THE Bishop of Raphoe has given the go-ahead for Communions and Confirmations to take place from the middle of August despite current health guidance saying ceremonies should not take place at this time.
In a letter to Priests of the Raphoe Diocese at the weekend, Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ., said that sacraments for children will get underway from Friday, August 13.
Under current Covid-19 guidelines, places of worship are open to religious services for up to 50 people but ceremonies, such as communions and confirmations, should not take place.
In a statement, Bishop McGuckian said that after some months of celebrating Mass safely, he believed it is now time to look again at the Sacraments of Initiation.
“The Government requested in late June that we postpone the celebration of Baptism, Confirmation and First Holy Communion until a later date. Now, along with the other bishops I recommend that our parishes begin to prepare for ceremonies from mid-August onward,” Bishop McGuckian said.
While many parishes have already made decisions along with teachers and families to hold ceremonies later in the year, Bishop McGuckian said that, in some places, after consultation with teachers and parents, and bearing in mind the dates for reopening of both primary and secondary schools, priests and communities might find it convenient to arrange ceremonies some time after Friday 13th of August.
“The delegations for administering the Sacrament of Confirmation that were given earlier can be acted upon from then on.
“It is very important that we conduct any ceremonies according to the strict guidelines and protocols that we have been following to date. I respectfully request that it be made clear, in the interests of safety, that any subsequent gatherings be kept strictly within family pods,” Bishop McGuckian said.
“As regards weddings we are aware of ambiguity in the Government’s new guidelines. They permit 100 guests to attend Wedding receptions. Many of our smaller churches are not able to facilitate 100 persons under current Government social distancing guidelines. Couples should be made aware of the limits that Government guidelines impose on churches.
‘We are aware that areas in County Donegal, including parts of our diocese, have the highest rates of infection in Ireland. It is essential that we maintain the highest standards of sanitisation and social distancing at all of our ceremonies,” Bishop McGuckian added.
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