Welcome to St. Bernadette's Parish, Belfast

The Parish Pastoral Council have produced a number of resources for use at home during Lent containing a reflection for each day.

Parish Pastoral Council’s Lenten Reflections – Walking with Jesus along the Via Dolorosa

“A Celtic Lenten Journey – Harp, Voice and Violin” reflects in Word and in song on the Passion of Jesus.

More resources will be added during lent.

Following the recent announcement from the Northern Ireland Executive, there will be no Public Mass until at least the 5th March.

MASSES WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE NORMAL TIMES.

It should be noted that “on the basis of the clear and unequivocal public health advice that people should continue to stay at home, the Northern Catholic Bishops have decided that, until 5 March, the celebration of the Eucharist and other liturgies should continue to take place without the physical presence of the faithful.”

Statement by the Northern Catholic Bishops

The Full statement can be viewed on The Irish Catholic Bishop’s website

FROM FRIDAY 8TH JANUARY 2021 THERE WILL BE NO MASSES OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

MASSES WILL BE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT THE NORMAL TIMES.

Following a meeting on Thursday afternoon (7^th January 2021) between Faith Group Leaders and Junior Ministers of the Executive Office, the Bishops of the Northern Dioceses issued a statement (see diocesan website for full text). It stated that:

“… for a limited period (from midnight on Thursday 7 January until Saturday 6 February 2021, subject to review in late January), the celebration of the Eucharist and other liturgies should take place without the physical presence of the faithful – with the exception of marriage, funeral, baptismal liturgies and drive-in services (subject to regulations).  Arrangements for recording and/or livestreaming, and making individual visits for private prayer are also permissible in accordance with regulations.”

As we face these difficult times, Pope Francis’ words from November 2020 may offer some perspective.“Let us offer to the Lord this distance between us, for the good of all, and let us think, let us think a lot about the sick, about those who are already marginalised when they enter the hospitals, let us think of the doctors, the nurses, the volunteers, the many people who work with the sick at this time: they risk their life but they do so out of love for their neighbour, as a vocation. Let us pray for them.”

Mass will be celebrated for The Epiphany of the Lord (6th January) at the following times:
Tuesday
7pm Vigil – St. Bernadette’s
Wednesday
9.30am St. Bernadette’s
11am Good Shepherd
7pm Good Shepherd

“The path of peace and reconciliation will require new acts of courage and prophetic witness to help us navigate the residual undercurrent of fear that continues to influence our society.”

Bishop Noel Treanor

Click here to download

New Coronavirus restrictions came into force here on Friday 27^th November 2020 and will remain in place until Friday 11^th December 2020. This will be a difficult time for everyone and a very different Advent season for us all. Churches will be closed for public worship but can remain open for private prayer. As we live with these new restrictions, perhaps words of Pope Francis (spoken earlier this month as Rome faced tighter restrictions) may help us:

Unfortunately, we have … to defend ourselves against contagion by Covid. This also teaches us that we must be very attentive to the prescriptions of the authorities, both the political authorities and the health authorities, to defend ourselves against this pandemic. Let us offer to the Lord this distance between us, for the good of all, and let us think, let us think a lot about the sick, about those who are already marginalised when they enter the hospitals, let us think of the doctors, the nurses, the volunteers, the many people who work with the sick at this time: they risk their life but they do so out of love for their neighbour, as a vocation. Let us pray for them.