Clonmel church announces no public masses and confirmation postponed

Ss Peter and Paul’s curate Fr Michael Toomey has announced that Masses in public in the diocese, Sundays and weekdays, will not be celebrated in public with a congregation but privately by the priest until 29 March or until further notice.

The following instructions take into consideration the new norms issued by the Irish government to be in force at 18.00 on 12 March.  

In the current emergency situation, all are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Sunday Mass.  The statement acknowledges that it may be possible to have public Masses where the congregation is less than 100. However, it is not possible within this diocese to guarantee that congregations can be limited to 100 or fewer. 

In SS Peter & Paul’s Mass will be celebrated at the usual time by the priest alone, and can be accessed via radio on (107.9 FM), or online on our on parish tv: 

www.churchservices.tv/clonmelpeterpaul

Confirmations are postponed until further notice.(We have provisionally scheduled our Parish Confirmation on Sunday May 31st – Pentecost Sunday). 

Funerals: Every Catholic is entitled to a dignified Christian burial.  Attendance at Funeral services and Masses should be limited to close relatives and must not exceed 100 attendees within the church building. Funerals will be broadcast on parish radio broadcasts (107.9FM) and on parish tv:  www.churchservices.tv/clonmelpeterpaul

Weddings and baptisms may be celebrated on condition that the attendance in church does not exceed 100 people.

All non-essential pastoral gatherings and meetings, such as formation gatherings, retreats and seminars are cancelled. 

In these difficult and uncertain times, people find strength, consolation and hope in prayer.   The Churches will remain open for prayer each day, but will be closed to facilitate the broadcast of the Mass on Sunday Mornings, and from 1pm weekdays. 

This is an occasion for all of us – especially in families – to pray more intensely for each other and especially for those who have succumbed to the illness.  We should pray also for those at the frontlines – especially doctors, nurses and medical staff and other carers, including clergy – that the Lord will protect them as they place their own wellbeing at risk in the service of all.

These instructions complement the advice given on March 11 by the Irish Episcopal Conference and remain in place until 29 March 2020.  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.

Canon Crowley & Fr Toomey