Our Lady and St Joseph Parish
Aire Valley

Re-opening the churches after COVID-19

Churches open for private prayer

I understand that Fr Sean does not intend to open either of our churches for private prayer.

St Walburga’s church in Shipley will be open for private prayer on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm, on Fridays from 10 am to 12 noon and on Sundays from 12 noon to 2 pm.

Three churches in the Keighley area are open:
St Anne's Sunday 12 noon until 2pm, Monday to Saturday from 10am until 12 noon.
St Joseph's Sunday from 9am until 11am and Saturday from 4pm until 5pm and
Our Lady of Lourdes in Haworth on Sunday from 10am until 12 noon.

St Joseph’s church, Pakington Street, Bradford. is open for private prayer on Sundays, 12 noon to 5pm.

The Parish of Mary Mother of God, Buttershaw, Bradford has both churches open for private prayer: St Winefride's (St Paul's Avenue) on Fridays from 1pm until 3pm and St John's (Cooper Lane) on Saturdays from 11am until 1pm.

There is also a page on the Diocese website on re-opening churches for private prayer and Mass which has a link to lists of churches in the diocese but none (as I write, but I assume this will change) in the Bradford, Shipley or Bingley area. The nearest is St Anne's, Keighley. The page seems to move regularly - try the diocese home page if the link doesn't work!

Please note the above times are subject to change!

Current ideas for re-opening

Once things are starting to get back to normal, Fr Sean is intending to have Mass at both Sacred Heart and Cottingley with two stewards at each Mass, one controlling people entering church and the other showing them where to sit. Each church will 'fill up' from the front towards the back, so there will be no reason for people to walk past rows that are already occupied, therefore doing as much as possible to maintain distancing. Seating places will be at least two metres apart. Holy Communion will take place on the way out at the end - Fr Molloy will go to the back of church, which will empty from the back to the front (the opposite of when entering). Any socialising will have to be outdoors.

The use of Mass cards may only be possible if people take them home and then bring them back each week to use for themselves. The toilets will remain closed and there will be no singing. Unless we find a better system that will work, it's likely that it will be 'first come, first served', with not everyone attending able to get a place in church - Fr Sean recognises the imperfections of this.

However, please note that before Mass can begin again, the plans for each church will have to be approved by the Diocesan Health & Safety. Fr Sean is not expecting Mass in our parish will commence until the end of July or beginning of August and the above plans are only provisional and are subject to change.

Live-Streaming the Mass over the internet