Parishes hailed for ‘trojan work’ as priests ready for busy Christmas

With just a week to go to Christmas, many parishes have pulled out all the stops to ensure that as many people as is safely possibly can attend Mass. Many areas reported large socially-distanced queues of parishioners applying for tickets to attend one of the many extra Christmas liturgies.

A lot of priests have decided to hold additional Masses due to restrictions on attendance and some priests have even come out of retirement to assist.

Church leaders have praised what they have described as the “tremendous” work of priests and parishes in what they say has been an “intense” period of preparations for Christmas. However, they also pleaded with parishioners to be reasonable and patient as parishes are doing their very best to accommodate people.

Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe said that priests and parish councils must be “commended” for their “trojan work” at a difficult time.

“It’s very hard to predict, of the people who don’t normally go, who will turn up on the day,” he said. “If you have a ticketing system in place, as a lot of the parishes have, the challenge will be what happens if extras turn up and you’re beyond the capacity. All of those fears are there.

“But priests, pastoral councils and Covid committees have done Trojan work,” he added. “They’re to be commended on that because it’s been a difficult and challenging time, for everybody but particularly for parishes.

Bishop Monahan continued, saying that, though it will be an intense few days, he’s confident it will be “a great time… it’s what we live for, Christmas and Easter”.

Dr Monahan concluded, saying he hoped the “innovation and energy” of the Covid-period will be carried on after it has passed.

Bishop Phonsie Cullinan said it was “heartening” to see the hard work and innovation of parishes. He asked that people be reasonable in their expectations as parishes “are doing their very best”.

“You will always get the unreasonable people, but we’re just asking people to be reasonable and to realise that the priest and his parish teams are caught right in the middle of a difficult situation and they’re doing their very best,” Bishop Cullinan said.

The bishop of Waterford & Lismore encouraged those who may be vulnerable to remember they can attend Mass online and that “the Lord is with them right there in their homes”.

“Make the crib more central perhaps and to visit a church at times outside of the Mass times if they cannot get to Mass,” he said. “Also to consider going to a Mass at some other time rather than at the peak time.”

Bishop Denis Nulty of Kildare and Leighlin said the priests and parishes have been “absolutely tremendous” during Christmas and throughout the year.

“They’re doing wonderful work,” he said. “They have great parish Covid teams working around them, making sure there’s stewarding, there’s sanitisation, that people feel safe who wish to come.

“All that I can say is that people are delighted that our churches have gently reopened,” Bishop Nulty continued. “It’s much more difficult when there’s no contact at all. Even though its curtailed, we’re all wearing masks and so on, at least we’re seeing people,” he said.

The Church has urged people who cannot attend Mass – especially those who are vulnerable or may have an underlying condition – to participate online.