FIRST Communions are to be ‘deferred’ until September as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Catholic Bishop of Derry has confirmed.
In a letter to priests in parishes in his diocese, Dr Donal McKeown said the decision had not been taken lightly but he was “conscious that we must do everything we can to ensure that life is protected in the midst of this pandemic”.
Dr McKeown said he was concerned about “parties and other socialising which, although completely disconnected from the celebration of the sacraments and the environs of the church, can and often do occur”.
He added: “It must also be recognised that such parties and socialising are a matter for the civil authorities and, indeed, are currently banned under civil COVID regulations; it is for the civil authorities to enforce civil laws.
“I think that, as church, we should go the extra step to assist in protecting public health by avoiding those situations which might with some regularity lead people to organise parties.”
Turning to Confirmations, Dr McKeown said it was acceptable for parishes to make provisional arrangements for these in June but he would review the situation in the middle of May.
The Bishop has also proposed that there should be a limitation in each church for those attending an individual Baptism to immediate family only.
He added: “By ‘immediate family’ I mean the parents, godparents and siblings of a minor who is being baptised.
“If an adult is being baptised or received into the church, this may be attended by a spouse, their children and godparents.
“Where it is unavoidable that there are multiple Baptisms at the one time, the total number of people present in the church, including clergy etc, should not exceed 25, the family groups should not mix inside or outside the church and should be four metres apart from each other.”
The Most Reverend McKeown said that a return to any form of normality for church and society “will be slow and, in order to hold the progress that we have made towards normal practice of faith, patience will be needed in relation to the pace of such change.”
Catholic Bishop of Derry Most Reverend Donal McKeown
He was speaking after it was announced religious services will be allowed to resume in the North of Ireland in time for Easter.
Churches in the Republic have yet to be given a date for resuming their services.
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