We resume celebrating the Eucharist together

As from the evening of Saturday 13 June in Malta and Gozo Mass will resume being celebrated in public. After three months celebrating the Eucharist privately within our Augustinian communities, we are indeed pleased that we will again be able to share with all of you such dear moments in the various churches in which we serve. We await with fervour the moment that together we will celebrate our faith.

Nonetheless, you will understand that, in the prevailing circumstances, we are subject to many restrictions. Only a limited number of persons can be permitted into our churches in view of the need to maintain social distancing between one person and another.  For these reasons we urge you to take you place in church in good time before the Mass time as there may well be insufficient space to accommodate everybody. You will appreciate that the decision to accept only a particular number of persons will be a hard one for us (this will be in accordance to the size of the particular church).

A number of compulsory precautions to protect the good health of those attending will be in force, such as: testing the body temperature at the church entrance; use of a santizer; and that a face mask or visor must be worn. With regret the directives require that those agaed 65 years and upwards, or who are considered to be vulnerable for other reasons, will be unable to give any assistance inside the churches, including the altar area. We wish to take this occasion to express our great appreciation for the help given us throughout the year and we await the time when the situation will make it possible for you to resume the various ministries which you used to carry out. In this connection we urge all those aged less than 65 years and are able to offer help to contact those responsible for your particular church.

Because of space limitations and the restoration works in progress, for the time being St. Rita’s Chapel in St. Julians will temporarily remain closed for a few more weeks. We hope that by September circumstances will have improved so that we will be able to resume offering our normal pastoral services there also. Meanwhile, in St. Julians, as Augustinians, we will continue celebrating Masses at the Mother of Good Counsel Church. The Chapel at St. Catherine’s Monastery, Valletta will remain closed to the public for the time being although the Eucharist will continue to be celebrated with the Monastic community.

We much appreciate your cooperation in all this and your help in making possible continuation of the diverse services we offer. We are pleased that you too appreciate the efforts being made in the prevailing circumstances. The times and places where the Eucharist will be celebrated as from the evening of Saturday, 13 June will be as follows:

St. Augustine’s Parish Church, Valletta:

Monday to Saturday: 7.10am, 9.30am, 7.15pm

Sunday: 7.30am, 9.30am, 10.45am, 7.15pm

 

Mother of Good Counsel Church, Paceville:

Monday to Friday: 7.30am, 6.45pm

Saturday: 7.30am, 6.30pm, 9.30pm

Sunday: 7.30am, 9.00am, 11.30am (in English)

St. Nicholas of Tolentino Church, Ħal Tarxien:

Monday to Friday: 6.30am, 8.30am

Saturday: 6.30am, 8.30am, 6.30pm

Sunday: 7.00am, 8.30am, 10.00am

 

St. Mark’s Church, ir-Rabat:

Monday to Saturday: 6.00pm

Sunday: 10.00am

 

St. Martin’s Chapel, il-Baħrija:

Monday to Friday: 6.30pm

Saturday: 6pm

Sunday: 9.00am

 

St. Anthony Abbot’s Chapel, Buskett:

Saturday: 7.00pm

Sunday: 8.00am

 

St. Augustine’s Church,Victoria, Gozo:

Monday to Saturday: 7.00am, 6.30pm

Sunday: 7.00am, 9.45am

 

(During the coming months these times will be reviewed in light of any chnage in circumstances)