Re-opening of Parish Churches

Churches will remain closed for public Mass until Monday, 29th June. On that day they will re-open for up to 50 people and on July 20th for up to 100.

Revised Mass Times

Church Health and Safety Measures

Phase 3 of the government's easing of Covid-19 restrictions will come into effect on Monday 29th June (full text here ). Under the heading Social : Indoor Gathering we read:  "Indoor gatherings of up to 50 people when conducted in line with public health advice are permissible."  Weddings and church services are examples of such gatherings.

For its part, the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference published a Framework Document on June 9th which began as follows:  "As we look forward in joy and hope to the re-opening of our churches for the celebration of Mass and the Sacraments, we offer this Framework Document to the dioceses and parishes of Ireland. The purpose of this document is to assist priests and people in their own preparations and to help ensure that the re-opening of our churches for public worship happens in a safe and measured way."

Calculating how many people a church could safely accommodate in keeping with the 2m distancing requirement was a vital part of this plan to re-open. Parishes were asked to address the question: "Having considered the most up-to-date advice on physical distancing, what is the number of people that can be accommodated safely in each church?" (Framework Document, Action 5). Such numbers were duly calculated by the PPC and Parish Team for our three churches, in the expectation that Saggart, Rathcoole and Newcastle would each re-open on Monday 29th to receive varying numbers of parishioners according to each church's capacity. But these calculations based on the Framework document of the 9th June were not to be those arrived at by the government in its Phase 3 measures published on the 19th June (updated 21st), with their entry limit of 50 people no matter how big the church. Hence the disappointment expressed by Archbishop Martin (see here). The end result is that we will have to wait until Phase 4 on July 20th before we can open up our churches to admit the number of people we had hoped to welcome on June 29th.  

The Parish Pastoral Council and Parish Team held a Zoom meeting on Thursday 18th. They discussed a range of issues to do with re-opening our churches, e.g. setting up a Steering Group, determining our churches' capacity, forming teams of volunteer stewards and cleaners, providing signage, drawing up procedures for separate entry and exit etc. We will keep you informed of all developments both here and on Facebook.

Light on the Horizon

The government today (Friday) published its regulations for Phase 2 of the lifting of Covid restrictions beginning on Monday 8th: see HERE. To be warmly welcomed is the new recommendation on funeral attendance: "Up to 25 immediate family and close friends may attend funeral services."

Another glimmer of hope is found in Archbishop Martin's comment yesterday to an Irish Times reporter: "There is a willingness on the part of public authorities to examine the possibility of bringing forward the opening of churches for public worship into Phase 3 of the road map, which would begin on June 29th. Naturally, any decision would have to take place closer to that date and would have to take into consideration the overall situation of the virus at that time." (For more, see the Irish Times report.)

For more information, see Archbishop Martin's official statements on the diocesan website for the 28 May and 4 June on the re-opening of churches.

Tuesday 9th June :

The Bishops of Ireland have released a Framework Document for a Return to the Public Celebration of Mass and the Sacraments. You can read a summary by Bishop Brendan Leahy (Limerick) here and the original text in full here. Par. 5 describes the task awaiting us here in our parishes:

At the end of the month we hope to slowly and cautiously resume public worship in our churches, knowing that it can only happen in a limited way. We will still need patience, perseverance and self-sacrifice. The prescriptions contained in this Framework Document will only be effective if we have the generous support of volunteers who will help to plan, implement and manage the transition back to full parish life and the celebration of the sacraments. In this regard we appeal particularly to the younger members of our parishes. Their energy, creativity and enthusiasm are gifts that our communities need now more than ever, since some of our older generation may be unable to offer their normal help in the current circumstances.

Parish Updates

Address by Fr John Gilligan, Moderator, on behalf of the Parish Team and the Parish Pastoral Council, in conjunction with Mr Matt O'Sullivan, Chairperson of PPC (who also did the recording). Click full-screen button top right of picture and then press play.  (Note (12 May) : we here offer our condolences to Fr John on the death of his father, Desmond, a week after this address. Funeral Mass online : see details here.)  [NOTE  6 February 2025: Unfortunately, I see that this video cannot now be viewed.  The interview with Fr John was carried out hy Matt O'Sullivan who sent me a copy. I in turn then gave parishioners a link to it on the google drive for this parish website. Hopefully, I can track it down. Donal McMahon]

1.  Letter from Fr John Gilligan about First Holy Communion (children of all schools)

2.  Letter about Confirmation (children of Scoil Chrónáin)

3.  Notice on Cemetery Masses

click to enlarge 

REMINDER   You can 'attend' Mass from your home or elsewhere every day of the week at 11 am by clicking 'Mass Live' on the menu-bar above.  And, outside Mass times, you can always 'drop in' for a visit.  There may be someone there in person who, by the slightest movement in the otherwise totally still scene, will make you realise that you too are now looking at the altar 'live' from where you are -- so far away and yet so near!