Chai Brady
A Tipperary priest has queried whether the Government will be financially supporting clergy who have invested in webcams in order to move their services online.
Fr Michael Toomey PP of Ardfinnan and Newcastle told The Irish Catholic he spent €5,000 setting up a webcam to broadcast Masses to his parishioners. He also pays €180 a month to maintain the service.
The Government is telling churches that ‘services move online’ due to Covid-19 restrictions, with Fr Toomey saying they have not received any support despite businesses receiving grants.
“I’m just wondering, we have received absolutely no financial support to keep our churches open, to keep our priests available to go to crashes or emergencies or hospitals, to provide funerals and pastoral care, I know there will be a huge backlash from certain people – saying the Church don’t deserve any money – but when we are told to go online, they haven’t actually sorted who pays for that,” he said.
“I’m not looking for money at all, in fact it’s been the last thing on my mind,” he stressed, “but I think this is a matter of principle. We’ve been told by Government to go online and I’ve done that.”
The priest has written to his local TD and other ministers and the Department of Health for clarification on the issue.