St Stephen's Parish

4th Sunday of Lent 22 March 2020

Message from Fr Andrew

Following the Prime Minister's broadcast on Monday 23 March 2020, Bishop Marcus has written revoking the permission and encouragement the Bishops gave to keep Churches open. He is clear that we must do all we can to support the intention that we must, for however long it takes, do our best not to be in each others company, and so help save life.

So the Churches in the Parish will no longer be opened.

Please use opportunities to pray for each other and for those who have very difficult decisions to make and now even more challenging and perhaps even dangerous jobs to do.

When I have anymore information I will let you know and would ask you to support each other as best you can and to keep in touch with those who do not have email or ready access to the internet.

Let us pray with and for each other.

The “Our Father” on the Annunciation

On Wednesday, 25 March at 12 noon Rome time, the feast of the Annunciation, Pope Francis invited all Christians to recite at the same time "the prayer that Jesus, our Lord, taught us” – the Our Father - on the Feast of the Annunciation.

A special Urbi et Orbi blessing

On Friday, 27 March, Pope Francis presided over a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, the platform at the top of the steps immediately in front of the façade of the Church, broadcast live from the Vatican at 6.00pm Rome time.