Chai Brady
Photo: Alessandra Tarantino The hierarchy has published a checklist for parishes to assist the faithful in their preparations to ensure that the return to public worship “happens in a safe and measured way”.
With the restrictions set to lift on June 29, the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference said the preparations would only be successful if there is “generous support” from volunteers.
“We hope that the return of communal worship will give new heart to our priests and parishes and that, in spite of the inevitable limitations to our celebrations, we may all be confirmed in Faith and in our ministry,” they said this week.
Guidelines
The guidelines include parishes establishing a ‘Covid-19 Support Team’ to organise preparations. The securing of signage, cleaning/sanitising materials and other “items necessary for protection” are called for.
The bishops ask that consideration be made for the number of people that can safely be accommodated in each church and how it will be managed and communicated to parishioners. It must also be clearly indicated where people can sit and whether stewards are needed to assist people entering and exiting the church and direct people to their seats.
Particularly regarding receiving Communion, it asks whether parishes have supplied markings to help people maintain physical distancing. This physical distancing must also be applied outside the church and the needs of people with disabilities are asked to be taken into account.
Churches should be “as safe as any enclosed space”, the documents states, and highlights the need to empty Holy Water fonts, to have hand sanitisers at entrances and exits, not to share missalettes and asks what mechanism has been put in place for taking church collections.
The dispensation from the Sunday and Holy Day will be extended, with Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of the Archdiocese of Dublin, speaking on RTÉ Radio 1 this week, encouraging people to attend Mass during the week.
The guidelines state: “In the interests of physical distancing, parishes may wish, for the time being, to limit music ministry to a single cantor and a single instrumentalist.
Supervision
“Altar servers should assist only when all physical distancing/hygiene considerations have been taken into account, and with careful supervision.
“At this time, the optional exchange of the Sign of Peace can be omitted, or offered in a manner which avoids any physical contact.
“For the time being, it is recommended that Communion should not be given under both kinds, and should be received in the hand.
“Priests and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion should visibly sanitise their hands both before and after the distribution of Communion. Priests and ministers should wear a face-covering while distributing Communion.”