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Mass Schedule
Before the pandemic arrived our parish (Edgeworthstown) had two Sunday Masses. Our hope was to have as full a congregation as possible so as to have a better sense of the community worshipping together. When the pandemic came we put on a third Mass @ 9.00 a.m. Now that the restrictions have eased and there is some confidence that the health threat is reduced it is proposed to revert to the pre Covid Mass schedule as follows:
Saturday evening:
Edgeworthstown @ 7.00 p.m.
Boherquill @ 8.00 p.m.
Sunday Morning:
Edgeworthstown @ 11.00 a.m.
Rathowen @ 10.00 a.m.
This will take effect from the first Sunday of March – Sun. 6th
The Government issued the following on 19th October 2021, in relation to places of worship:
“Religious services and weddings can proceed without capacity limits but with all other protective measures remaining in place”
It is important that we take a cautious approach to further reopening.
The following protective measures are recommended:
(a) Encourage those with symptoms not to attend church
(b) Have sanitisers available at the doors
(c) Social distancing to continue
(d) One way systems to continue
(e) Wearing of face coverings to continue
(f) The Celebrant and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to wear face coverings
and sanitise hands before and after distribution
(g) No handshake as a sign of peace
(h) Communion on the hand only
(i) Ventilation of the church
(j) Choirs may sing while observing the guidelines of the HPSC – have a socially distant
performance following risk assessmen
– Diocesan Office
As a result of the recent government announcement it is now permitted to have a congregation of 50% of the capacity of the church. This is welcome news and hopefully will see some more of our parishioners return to Sunday worship. We will continue to be mindful of best practice standards in terms of sanitisation, social distancing etc. We record our sincere thanks to our very faithful stewards and cleaners who make a wonderful contribution to our parish community in their commitment to ensure that we meet high standards of safety for all.
(Sunday newsletter 05/09/2021)
Saturday @ 7.00 p.m.
Sunday @ 9.00 a.m. & 11.00
When the restrictions ease we will revert to one Sunday morning Mass @ 11.00 a.m.
- Two metre distance must be maintained with a maximum of 50 people
- Sanitiser will be available at all doors
- Please enter by front doors and exit by side doors
- Holy Water fonts to be left empty
- Congregating outside the church is discouraged
- Face masks are highly recommended and strongly encouraged
- Funerals – from May 10th 50 mourners are permitted at a Funeral Ceremony
- Marriages – from 19th May 50 guests are permitted at a Mariage Ceremony
- First Friday Communion Calls may take place with the prior approval of the household
- Singing at Mass – Congregational singing and choir singing are not permitted
- Churches will remain open for private prayer
- Funerals – up to 10 mourners
- Weddings – up to 6 people (from January (3rd)
- First Friday calls are suspended
- Annointing of the sick may take place when the priest is invited by a family
We will need to continue to rely on our volunteer cleaners and stewards so as to ensure our congregations remain safe.
The Government have introduced new restrictions due to the current health crisis. Accordingly relgious services will have to cease.
WORSHIP IN DECEMBER
Thankfully our churches reopened on Tuesday last. There was a great sense of joy among the daily Mass going congregation – it was good for people to meet and to befriend each other and to be united in prayer once more. We hope and pray that our churches will be able to remain open into the future. Daily Mass takes place @ 11.00 each morning. The maximum number permitted remains at 50 for Masses; 25 for Funerals and 25 for weddings.
The following protective measures are expected to be in place:
2m social distancing guidelines adhered to (members of the same household can sit/stand close together)
Wearing of face coverings
Where possible separate points of entrance and exit, clearly marked
No congregation by people outside the premises before and after any ceremony
Stewards on site to assist in this regard
Choirs, chanting and congregational singing – Specific Guidance on this will be provided later by the Government.
9.00 A.M. Sunday Mass
Mass Times – The current restrictions around the size of indoor gatherings (50 people max.) remains a challenge for all parishes. There is now an extra Sunday morning Mass @ 9.00 a.m. The intention is that this will be a temporary arrangement which we will review on a regular basis and discontinue whenever we can facilitate larger numbers at the usual Vigil and 11.00 Masses.
Please note that the obligation to attend Sunday Mass remains suspended at this time.
We encourage people to consider attending a weekday Mass as an alternative to Sunday Mass as so as to ease pressure on seating.
Church leaders urge worshippers to wear face coverings to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
– “We join with Christian church leaders all over this island in formally recommending and encouraging the use of face coverings at all services of worship, along with the ongoing maintenance of 2 metre physical distancing.”
Phase three of the lifting of public health restrictions begins on Mon June 29th. Thankfully we will then be in a position to reopen our Parish Church for public worship. We look forward to reopening, but are mindful that in all circumstances the safety and health of people, ministers, and priests must be paramount.
Accordingly there are many restrictions which we have to abide by for the near future. At the moment our capacity is restricted to 50 people. Phase four of the reopening will commence on July 20th which will see us having some extra capacity.
• Thank you to our Parish Pastoral Council, Stewards and volunteers who have been working behind the scenes to implement the guidelines as we prepare for reopening. Please note the following:
• Weekday Masses will be celebrated each day @ 11.00 a.m. in St Mary’s Parish Church.
• Sunday Masses are: Sat evening @ 7.00 p.m. and Sunday morning @ 11.00 a.m.
• The obligation to attend Sunday Mass is lifted for the time being.
• It is most important that people who are vulnerable or unwell, should stay at home and, if possible, participate, via social media, television, or radio.
• We are unsure as to how many will attend on Sundays. It is very problematic to put plans in place. We will have to see how things go and reassess as the weeks go by. We ask you for your patience and understanding in these most unusual circumstances.
• It would be helpful if people who can attend on weekdays would do so as an alternative to Sunday Mass. This would help to free up some spaces for the Sunday celebration.
• Entry to the church will be by the front door. Exit will be by the side doors.
• Stewards will welcome and count people, and point to the signage and hand sanitisers. Please observe the instructions of the Stewards.
• We are very reluctant to turn anyone away but please understand if we have reached our capacity – we are not in a position to overfill the church.
• Anyone not able to gain entrance will be able to hear Mass from a loudspeaker outside. A Minister of the Eucharist will come to the top step to distribute Holy Communion..
• Inside, every second bench will be roped off, as will the space at the back of the church i.e. no standing spaces at the back of the church.
• Each open pew will have a label at each end and will seat two (one at each end). Couples and families from the same household may sit together.
• Holy Communion will be distributed through the Church by the priest/Minister of the Eucharist who will wear masks.
• In all cases Holy Communion will be placed on the hand, not in the mouth.
• The priest and Eucharistic Ministers will wash their hands both before and after distributing Holy Communion.
• After Mass the congregation will leave by the side doors.
• Collection boxes will be placed near the church doors – there being no regular collection during Mass.
• Holy Water fonts will continue to remain empty.
• Unfortunately it is best that the Altar Servers and Choirs do not resume their duties until further notice.
• Newsletters are for single use only and should be taken home for disposal.
• The Church will be cleaned after every ceremony.
Bishop Francis Duffy’s Pastoral Letter of 28th June 2020:
RETURNING TO THE PUBLIC CELEBRATION OF MASS AND THE SACRAMENTS
We look forward to the resumption of the public celebration of Mass on Monday June 29th next. The first Sunday Masses will be on the weekend of Sat/Sun July 4th/5th.
As previously indicated we will have to comply with strict restrictions so as to ensure public safety which will present many challenges.
The Parish Pastoral Council and Diocesan Assembly delegates have been considering how best to implement the guidelines which we have received.
We will meet with the Ushers in the coming week and are very appreciative of all of the goodwill and spirit of co-operation that is evident in our local community.
Please note the following:
- Dispensation from Sunday and Holyday Obligation is extended for the time being.
- Anyone who is unwell is advised not to attend.
- Seating capacity – obviously the two metre social distance rule means that the capacity of the Parish Church will be well reduced. We will only be able to use every second bench and each bench can take just two people. Couples and family units can sit together which would increase the capacity. We estimate that the seating capacity will be in the region of 60/70 people. Seating spaces will be marked out.
- We will use one point of entry – the front doors. Exit will be by the side doors.
- Holy Water fonts will continue to remain empty.
- Hand sanitisers will be available at Church doors.
- Holy Communion should be received in the hand.
- Unfortunately it is best that the Altar Servers and Choirs do not resume their duties until further notice.
- Newsletters are single use only – please take home after Mass.
- Parish Collections – will be held at the entrance door.
– See Parish Website / Church Noticeboard / Parish Newsletter for updates –
A major challenge as we reopen for worship is the task of cleaning the church after each celebration. Obviously if a number of people would volunteer it is a task that could be shared out. Could you assist please? – if so, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact the Parochial House (71046) or any member of the Parish Pastoral Council.
Thank you to the ladies who faithfully clean our church to such a high standard each week. Your generous service is much appreciated.
05. JUN. 2020
“Following today`s announcement by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar that the public health restrictions due to COVID19 will be eased on 29 June to allow “places of worship to resume services again, with precautions”, I welcome this news and like other priests in Ireland I am greatly looking forward to celebrating public Mass and the sacraments soon with our congregations.
“I wish to commend dioceses and parishes for undertaking preparations to facilitate the safe return of the faithful to public worship in a measured way, and for their reaching out to parishioners in very difficult circumstances during the lockdown which included the broadcasting of Mass and other prayer opportunities by webcam.
“Next week, the bishops of Ireland will meet for the first time over video-call for our Summer General Meeting. We will finalise our framework document for the return to Mass and the sacraments which will offer best practice to parishes as we begin to fully reopen parish life again.
“It is my fervent hope and prayer that parishes in Northern Ireland will also soon be able to gather for public worship in the same way as parishes on the rest of the island.
”During the pandemic we were unable to gather in the normal way for the Eucharist and other sacraments, but we have been alert to God’s presence in the lonely and the suffering. Sadly the pandemic has brought great suffering to many families whose loved ones have died because of the virus. In a lot of cases it was not possible for family members to be by their side, or to be present at their funeral. God knows our grief and how much we need strength, courage, consolation and comfort at this time. As the restrictions ease the Church will continue to assist those in the greatest need.”
Arrangements for liturgies and church events in the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois during the period 13th March to 29th March 2020
CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Further advice of the Irish Bishops in response to the COVID-19 Coronavirus
The following instructions take into consideration the new
norms issued by the Irish government to be in force at 18.00
(Thursday 12th March 2020).
These instructions complement the advice issued
yesterday by the Irish Episcopal Conference and remain in
place until 29th March. It is likely that these restrictions will
continue for some time after that, and instructions regarding the
celebration of Holy Week will be issued in due course.
The motivation for these new restrictive measures is a
sense of care for the common good and especially for those
most vulnerable. Each Christian community should be acutely
aware of the responsibility to care for those who are most at
risk. For example, even where it may not be appropriate to visit
the elderly, a simple telephone call to enquire about their needs
could mean so much to them.
Churches
In these times of uncertainty many will wish to visit their local church. Our churches will remain open for prayer each day at times that will be advertised locally.
The celebration of weekend and weekday Mass
Because of the requirement that indoor gatherings of more than 100 people be avoided, and the difficulties that may arise in achieving this, and always mindful of public safety and those with underlying medical conditions, the following arrangements are to be followed in all parishes:
” Because of the current emergency situation, all parishioners are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Sunday Mass.
” During the period 13th March to 29th March the public celebration of Mass on weekdays and at weekends is suspended with immediate effect. This includes Saint Patrick’s Day.
” Be assured that priests will continue to celebrate Mass privately and pray for the needs of their parishioners.
” Mass will be available by webcam at Saint Mel’s Cathedral www.longfordparish.com each day – 8.00am, 10.00am, 1.05 weekdays, 7.30pm Saturday, and 8.00am, 10.00am, 11.30am and 1.00pm on Sundays.
You are encouraged to continue to pray at home with your family and especially for those who are sick and those who care for them.
The Celebration of Baptism
Baptisms will continue to take place provided the congregation is less than 100.
A single jug of fresh water will be blessed and will not be reused.
Signing of the cross will take place without touch and the sacred oils will be administered with the use of cotton buds.
The Celebration of Funerals
Funeral Masses will be celebrated in church with only immediate family members in attendance and no more than 100 present. Those attending are asked to sit at least two metres apart. (www.gov.ie)
Sympathising should not involve handshaking or physical touch, hand hygiene measures will be maintained throughout the ceremony.
Confirmation:
The celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation is suspended for the time being.
The Sacrament of Marriage:
The Sacrament of Marriage may be celebrated in church. Representatives of the couple are asked to ensure that no more than 100 people are in attendance in the church. People are asked to sit at least two metres apart.
Hand hygiene measures in place. No exchange of the sign of peace by means of a handshake
Pastoral Care of the Sick and Sacrament of Anointing:
Great care will be taken with the administration of this reassuring sacrament.
Priests will use a cotton bud or a sterile glove to administer the oil of the sick.
Spiritual Communion
The tradition of Spiritual Communion, whereby those who cannot directly receive the Eucharist, can by their desire to receive it, also gain its benefits. Although unable to receive the Eucharist in person we are not separated from it, but drawn into a deeper appreciation and desire for its graces, which continue to be poured out to each of us.
“My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You have already come, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen”.
Saint Francis
Review
These arrangements are subject to review. Any change will be communicated to parishes and will be advertised on the diocesan website www.ardaghdiocese.org