Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Maiden Lane
The Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament
Just a reminder that all the liturgies for Holy Week will be live-streamed on our Facebook page at fb.com/corpuschristimaidenlaneÂ
Booklets are available for you to download so that you can follow the liturgies. Click here to download these booklets.
The Rededication of England as Our Lady’s Dowry will take place on Sunday 29th March. To watch the Rededication from Corpus Christi, please see our Facebook page at fb.com/corpuschristimaidenlane from 9:30am for the Live Stream.
To pray the Rededication alongside Fr Alan, please click here to download the prayers.
For those of us in isolation and quarantine, here’s *hopefully* something to look forward to for the end of Corona Time… đź¦
We will be holding our Annual Forty Hours from Thursday 11th June until Saturday 13th June 2020 and are excited to announce the following programme:
On Thursday 11th June at 7pm, Abbot Hugh Allan, O.Praem. of the Norbertines of St. Philip’s Priory, Chelmsford will open the Quarant’Ore with a Pontifical High Mass at the Faldstool.
Quarant’Ore will draw to a close at 6pm on Saturday 13th June at 6pm, with a Solemn Sung Mass, celebrated by the Rector of the Shrine, Fr Alan Robinson, KHS.
And we are delighted to announce that His Eminence, Robert Cardinal Sarah, Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship, has asked to be with us on Sunday 14th June at 11am to celebrate a Pontifical High Mass in the Ordinary Form, followed by a Procession of the Blessed Sacrament around Covent Garden.
Obviously, with the present crisis, none of this may be able to happen. The quarantine measures may well still be in place by June, and there may well still be travel restrictions… but we are hoping and praying that these celebrations will be able to take place.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on us.
Hello to you all in lockdown!
Things are incredibly tough at the moment, and Covent Garden is largely empty – but Our Eucharistic Lord remains with us in the Tabernacle. Following the Prime Minister’s address tonight, the church doors will have to remain closed. His Eminence, Cardinal Nichols has written to the Diocese, saying:
One practical point that follows very clearly from the Prime Minister’s statement is that all churches must be closed, and remain closed. It is essential that we all follow this instruction, painful and difficult though it is.
However, the Holy Mass will continue to be offered for you and your intentions each day here at the Shrine. All these Masses will be live streamed on our Facebook page at fb.com/corpuschristimaidenlane at:
You can also make a Spiritual Communion: not just during the Mass but at any time during the day.
If you need to make your Confession, please call the Parish Office at 020 7836 4700.
Please keep praying for an end to this terrible virus, and for each other, as we continue to pray for you all.
Keep up to date by checking back to this website frequently, or follow us on:
Facebook: fb.com/corpuschristimaidenlane
Instagram: @corpuschristishrine
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A message from His Eminence, Cardinal Nichols at these trying times:
ARCHBISHOP’S HOUSE, WESTMINSTER, LONDON, SW1P 1QJ
Pastoral Letter for the Fourth Sunday in Lent (Laetare Sunday)
22 March 2020
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ,
You need no words from me to state the grave seriousness of the crisis of the spread of the coronavirus around the world and throughout this country. We know the steps and the sacrifices we must take in order to play our part in slowing its spread, saving lives and enabling the NHS to continue its vital work. These things are our duty before God.
There are other vitally important aspects of this moment in our history that are less prominent in our media and conversations.
At this moment we stand before God. That is never to be forgotten. Together we turn to God in prayer, at this moment as never before.
Our faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the bedrock on which we live. Prayer is the first and loving expression of this relationship. Prayer is an acknowledgement that we are not in ultimate control of our lives or of our world. That is so clear at this time. Prayer is the recognition that our lives, individually and communally, are marked by failure and sin. Prayer is an expression of our turning to God for that grace which alone can heal us, strengthen us and give us the resolve and generosity to do all that is rightly expected of us today. Please make this a time of prayer, personally, in the family and wherever you happen to be.
The highest form of prayer is the celebration of the Holy Mass. This is at the heart of the rhythm of the life of the Church, the rhythm of prayer which sustains us all. The present crisis will not disturb that rhythm. Mass will continue to be celebrated, day by day. The prayer of the Church will continue day by day.
What will change is the manner of our participation in those celebrations of the Mass. In response to the pandemic and the official guidance, which we must follow, public participation in the celebration of the Mass is not, for now, possible. This is a sacrifice we have to make. It is not easy, for any Catholic, but it is what we must do.
I want to make it exceptionally clear that the teaching of the Church is that, in these circumstances, the obligation of attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days no longer applies. Please have no doubt about this.
This does not mean that we lose our love of the Mass or our desire to take part in the celebration of the Mass. Mass will be celebrated, day by day, in your church. There are many ways of taking part in this prayer. Associate yourself with the celebration of the Mass spiritually. Read the Scriptures of the day. Use some of the materials that are available to be close in your heart. Learn again the practice of spiritual communion. If you are helped by a visual participation in the Mass, then go to one of the websites on which that celebration is being streamed. The list of those websites is available to you.
There are many ways in which we can deepen our participation in the Mass and our life of prayer in these strange and stressful days. Indeed, they are an opportunity for us to do so.
Two other points.
Being unable to attend Mass is the experience of many, many Catholics around the world. They are deprived of the Mass through distance, or through violence, or through persecution. We can unite our experience with them and, like them, return to the Mass with fresh love and enthusiasm when, again, it is possible for us to do so, in bigger numbers than ever.
Secondly, you understand well that from our prayer, and from the prayer of the Mass, flows the love and compassion which we want to show to those around us who are in need. Jesus gives Himself entirely for us in His sacrifice, the sacrifice made present again for us in every Holy Mass. What we receive from Him we offer to others. So please do look out for every way in which you can help those in need around you. Thank you.
We know that this time of crisis is not going to be brief. We are involved in a lengthy battle. We encourage each other. We pray for each other. Together we turn to Mary for her special protection, especially on 29 March when again, in keeping with our ancient tradition, we offer ourselves and our country to her, as our gift, and seeking her protection.
Mary, Mother of Jesus, pray for us
Mary, Mother of Sorrows, pray for us
Mary, Mother of Joys, pray for us.
Amen.
Yours devotedly,
Cardinal Vincent Nichols
Archbishop of Westminster
PS, I was given this prayer a few days ago. It touched me deeply. It is a prayer for our times.
Dear Guardian Angel, go for me to the church, there kneel down at Mass for me. At the Offertory, take me to God, and offer Him my service: What I am, what I have, offer as my gift. At the Consecration, with your seraphic strength, adore my Saviour truly present, praying for those who have loved me, for those who have offended me, and for those now deceased, that the blood of Jesus may purify them all. During Holy Communion, bring to me the Body and Blood of Jesus uniting Him with me in spirit, so that my heart may become His dwelling place. Plead with Him, that through His sacrifice all people throughout the world may be saved. When the Mass ends, bring home to me and to every home, the Lord’s blessing. Amen.
We are still surrounded by the angels and by the saints who are glorifying God and protecting and assisting mankind. Why should we not make them our particular friends and allies in situations where we are touching limits that we cannot overcome?
