Credit: Mazur/cbcew.org.uk 
Chai Brady and Róise McGagh
Bishops have expressed cautious optimism for a return to public Masses before the Government’s July 20 target. At the same time, there has been a welcome for the decision of the northern Executive to put the reopening of churches as a key priority in easing lockdown in the region.
In a letter to priests, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin said that “each church should be preparing its own clear plan in order to be ready for opening”. He said that other European countries were providing a model that Irish parishes could follow.
Dr Martin said he believed that “Irish public health authorities will be influenced by the measures taken in other European countries.
“The reopening of chur- ches in a number of Euro- pean countries has in fact been accompanied by strict norms of public health,” he said.
Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran said he finds it “disappointing to think that smaller, physically-distanced congregations would not be permitted to gather for Mass until July 20.
“I honestly believe that it should be possible to begin sooner, but always giving priority to public health. Whenever it happens, it will require flexibility and generosity of spirit on the part of everybody,” he said.
Attendance
In his letter this week, Dr Martin urged parishes to devise a seating plan and clearly define the maximum number of people that the church can hold. “When this number has been identified, the parish must consider how to deal with possible larger attendance.
“This could mean suggesting that numbers be systematically spread around the weekdays or that extra Masses be scheduled for Sunday,” he said.
He also said that “it would seem that the preferred option is for Comunion to be brought to people rather than by a procession to the altar”.
Bishop Doran said that he believed it was important for the Church to act in unison. “For the sake of avoiding confusion or mixed messages, it is something that we will have to do together.
“This is not made any easier by the fact that we have two political jurisdictions on the island, or the fact that the impact of the virus has been significantly different in different parts of the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, north of the border the plan published this week includes reopening of churches as part of phase one of easing restrictions.
Bishop of Derry Donal McKeown said: “I’m very happy with that. It will bring a lot of joy to very many people.
“I think people will be reassured that there actually is a clear process in place. We’re delighted that the opening of churches for private prayer is on the top of the list,” he said.
