The Hartlepool parishioner who live streamed key Easter celebration to include town in lockdown

Every Good Friday, parishioners from Catholic and other churches across the town walk through the streets carrying large crucifixes for an open air service at the war memorial in the annual Walk of Witness.

And for the first time, the walk was live streamed to an at-home audience who are under lockdown measures as the UK tackles coronavirus.

Bernadette Malcolmson, parishioner of the Headland's St Mary’s Church, completed the walk solo while the town watched on Facebook Live.

The walk – which took around an hour and was Bernadette’s daily exercise – saw her stop at 14 points along the way to read prayers written by parishioners for the Stations of the Cross.

A moment of reflection took place at the Hartlepool War Memorial before Bernadette finished the walk at St Mary’s Church.

Live streamed on the St Mary’s Facebook page from 9.30am on Good Friday, around 168 people were watching live, but the video which has since been posted on the St Mary’s Facebook page has already racked up around 3,000 views.

Bernadette, who has been videoing a number of services since the lockdown caused churches to close, said: “It was fantastic and I really enjoyed it.

“I walked from the Headland to the town centre and it was great to be able to live stream it and get as many people as we did join in.

“It had a fantastic response from people.

“Some parishioners feel really isolated at the moment as mass on the weekend’s would normally be their social time, so it was nice for them to be able to be involved and feel part of it.”

A number of services will also be broadcast on Facebook by Hartlepool churches throughout Easter weekend to allow people take part in mass, prayers and worship.

Bernadette continued: “The conversation kept going as I was walking, especially from those who don’t live in town any more.

“There were lots of people sending well wishes.

“I didn’t know who was going to tune in but I just thought if it helps one person during the isolation period then it it worth it.”

St Mary’s Facebook page will also be the place to watch Easter services from St Joseph’s Church led by Parish Priest Father Michael Griffiths.

Times are 6.30pm for Easter Vigil on Saturday, April 11, and 10am mass on Sunday.

A wide range of services, reflections and prayers are also being regularly streamed by the Central Hartlepool Group of Churches on the Facebook pages of St Aidan’s with St Columba’s, St Luke’s and Stranton and Burbank Community Church.

For full details of upcoming broadcasts visit durhamdiocese.org/covid-19/live-streamed-services.

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