Bishops in the Republic have been urged to trust priests in parishes with decisions around holding First Holy Communion and Confirmation ceremonies.
It comes after the Department of the Taoiseach sent a circular to the Church hierarchy advising they postpone the ceremonies of First Holy Communion and Confirmation for May and June, to be resumed “when it is safe to do so”. North of the border, the ceremonies have been taking place in-line with public health guidelines.
Clare TD Michael McNamara told The Irish Catholic he believed the State should not interfere with the Church’s internal decision-making, and vice versa.
“If the State was to say to parents: look, we’re strongly discouraging you from having large parties, confirmation parties or communion parties, then I would understand that entirely and maybe even agree with them if the advice was not to have gatherings indoors,” Mr McNamara said.
“But, if it’s saying not to carry them [the sacraments] out…the last time I checked First Communion and Confirmation were sacraments.
“It’s a matter for religious organisations to determine these things,” he said, continuing “the separation of Church and State is a good thing”.
In Co. Cork Gurranabraher parish priest, Fr Tom Walsh said he believes it is “wrong” of the bishops not to trust their priests to organise the sacraments safely.
“We’re just getting diktats, you can’t do baptisms, etc. I think the bishops themselves are being over-cautious,” he said.
This was echoed by Fr Ted Sheehan of Glounthaune, Co. Cork, who said the Church’s continuing compliance with State advice was “disproportionate”.
“I think it’s disproportionate and I think that individual priests should be able to, in conjunction with the school, organise safe gatherings of a certain number,” Fr Sheehan said.
Fr Sheehan was also critical of the Church appearing to take on responsibility for parties and other functions that might take place after the ceremonies. He said it is wrong to be “putting it on the priest to control what they’re supposed to be doing after the celebration. Surely that’s their own responsibility?
“If they’re listening to the guidelines from the Government, surely that responsibility should be theirs’, not ours,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown stressed that compliance with the measures is important. He said that the Church has to “be seen to be socially behaving responsibly.
“We clearly can’t accept responsibility for what happens outside, on the other hand, everyone knows that First Holy Communion and Confirmation are social events for many, many people, rather than religious events. You can’t disconnect one from the other,” he said.
Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Armagh Bishop Michael Router agreed, saying “it’s being socially responsible [to delay the sacramental celebrations south of the border] as the parties are inevitable”.