Recent visitors to the Portsmouth Abbey website will have noticed an important new addition.  In compliance with Bishop Tobin’s mandate to refrain from celebrating public Masses in light of the current coronavirus situation, we began last week to record our daily morning Mass and our daily evening Vespers inside the church.  This is not live-streaming as some churches are doing, but rather recorded and published online. 
 
The Mass is usually available for “premiere” viewing at 8:30 a.m. every day which allows for anyone, anywhere, to participate together, simultaneously, in what we still believe to be the source and summit of our faith, the Holy Eucharist.  (We have adjusted the time of our Sunday Conventual Mass to 7:20 a.m. as it is throughout the rest of the week.)  The same holds true for Vespers, which are usually available for viewing by 6:30 p.m.  In addition, the liturgies are accessible throughout the day and night to more easily accommodate the schedule of everyone.  Remember that “liturgy” comes from the Greek word leitourgia meaning public works or service.  This is a way in which the monks are still able to provide you with access to our liturgies despite the current lockdowns and locked church doors.
 
With that in mind, we are eager to find out from you how we may be of further help, specifically in your prayer life, as this situation extends into the undiscernible future.  Be assured of our continuing prayers from inside the monastery walls for you, your families and your loved ones.  God bless you all, be well and be safe.