Each week a number of Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion are sent out from Sunday Mass with Holy Communion for the sick and housebound, and Fr Matthew and others regularly visit residents in care homes within the parish. Those unable to attend in person may be in a position to join our worship remotely using the live stream. Fr Matthew is also part of a team of priests in the deanery who provide chaplaincy support to patients at Queen’s Hospital in Romford. 

The Church has a special sacrament to bring comfort and healing (spiritual, primarily) to those who are sick: the Sacrament of Anointing, also known as Unction or the Sacrament of the Sick. Though not intended for minor conditions, it is not only for those who are close to death. Anyone who is preparing for surgery, or who is sick in hospital, as well as those who are nearing the end of life, can benefit from this sacrament. Please contact Fr Matthew to arrange this, either as a home visit, or in church if you are about to go in to hospital. 

If you or a relative are in hospital please ask the ward staff who will be able to contact the on-call Catholic chaplain at time of day or night in an emergency. Queen’s Hospital has a lay Catholic chaplaincy volunteer  who makes routine visits and arranges for Catholic in-patients to receive Holy Communion at the weekend. Fr Matthew will always be happy to visit parishioners in hospital wherever possible. Contact details for for the chaplaincy volunteer, as well as Fr Matthew’s emergency number can be found on the weekly newsletter.

At times of sickness, grief or anxiety we also benefit from the prayers of the whole church, without having to share any details we wish to keep private. There is a prayer board in church, to which prayer requests may be added. Once a week these are gathered by by our parish Prayer Group and offered in prayer. On the first weekend of every month members of this group who are trained in Prayer Ministry are on hand in a side-chapel after Mass to pray with anyone, for any intention.