In reaction to the stricter measures announced by the Dutch government on the 23rd of March to prevent the spreading of the coronavirus, the Dutch bishops decided to implement additional measures. All public liturgical celebrations, also the ones in small communities during the week, are cancelled for the period of Easter and until the Pentecosts, on the 31st of May.

The Dutch government has forbidden all gatherings until the 1st of June, also the ones with less than 100 people.
Before were already the public celebrations on Saturdays and Sundays cancelled, now are therefore the public celebrations throughout the week also cancelled.

Closed celebrations are only still possible with the strictly required servants for the celebration of the mass and without the participation of other faithful. The churches can still remain open for individual visitors, whom come for a prayer or for lighting a candle and/or to bring a contribution to the food bank (voedselbank). They have to comply with all the measures announced by the government concerning distance, hygiene and health.

The government will issue later exceptions regarding funerals and church weddings. Whenever more information about these are available, we will then make is known as soon as possible.

Decree
Concerning the closed celebrations in the Easter period, the bishops refer to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the sacraments, of 19th of March 2020, relating the coronavirus, entitled “In time of Covid-19”. The text of the decree can be found in English in the congregation website (http://www.cultodivino.va/content/cultodivino/it/documenti/decreti-generali/decreti-generali/2020/decreto-triduo-pasquale-2020.html)

The bishops emphasize the importance of praying in these times when the coronavirus is among us.

You can follow the Eucharist through the media, as suggested before:

• Our community will arrange so that celebrations are streamed in our Facebook page – fb.com/englishmassutrecht – as often as possible, including the Sunday mass, stay tuned;
• We also recommend the English mass broadcast by the Dublin diocese on their website: https://www.dublindiocese.ie/watch-listen-live/
• The live stream from the Vatican in English: https://youtu.be/VJHI8bI0LWg
• On Dutch television (in Dutch) through the KRO-NCRV, every Sunday 10.00 on the Dutch television channel NPO 2;
• Radio Maria broadcasts the Eucharist every morning at 09:00 and evening at 19:00 (also in Dutch).

Official publications:

• from the diocese (in Dutch):
  https://www.aartsbisdom.nl/alle-publieke-vieringen-afgelast-tot-en-met-pinksteren/
• from the Dutch government: https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2020/03/23/stricter-measures-to-control-coronavirus

We are happy to inform that tomorrow, the 22nd of March at 12:30, we will be streaming mass in English with celebrant Brother John Mary Jesus, from the Majella church in Utrecht.
There will be also a small choir group (around 5 people) to sing for this celebration.
You can watch the stream from our Facebook page, available from 12:30:

facebook.com/englishmassutrecht

With the difficulties we are living these days, it’s hard to be able to attend mass in the Cathedral. So why not bring the Cathedral to our homes?
As previously announced, there are masses in the Cathedral every weekday at 19:00.
We want everyone to be able to join these through the internet, via a video livestream.
For this purpose, we are looking for volunteers to setup a livestream feed in the Cathedral. This would involve taking a camera, think about your mobile phone or laptop, turn the camera on when the mass starts, and have the video be transmitted to one of streaming platforms, such as YouTube or Facebook.
It doesn’t have to be perfect at first, if you think you can do it the community would appreciate your effort!
If you are interested in helping us, please send us an email: team@englishmassutrecht.nl

This Friday, the 20th of March, and Saturday, the 21st of March, the 24 hours of the Lord will take place in the Cathedral. This gives people the opportunity for prayer and reflection with adoration during the day and night.

19:00 – Eucharist
20:00 – Way of the cross
During the night – adoration
09:00 – Lauden
All day: Adoration and confession
18:30 – Eucharist (closing mass won’t take place)

For further info about this and the times of adoration please contact Father Smits: k.smits@katholiekutrecht.nl

The Dutch bishops announce that the public liturgical celebrations of Palm Sunday, the Holy week and Easter are cancelled. They do this with a heavy heart. All before mentioned measures (https://englishmassutrecht.nl/2020/03/13/english-mass-cancelled-until-31st-of-march/) are thereby prolonged until April 13. The Pope has announced similar measures. The measures of the Dutch government are set until at least April 6.

With the decision to extend the measures until April 13, the Dutch bishops anticipate that the celebrations can’t be properly prepared and are not responsible from a health perspective of vulnerable groups of people.

Further communication will follow concerning other ways of celebration during the Holy Week and Easter.

Up until now there will be a daily mass (except on the weekend) in the Catherine Cathedral, at 19:00. Everyone present will keep a distance of about two meters and also during communion a suitable distance will be kept.

The Cathedral will also open during the day, thanks to the priest students of the Ariëns Institute. To give people opportunity for personal prayer in these challenging times. Also here we ask people to keep distance to other people present. The priest will decide, based on government measures and circumstances, if the masses can continue.

If you are experiencing a cold, coughing or fever stay at home and do not come to church but light a candle and pray at home.

In addition to the concern of the bishops and the measures that were announced, the parish board is also worried about the developments surrounding the Corona virus.

A large part of the parishioners are elderly people that run the biggest risk. No one can tell yet what will happen, but it is possible that people become ill that have no social network nearby to help them.

When you are in need of spiritual or practical support you can mail secretariaat@katholiekutrecht.nl or call 030-254 6147.

Opening hours secretariat:

Monday & Friday: 09:00-12:00

Tuesday until Thursday: 09:00-16:00

Due to the latest developments surrounding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Dutch bishops are taking additional measures.
All public liturgical celebrations on Saturday evenings and Sundays are cancelled until 31st of March.
This measure matches the most recent guidelines the Dutch government and the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) has issued (see https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/news/2020/03/12/new-measures-to-stop-spread-of-coronavirus-in-the-netherlands).

The bishops understand that the cancelling of Sunday mass is a difficult decision for many parishioners, but they ask for your understanding and prayers.
Celebrations during weekdays will continue due to their much smaller scale, this can offer people the opportunity of the spiritual communion.
The bishops also ask where possible to open churches to give opportunity for personal prayer.

When there is a celebration in a smaller scale, for example during baptism or funeral or other the receiving of other sacraments, the celebrant will act according to strict guidelines.
All parishes receive these guidelines through their bishops. These guidelines are aimed to prevent the spreading of the Coronavirus and at the same time to enable the pastoral work of the church.
When in contact with the elderly and sick the priests will consult the care home or hospital and follow the guidelines these institutions have.

All measures that were announced before at the end of February still apply:
– During celebrations (on a small scale) it is not possible to receive the communion on the tongue.
– The communion can only be received on the hand and is only distributed by the celebrant.
– The communion of the chalice is only for the celebrant.
– There is no handshake during the sign of the peace.
– Upon entering or leaving the church one can’t use the holy water.

From today these measures are in place until further notice and at the least until 31st of March:
– Public liturgical celebrations on Saturday evenings and Sundays are cancelled.
– Celebrations of Confirmation and the presentation of candidates for the First Holy Communion are cancelled.
– Baptisms and funerals are taking place in a small circle of people and are kept basic. A distance of one meter is kept between the attendees.
– The bishops are advising against all other meetings, such as coffee and tea, choir rehearsals and catechism/bible study meetings.

The bishops point out that there is an opportunity to follow the Eucharist on different media, such as:

• On Dutch television (in Dutch) through the KRO-NCRV, every Sunday 10.00 on the Dutch television channel NPO 2;
• Radio Maria broadcasts the Eucharist every morning at 09:00 and evening at 19:00 (also in Dutch).
• For mass in the English language we recommend the one broadcast by the Dublin diocese on their website: https://www.dublindiocese.ie/watch-listen-live/

To conclude, the bishops ask to pray this prayer:
God, our refuge in need, our power in despair and fear, our comfort in sickness and suffering, be near us and merciful to us, Your people. Now that we are experiencing the consequences of the Coronavirus outbreak. Be a protector for those who are infected. We pray for hope and recovery for them. We pray for those that have died, that they find peace in your presence. We pray for those that are working in public health and government, that they may experience your presence and blessing in their work. Make us realize how big your love is for each of us and that You are with us now that we experience the vulnerability of our existence. Strengthen our faith and our hope, so that we will always surrender to Your providence without hesitating. Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.

We regret to inform that the monthly Sunday family meeting will be cancelled this Sunday, the 8th March. This decision relates to the potential risks related to the corona virus.

During our meeting we share food during the potluck lunch, and so, in line with the same decision taken for the potluck of the English Mass Anniversary, we decided to take this decision.

For tomorrow please join us in the Cathedral for the celebration mass of the community anniversary.

In May we plan to resume the family meetings.

This Sunday, the 8th of March, we had planned a potluck for the celebration of the 17th anniversary of the English Mass community.

Since the corona virus is now also identified in the Netherlands, we feel that out of precaution we should cancel the event. Our community is in its nature very international and sharing food in our usual potluck style might pose as risk to spread the virus.

We are very sorry about this decision but we feel that is the best for our community.