Ruadhán Jones
Senator Ronán Mullen has said it is “critical” priests “should be prioritised as essential workers” for vaccination by Government, especially for their work ministering to the grieving.
Commenting on priests’ work in caring for the grieving, Senator RonánMullen told The Irish Catholic that it is critical priest’s health is prioritised.
“It is critical that their health would be protected, many of them are in the frontline,” Mr Mullen said. “These are tremendously difficult times psychologically, emotionally and spiritually for so many people. You have families devastated at the circumstance of their loved ones dying, not being able to see them off or say goodbye to them properly.
“It makes the work of a priest all the more important, because where priests are presiding at funerals, they are bringing comfort into the situation and bringing meaning into the situation of people’s suffering,” Mr Mullen continued.
Acknowledging that a number of priests have to self-isolate due to age or underlying conditions, Mr Mullen maintained that many are still “putting themselves in harm’s way” to minister to the grieving.
“Many I would think are carrying on and ministering in this very difficult situation,” Mr Mullen said. “It needs to be recognised that this isn’t just a service to a section of the community – even if it was, their health would still matter – but this is a service that the great majority of people in our society are depending on and are grateful for at this time.”
Meanwhile, a report from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) has highlighted the difficulties clergy face in providing care to the grieving.
Funerals and pastoral care to the grieving is the “hardest thing by far” that priests have to do during the pandemic, according to a priest quoted in the report ‘Something Other Than a Building’.