands in accordance with their priestly calling, while shifting to lay persons more of the administrative tasks. We ask for your prayer for this important need.
Dear Newcomers:
With great joy, we have noticed many new faces in our pews since the reopening last month. We welcome you all wholeheartedly. Please note that like all other churches, we are prevented by the COVID restrictions from functioning as we would normally wish.
For instance, we are not allowed to provide as before a printed sheet with the epistles and gospels for the entire week. You can find them in your recent Traditional hand missal, or ask for a new copy of the Baronius one, available from us for £37 (cash only). You can also find the readings on our website via the link below on our website: http://divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/missa/missa.pl#
We also would normally give conferences to help everyone become more familiar with the traditional Latin Mass. This is more difficult because of the retrictions. But you can find explanations here https://lms.org.uk/resources .
Similarly, our parish hall is not yet re-opened. It is obviously an essential feature of our community life.
Do feel very welcome to chat with our parishioners after Holy Mass and ask any question about the traditional liturgy and spirituality. They made the same journey as you, since there was only the new Mass in English at St Mary’s until our Fraternity was invited to take over in November 2015. Naturally, priests are also happy to answer your queries and, after the Summer recess, to offer various options to support you and your family in your faith. Already, make use of the many articles in our online magazine Dowry: https://fssp.co.uk/category/dowry/
Your financial support is greatly appreciated, since St Mary’s Shrine and community do not receive any money from the Liverpool Archdiocese in which we serve. The cost of running St Mary’s (including priests’ allowance and healthcare, car allowance and building maintenance) is an estimated £1,700.00 per WEEK. You can send your donation to St Mary’s Shrine via our Donate page: https://fssp.co.uk/donate/ . Ask us for a Gift Aid form to increase your donation by 20% at no extra cost to you.
Some of you many not know that St Mary’s Shrine is run by an international priestly society, the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP). The FSSP is the largest traditional priestly community in full communion with the Holy See: https://www.fssp.org/en/ . St Mary’s was owned and run by the Benedictines of the Abbey of Ampleforth. For want of priests, they had to withdraw and after two years the Archdiocese of Liverpool was about to shut down this magnificent church. Our Fraternity took it over. Our registered charity legally owns the church, presbytery and entire site. Archbishop McMahon of Liverpool entrusted us with the canonical mission of making the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite available to all in the Liverpool Archdiocese. Needless to say, anyone is welcome also from other dioceses. The Confirmation of 19 candidates from several dioceses last month illustrated this point. We are grateful for the active support of our Archbishop McMahon, who came twice to ordain our priests at St Mary’s and every year to confirm our candidates, always in the Traditional liturgy. He also granted the Imprimatur for the last two books by Fr de Malleray, X-ray of the Priest in A Field Hospital and Ego Eimi – It is I – Falling in Eucharistic Love.
Vocations:
Our three First Year seminarians from the UK & Ireland are to resume formation in Nebraska later this month after spending a fortnight on apostolate in Warrington and Reading. Please pray for them, as well as for our three other seminarians from the UK; and for possibly two new seminarians to begin formation in October. Pray also for two young ladies from our youth groups in England taking their first steps as religious sisters in America, and for three more actively discerning.
The Government announced mandatory face masks in churches from 8th August. Until then, wearing a mask was only recommended. We at St Mary’s take every proportionate precaution to ensure the safety of our congregation. Our safety settings were checked and approved by the Archdiocesan authority.
For believers, such measures include spiritual welfare. We prayed and still recite after every Mass the Latin Prayer Against Pestilence from the Roman Ritual [click HERE to open this prayer in Latin and English as pdf to download or print].
We also had the Votive Mass Against Pestilence offered. Twice we had outdoor processions to ask God for protection, right before the lockdown and during (then with only the clergy and resident servers). Just before lockdown, we preventively administered the sacrament of Extreme Unction with Plenary Indulgence to 1/3 of our congregation.
Over the past 5 months, no member of our congregation has died from Coronavirus, and to our knowledge none has contracted the virus. Thanks be to God.
While wearing a facemasks is presented as a proportionate precaution (the pictures in this post show that it can also be a way of evangelising), the British Government recognises that not everyone is able to wear one. Anyone will agree that the mask makes breathing difficult, especially in this summer month; it also obscures one’s spectacles with moisture, causing trip hazard; some wearers can feel claustrophobic and others might feel distressed by the lack of facial communication. Should you fall into any such categories, the Government has provided a badge to print and wear so as to indicate that your not wearing a mask entails no neglect or carelessness. The Government writes (see below) that displaying or wearing such an exemption sign “is not necessary in law“. Click here to access the Government badges. Obviously no mask can be worn to receive Holy Communion.
In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances, for health, age or equality reasons, where people are not expected to wear face coverings. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
It is not compulsory for employees of indoor settings or transport workers to wear face coverings (see section 6), although employers may consider their use where appropriate and where other mitigations are not in place. Employers should continue to follow COVID-19 Secure guidelines to reduce the proximity and duration of contact between employees.
You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. This includes (but is not limited to):
young children under the age of 11 (Public Health England do not recommended face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)
not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and you do not have a face covering with you
to eat or drink if reasonably necessary
in order to take medication
if a police officer or other official requests you remove your face covering
There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering when asked:
if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification
if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, the purpose of assessing health recommendations, such as a pharmacist, or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol
if speaking with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. Some may ask you, either verbally or in writing, to remove a covering to help with communication
Exemption Cards
Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.
Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering.This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.
This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law.
includes 12:10pm Holy Mass, following Confessions 11:40am-12:05pm and Holy Rosary 11:30am-11:55am
Saturdays:
10:00am-1:30pm (no opening in the afternoon)
With Confessions
& Adoration 10am-12noon before 12:10pm Holy Mass
Sundays
10:am– 1:00pm&
5:00pm-7:00pm
(no Sunday Vespers & Benediction in August)
Daily Mass open to all present on site, and accessible online for free daily via LiveMass.net)
OFFERTORY COLLECTION at the END of EVERY Mass, daily: a steward will be holding the collection basket by the Porch door as you exit, for you kindly to drop your offering. Thank you for your vital support to St Mary’s.
Mass readings: If you are new to St Mary’s Latin Mass community, please note that we normally have printed sheets with English translations and booklets to help you follow Holy Mass. Those are currently not available due to anti-virus regulations. But you can find on our website a link to the readings for the Mass of each day. You can also subscribe for free to our weekly circular emails with all news and interactive links.
Summer Recess in August:
There will be one priest at St Mary’s rather than 2 or 3 for most of August. He will be responsible for our usual schedule:
Mon-Sat: daily 12:10pm Mass and 11:40am Confessions (Sat: 10am-12noon Eucharistic adoration and Confessions)
We look forward to resuming our Sunday Vespers & Benediction, Men’s Group, Women’s Group, Youth Group, Educational Activities and sacramental preparation in September, pandemic allowing.
Please bear with the priest in charge in August, remembering that our part-time Shrine Secretary Mrs Jane Wright is also away on a well-deserved summer break. For these reasons, please do not expect speedy responses from St Mary’s this month outside of cases of emergency.
Good Bye Fr Whisenant!
Thank you to all for your very generous collection as a farewell gift to Fr Henry Whisenant last Sunday. He is now back in his home diocese of East Anglia after spending a year with us a priest-in-residence to learn the traditional ways. He asks for prayers, that his attempt to launch a traditional apostolate in his part of the country might be successful. Please do not write to him at St Mary’s, but contact him directly: henrywhiz@hotmail.com.
Looking Ahead in the UK:
From New Zealand Deacon Gilbride is asking for prayers as his priestly ordination scheduled on 8th August in Sydney’s cathedral was postponed again due to virus restrictions in Australia.
We are delighted that Fr Neil Brett, a diocesan priest, was given permission by his Bishop of Brentwood to join the FSSP as Postulant. He is to begin at our personal parish in Reading next month (with Frs Goddard and Phipps), succeeding Fr Patrick O’Donohue who is to launch our permanent apostolate in his home country of Ireland.
Fr Emerson remains in charge in Edinburgh.
At St Mary’s: There are no changes planned as regards Fr de Malleray and Fr Verrier. Fr Whisenant is now gone and Fr Stewart still unwell, not residing at St Mary’s. This leaves us at St Mary’s with fewer clergy than we were used to (unless some priest wishes to learn our ways here, succeeding Fr Whisenant). Two (youngish) priests is still twice more than during our first year (2015-2016). We are also grateful to Fr Andrew Jolly, a retired diocesan priest from Wigan, who generously assists us at St Mary’s for Holy Mass and Confessions.
But over the past 4 1/2 years, our congregation has grown and our activities have multiplied. The acquisition of 2/3 of Priory Court and the maintenance of St Mary’s Church and Priory, plus two car parks, manifest this dynamic expansion of St Mary’s Community against difficult odds. However, this also means a heavier load of administrative work. Without entering into details, and while thanks to the assistance of several competent persons we have done well so far, we will have of a necessity to muscle up our organisation for the care of the St Mary’s Shrine site. Unless additional competent and reactive collaborators are found, we might need to hire someone so that the two priests can meet the growing pastoral demands in accordance with their priestly calling, while shifting to lay persons more of the administrative tasks. We ask for your prayer for this important need.
Dear Newcomers:
With great joy, we have noticed many new faces in our pews since the reopening last month. We welcome you all wholeheartedly. Please note that like all other churches, we are prevented by the COVID restrictions from functioning as we would normally wish.
For instance, we are not allowed to provide as before a printed sheet with the epistles and gospels for the entire week. You can find them in your recent Traditional hand missal, or ask for a new copy of the Baronius one, available from us for £37 (cash only). You can also find the readings on our website via the link below on our website: http://divinumofficium.com/cgi-bin/missa/missa.pl#
We also would normally give conferences to help everyone become more familiar with the traditional Latin Mass. This is more difficult because of the retrictions. But you can find explanations here https://lms.org.uk/resources .
Similarly, our parish hall is not yet re-opened. It is obviously an essential feature of our community life.
Do feel very welcome to chat with our parishioners after Holy Mass and ask any question about the traditional liturgy and spirituality. They made the same journey as you, since there was only the new Mass in English at St Mary’s until our Fraternity was invited to take over in November 2015. Naturally, priests are also happy to answer your queries and, after the Summer recess, to offer various options to support you and your family in your faith. Already, make use of the many articles in our online magazine Dowry: https://fssp.co.uk/category/dowry/
Your financial support is greatly appreciated, since St Mary’s Shrine and community do not receive any money from the Liverpool Archdiocese in which we serve. The cost of running St Mary’s (including priests’ allowance and healthcare, car allowance and building maintenance) is an estimated £1,700.00 per WEEK. You can send your donation to St Mary’s Shrine via our Donate page: https://fssp.co.uk/donate/ . Ask us for a Gift Aid form to increase your donation by 20% at no extra cost to you.
Some of you many not know that St Mary’s Shrine is run by an international priestly society, the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter (FSSP). The FSSP is the largest traditional priestly community in full communion with the Holy See: https://www.fssp.org/en/ . St Mary’s was owned and run by the Benedictines of the Abbey of Ampleforth. For want of priests, they had to withdraw and after two years the Archdiocese of Liverpool was about to shut down this magnificent church. Our Fraternity took it over. Our registered charity legally owns the church, presbytery and entire site. Archbishop McMahon of Liverpool entrusted us with the canonical mission of making the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite available to all in the Liverpool Archdiocese. Needless to say, anyone is welcome also from other dioceses. The Confirmation of 19 candidates from several dioceses last month illustrated this point. We are grateful for the active support of our Archbishop McMahon, who came twice to ordain our priests at St Mary’s and every year to confirm our candidates, always in the Traditional liturgy. He also granted the Imprimatur for the last two books by Fr de Malleray, X-ray of the Priest in A Field Hospital and Ego Eimi – It is I – Falling in Eucharistic Love.
Vocations:
Our three First Year seminarians from the UK & Ireland are to resume formation in Nebraska later this month after spending a fortnight on apostolate in Warrington and Reading. Please pray for them, as well as for our three other seminarians from the UK; and for possibly two new seminarians to begin formation in October. Pray also for two young ladies from our youth groups in England taking their first steps as religious sisters in America, and for three more actively discerning.
Face masks:
[The masks displayed here can be purchased on https://www.redbubble.com/shop/?iaCode=all-masks&query=virgin%20mary&ref=search_box]
The Government announced on 31st July 2020 mandatory face masks in churches from 8th August. Until then, wearing a mask is only recommended. We at St Mary’s take every proportionate precaution to ensure the safety of our congregation. Our safety settings were checked and approved by the Archdiocesan authority.
For believers, such measures include spiritual welfare. We prayed and still recite after every Mass the Latin Prayer Against Pestilence from the Roman Ritual. We also had the Votive Mass Against Pestilence offered. Twice we had outdoor processions to ask God for protection, right before the lockdown and during (then with only the clergy and resident servers). Just before lockdown, we preventively administered the sacrament of Extreme Unction with Plenary Indulgence to 1/3 of our congregation. Over the past 5 months, no member of our congregation has died from Coronavirus, and to our knowledge none has contracted the virus. Thanks be to God.
While wearing a facemasks is presented as a proportionate precaution (the pictures in this post show that it can also be a way of evangelising), the British Government recognises that not everyone is able to wear one. Anyone will agree that the mask makes breathing difficult, especially in this summer month; it also obscures one’s spectacles with moisture, causing trip hazard; some wearers can feel claustrophobic and others might feel distressed by the lack of facial communication. Should you fall into any such categories, the Government has provided a badge to print and wear so as to indicate that your not wearing a mask entails no neglect or carelessness. The Government writes (see below) that displaying or wearing such an exemption sign “is not necessary in law“. Click here to access the Government badges. Obviously no mask can be worn to receive Holy Communion.
In settings where face coverings are required in England, there are some circumstances, for health, age or equality reasons, where people are not expected to wear face coverings. Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances, noting that some people are less able to wear face coverings, and that the reasons for this may not be visible to others.
It is not compulsory for employees of indoor settings or transport workers to wear face coverings (see section 6), although employers may consider their use where appropriate and where other mitigations are not in place. Employers should continue to follow COVID-19 Secure guidelines to reduce the proximity and duration of contact between employees.
You do not need to wear a face covering if you have a legitimate reason not to. This includes (but is not limited to):
young children under the age of 11 (Public Health England do not recommended face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety reasons)
not being able to put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability
if putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you severe distress
if you are travelling with or providing assistance to someone who relies on lip reading to communicate
to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or others
to avoid injury, or to escape a risk of harm, and you do not have a face covering with you
to eat or drink if reasonably necessary
in order to take medication
if a police officer or other official requests you remove your face covering
There are also scenarios when you are permitted to remove a face covering when asked:
if asked to do so in a bank, building society, or post office for identification
if asked to do so by shop staff or relevant employees for identification, the purpose of assessing health recommendations, such as a pharmacist, or for age identification purposes including when buying age restricted products such as alcohol
if speaking with people who rely on lip reading, facial expressions and clear sound. Some may ask you, either verbally or in writing, to remove a covering to help with communication
Exemption Cards
Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.
Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering.This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.
This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law.
