Leeds Cathedral and the Church of the Holy Rosary

Public Worship has resumed in both places.  You can see the full timetable below, along with the times of the Christmas Masses.  Please note that the 4pm and 6pm Christmas Vigil Masses are fully booked.

Why is it important to celebrate Christmas during the Octave?  Because Christmas is just too important to limit to a single day’s celebration!  We spend four weeks of Advent preparing for the Christ child to be born.  We therefore need time to simply enjoy the great mystery once arrived.  See the Octave of Christmas Information Leaflet in the Downloads Section for more details. 

It is necessary to register your intention each time you wish to attend one of the scheduled Masses. The number of people who can attend each Mass is capped at the capacity of each church. The online booking system is available at the top this page. For those who are not on the internet, it is possible to register via telephone, or you could ask someone to book online for you.  Instructions about how to register online are available when you click on the above Register for Mass buttons. You do not need to print the ‘ticket’.

The obligation to attend Mass on a Sunday remains suspended.  Due to the restricted numbers, please consider if you could come to a weekday Mass rather than a Sunday Mass, in particular to give an opportunity to those who cannot attend during the week to come to Mass.  Please also consider how often you register for Mass.  It may be possible once a week, but it might need to be less frequent so that as many people as possible may attend over a period of time.

The Cathedral and Holy Rosary have been prepared to welcome you safely back to Mass.  We must maintain physical distancing and good hand hygiene. It is obligatory to wear a face-covering/mask in Places of Worship.  Please bring one with you and please put it on before you enter.    There are some exemptions.  Each Mass will have at least two stewards who will greet you at the door.  Please read the signs carefully as to which door to use. If there is  a queue outside the church, please maintain good physical distancing. You will be asked to sanitise your hands as you enter and give your name so that it can be checked against the list of those who have registered to attend that particular Mass.  This information will be kept for 21 days for track and trace.  There will be a one way system in place and the available seating will be labelled.  Those of the same household or in a social bubble may sit together.  Please follow the directions of the stewards.  There will be no Holy Water, no congregational singing, no printed bulletin and so on.  Holy Communion will be distributed in your places to avoid people moving.  At the end of Mass you will be asked to leave bench by bench in the one way system and to sanitise your hands as you exit the church. There is a lot more information in the FAQs document in the News section. A timetable of Masses can be found below the details about live-streaming.

Daily Live-streaming from Leeds Cathedral

Holy Mass on Monday – Friday at 12.30pm, Saturday at 12noon and on Sunday at 11.00am; the Angelus and Rosary at 12noon Monday to Friday, and at 11.30am on Saturday. 

To participate online, please access the following new YouTube channel: www.leedscathedrallive.org.uk  and it may also be accessed by clicking on the above image of the Cathedral.

Please consider texting CHURCH LIVE to 70500 to contribute £5 to the Offertory of our Mother Church.

 The timetable for the celebration of Holy Mass and the other Sacraments until lunchtime on Thursday 24th December. 

Please note that on Monday 21st December there will be no Confessions at the Cathedral due to two Funerals taking place that morning.

Please check the weekly bulletin (Downloads on Home Page) for the most up to date information.  The following times may change at short notice.

Sunday Masses: Cathedral Saturday 6pm, Sunday 9.15am (note change of time), 11am & 6pm; Holy Rosary 10.30am

Weekday Masses: Cathedral Monday – Friday 12.30pm, Saturday 12 noon; Tuesday & Thursday 5.30pm; Holy Rosary Friday 10.00am

Confessions: Cathedral Monday to Friday 11.30am – 12.15pm; Tuesday and Thursday 4.45pm – 5.15pm; Saturday 5.00pm – 5.30pm

Rosary: Cathedral Monday – Friday 12noon; Saturday 11.30am

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament: Tuesday & Thursday 3.15pm – 5.15pm

Christmas Masses

Leeds Cathedral

Christmas Eve: 4pm (fully booked), 6pm (fully booked), 8pm, 11.30pm

Christmas Day: 9.15am, 11.00am

Holy Rosary

Christmas Eve: 8pm

Christmas Day: 10.30am

Due to the requirement of the current restrictions the capacity of both churches is drastically reduced.  Please note that it may not be possible for you to attend one of the above Masses.  You may wish to consider attending one of the Masses during the Octave of Christmas as noted in the schedule of Masses.

First Reconciliation – we have not been able to identify a new date for the celebration.  Please keep see the website & bulletin for more details.

Re-opening Volunteers I am very grateful to those who have responded to this appeal already; however, we need more volunteers; without your help will will not be able to open for Mass. If you wish to help, or wish to find out more, please contact the Cathedral Dean and Parish Priest, Canon Matthew Habron,  at dean.cathedral@dioceseofleeds.org.uk

Online Parish Census In these days, we have become more aware than ever of the importance of keeping in touch with one another, especially as we are unable to gather together for Mass each Sunday. It has been a while since there was a parish census. A census enables us to keep up to date with parishioners and also to build up a database of those who wish to be kept informed about parish life by email. Please do take the time to complete the census. An online version is available here.

Walks in Lockdown 2020: “During these last few months of lockdown I have had a daily walk near home. All these photographs were taken within two miles of my home in Leeds, Yorkshire. On these walks the 16th century Spanish mystic, St John of the Cross, became conscious in my thoughts and prayer. I invite the reader to pause, look, listen. Be unafraid of the silence and stillness this lockdown has afforded us; be prepared to take a walk into natural spaces around your home.”  A thought provoking and prayerful meditation available in the Downloads section.

Covid-19 Updates from the Diocese and Bishop Marcus

For up to date information from the Diocese re COVID-19 please click on the following link:

https://www.dioceseofleeds.org.uk/cessation-of-public-masses-in-the-diocese-of-leeds/ 

A Welcome from the Dean of the Cathedral

Leeds Cathedral is one of the finest Catholic Cathedrals in England.

Dedicated to Saint Anne, the mother of Our Lady, the Cathedral is situated in the heart of Leeds city centre and contrasts with the surrounding new hotels and office blocks, The Light shopping centre, and the Victorian Town Hall.

The Cathedral is a place of silence and prayer which provides a refuge from the activity of one of Britain’s busiest cities. This atmosphere of peace has grown through the daily celebration of the Liturgy, and every afternoon there is silent Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament. This sense of God’s peaceful presence is the Cathedral’s chief glory.

I hope all visitors to Leeds will discover this great treasure of the Diocese and City of Leeds.

The Very Rev Canon Matthew Habron Cathedral Dean