To all clergy who are licensed or hold PtO and LLMs
Dear sisters and brothers
Further to my email of the 6 March, the national Church updated its guidance yesterday evening and the Archbishops have asked me to forward to you the attached letter from them setting out the changes which may be summarised in this extract:
It is our view, in light of the continued increase of Covid-19 cases in the United Kingdom, that it is now necessary to suspend the administration of the chalice as well as physical contact during the sharing of the peace, blessing or "laying on of hands".
We therefore advise that all priests should:-
- offer Communion in one kind only to all communicants i.e. the consecrated bread/wafer/host, with the priest alone taking the wine;
- suspend handshaking or other direct physical contact during the sharing of the peace;
- suspend direct physical contact as part of a blessing or ‘laying on of hands’.
As I have said before, the diocese is adopting the national Church’s guidance as diocesan guidance so please do follow it. The full guidance is available on the Church of England’s website to which there is also a link from the diocesan website. Please do continue to keep an eye on that so that you keep up to date with any revisions that are made as circumstances change in this fast developing situation.
With thanks for our partnership in the Gospel
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