The News on Re-opening

Holy Family, Rathcoole, Sun. 19 July 2020
Checklist by Ronan McDermott

Resumption of Public Masses

Mass happily resumed in our churches from Monday 29th on, as well as on certain weekday evenings. (See Mass Times on menu-bar.) Since there are still restrictions on numbers of people attending, volunteers were at the door for Sunday Mass to give guidance on procedures. The photo shows the check-in system in operation now for Saggart and Rathcoole. Newcastle is continuing with entry by token. These volunteers consist of people who help out in various capacities already in the two parishes and are now very kindly answering the call for a further effort. They hold weekly Zoom meetings to review and adapt the procedures.

Provision of Sacraments

General Situation   
Parishes across the country are starting to grapple with the logistics of “clearing the sacramental backlog”, as they plan to organise Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation and Wedding ceremonies that were indefinitely postponed when the lockdown was declared in March (News. catholicireland.net, 18 July 2020 : full report here ). With regard to the Dublin diocese, it will not be possible to hold the traditional large First Holy Communion and Confirmation ceremonies for each parish or school. “A series of separate ceremonies will have to be planned. The final decision on how to administer the sacraments is being left to parishes.” 

Our Parishes

Baptisms have been held over the past few Sundays and are continuing to be held. As regards First Holy Communion, parents should contact their school about the date for the ceremony. Groups will be small and schools are being asked to select who goes and on what day and time.

Dates Fixed So Far :  
Pupils from Citywest Educate Together NS and Citywest and Saggart Community NS will receive their First Holy Communion in St Mary’s on Saturday 25th July (11 a.m.) and Saturday 8th August (11 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.), while on Friday 18th September, for pupils of Holy Family NS, three ceremonies will take place at 9.30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 12.30 p.m.

Pupils from St Mary's NS will receive their First Holy Communion in Saggart Church at 11 a.m. on three successive Saturdays in October, the 3rd, 10th and 17th, while pupils from St Martin's NS Brittas will receive theirs in Saggart on Saturday 31st, also at 11 a.m.

So to those receiving Holy Communion this coming Saturday, as well as those doing so on the other days to come, we say

               
               Have a Lovely Day!

Re-opening of Churches

On Friday 3rd July the Government announced that the limit of 50 people allowed to attend Mass since June 29th has been raised to whatever number each church can accommodate while adhering to government health and safety guidelines. (See newspaper report here.)  This means that our three churches can proceed to welcome to Sunday Mass tomorrow the number of people each of them has been judged capable of safely accommodating, i.e. 100 in Saggart, 70 in Rathcoole and 50 in Newcastle (see our Checklist ). The number limit of 50 for all churches announced in the previous post is, therefore, no longer applicable.

For revised times of Masses see here. 

The token system in operation since July 5th has, from Sunday 19th, been replaced by a checklist one. Two volunteer ushers will check numbers entering by filling in a pre-prepared number sheet. 
(On the subject of volunteers, please don't assume that someone else will do all the jobs that have now very unexpectedly and urgently arisen.) 

How to use gel dispensers
In Saggart church porch the dispenser is mounted on the wall. It consists of a plastic container surmounted by a projecting handle/lever. The spout, which is underneath the lever, cannot be seen. Place left hand under the lever while pressing down smartly with right elbow on the lever.  The gel will drop onto the palm of your left hand.