I know it's a bit late for telling people but I have rung the bells in the church at 10pm (in case you heard them), as requested by the bishop, to announce the Resurrection of the Lord. Also, as he requested, I will be leaving the lights on in the church all night for the same purpose (in case you notice them).

Bishop Leahy has offered the following reflection, on First Holy Communion and Confirmation this year, but he also presents a wonderful reflection on where we are as a community of faith:

Go gcumhdaí Dia sibh uile.

· Except in the danger of death, Baptisms should not be celebrated until further notice.

· The normal schedule of Confessions in churches has ceased for the time being. If a priest is approached by an individual seeking the sacrament of Reconciliation, all the recommendations regarding hygiene, no hand-shake, social distance etc. apply. Priests should hear the Confession in a large space with the penitent at a distance of two metres. It is recommended that priest and penitent should remain standing, if possible, as a way to keep the confession short and to minimize contact with hard surfaces.

· Catholic doctrine teaches that if a person cannot get to Confession, it is sufficient to confess one’s sins to God, seeking forgiveness and with the intention of going when next possible to Confession. God forgives the sins and the person is renewed in heart and soul. When the opportunity then arises later to go to Confession, he or she should do so.

· At his morning Mass on Marcy 20th, Pope Francis spoke about this doctrine in words that can also help resolve concerns about fulfilling our Easter duty:

· On the basis of the public health guidelines, First Friday house visits and other pastoral house visits should cease except in the cases of the anointing of those who are dying (see below).

· Pastoral visits can be replaced for the time being with other forms of pastoral outreach such as telephone conversations with prayers and blessings. Priests can invite the elderly and sick to accept with a spirit of Christian sacrifice, this loss of a regular visit so often accompanied by the sacrament of Reconciliation and the reception of Holy Communion.

· At present, it is not expected that priests in parishes will have to anoint someone with Covid-19. It is foreseen that anyone seriously ill with Covid-19 will be transferred to hospital. The hospital chaplains will follow hospital protocols in anointing such patients.

· If it should happen in the future that it appears priests might be called to anoint a person with Covid-19, further advice will be obtained from the public authorities and such advice will be made available.

· With regard to celebrating the sacrament of the sick for the dying (last rites) in cases that are not Covid-19, it is essential that in anointing the sick, the priest should use a cotton bud or surgical glove for the anointing with Holy Oil and dispose of them appropriately. The rite should be administered while at a distance of 1 metre. It is important to follow recommendations on hand hygiene after the celebration of the Sacrament.

· In entering the house of the person to be anointed, the priest should avoid contact with others in the house. It should be borne in mind that a priest (as would be the case for anyone) entering another house involves the risk of spreading the virus either through the priest himself (perhaps unknowingly a bearer of the virus) or through the priest contracting the virus from others in the house, including the dying person, all of whom again perhaps, unknowingly, have the virus.

· It is clear that some priests will themselves, because of their health condition or age, feel unable to attend to the sick person in their local parish. They may need and should feel it is okay to do so, to call on another priest from elsewhere to celebrate the sacrament.

 On Wednesday 25th March, Pope Francis has invited “the Heads of the Churches and the leaders of every Christian community, together with all Christians of the various confessions, to invoke the Almighty, the omnipotent God, to recite at the same time (11.00am our time) the prayer that Jesus, Our Lord, taught us” – the Our Father. You may wish to draw attention to this for the recitation of the Our Father at the beginning of the Joyful Mystery of the Annunciation.

On Friday, 27th March, Pope Francis will preside over a moment of prayer on the sagrato of St Peter’s Basilica, the platform at the top of the steps immediately in front of the façade of the Church. “I invite everyone to participate spiritually through the means of communication”, he said. The ceremony will consist in readings from the Scriptures, prayers of supplication, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; and will conclude with Pope Francis giving the Urbi et orbi Blessing, with the possibility of gaining a plenary indulgence for all those who listen to it live through the various forms of communication. The blessing “to the City [of Rome] and to the World” is normally only given on Christmas and Easter. The moment of prayer on Friday will be broadcast live from the Vatican, beginning at 5.00pm Irish time. The plenary indulgence attached to the Urbi et Orbi blessing is subject to the conditions foreseen by the recent Decree of the Apostolic Penitentiary.

The Irish bishops have also invited us to join in the following:

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord

25 March 2020

The Act begins with the recitation of The Angelus.

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God,

the Father Almighty,

Creator of heaven and earth,

and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

born of the Virgin Mary,

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, died and was buried;

He descended into hell;

on the third day He rose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

from there He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

the Holy Catholic Church,

the communion of Saints,

the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body,

and life everlasting.

Amen.

The First Joyful Mystery of the Rosary: The Annunciation of the Lord

Most Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Health of the Sick, 

at this time of great challenge to our country from the coronavirus,

we consecrate to Jesus through your Immaculate Heart: 

ourselves, our family, the members of our parish and Diocese, and the people of Ireland.

O Mary, Queen of Ireland, when you appeared at Knock, you gave hope to your people in a time of distress, and brought them comfort in a time of sorrow.

Be with us now as a sign of salvation and hope, as we entrust ourselves to your loving care.

We renew the promises of our Baptism and Confirmation and ask your intercession that we may be always faithful to Christ and to His Church. 

Bring under your mantle of protection all those who are suffering because of the coronavirus, and those who care for the sick and minister to their needs, 

as your Son implores us to do for one another.

O Loving Mother, 

at the foot of the Cross, with steadfast faith, 

your Immaculate Heart was pierced by grief at the suffering of your Son.

You know what we need during these difficult days.

Help us, O Mother of Divine Love,

to conform ourselves to the Father’s will

and to do what Jesus tells us - 

He who took our sufferings upon Himself, and bore our sorrows to bring us,

through the Cross, to the joy of the Resurrection. 

O Blessed Mother, Our Life, our Sweetness and Our Hope, 

we wish that this Consecration be for the glory of God and that it lead us safely to Jesus your Son.

A Naomh-Mhuire, a Mháthair Dé, guigh orainn na peacaigh, anois agus ar uair ár mbáis. Amen.

May your servants be shielded, O Lord

By the protection of your loving-kindness,

That, doing what is good in this world,

They may reach you, their highest good.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

May Almighty God bless you, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly; Bishop William Crean; Bishop Brendan Leahy; Bishop Ray Browne; Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan; Bishop Fintan Monaghan; Bishop Fintan Gavin]

In the face of massive disruption at so many levels because of the Covid-19 crisis, we want to offer words of support and indicate some directions. In its statement two weeks ago, the Irish Bishops Conference reminded us that as people of faith we are called to face the fears of this moment with a courage not our own and with a generous heart. It is a special time for us to turn to God with faith and prayer knowing that he is always with us. 

We want to acknowledge the generous spirit of social responsibility shown by so many with all the sacrifice that it entails for individuals, families, business, parish communities and the wider society. 

We note the helpfulness of the HSE guidelines and encourage everyone to do all they can in social responsibility to follow the advice being given. On behalf of the people of our Dioceses, we express our gratitude to those working in healthcare, the services relating to healthcare and public services dealing with the fall-out from the virus. We are grateful for the spirit of volunteering on the part of many in local communities and on social media. 

The past week has been extraordinary. Despite the difficult loss of Sunday and weekday public celebration of Mass, people have been able to find some comfort and support in spiritual communion with the Masses being celebrated by priests every day. It has been uplifting to see how many have accessed media outlets to follow Mass, take part in prayer moments, and seek out other prayer and religious resources on line. It has been a time to discover the value of quiet time of prayer in the home and prayer as a family, “the Domestic church”.

We have heard from many they are very grateful that churches have remained open. Indeed, priests have told us of a constant presence of individuals calling into churches for moments of prayer and recollection. It has been a consolation to know that churches are still open, prayer is always possible, and that there is a vast community of prayer and support available to us even as we follow the recommendations around social distancing.

We want to express our gratitude to all our priests especially those who are elderly and may have health concerns themselves. As well as celebrating Mass daily for the intentions of all the faithful, priests have put new arrangements in place in order to be able to communicate pastorally through telephone and social media. We recognise the challenges priests face in their desire to reach out pastorally while always mindful of the public health recommendations. We call on priests, especially those who are elderly and vulnerable, to take care also of themselves at this time. Their ministry of prayer, blessing and support is valuable and needed, even if it is necessary to curtail to an absolute minimum direct pastoral contact with others.

A particular concern for us is the issue of funerals. In our view attendance at funerals should be restricted to the immediate family and very close friends. The desire to offer condolences is commendable. Indeed, it is a work of mercy. But condolences can be expressed in the form of a letter, a text message, an e-mail. The Covid-19 crisis will pass and there will be other possibilities for Mass or prayers to be said for those who die during this period. Such Masses and prayers will allow for people who cannot now come physically to the church to then come and offer their condolences. 

We recommend that all Catholic funeral liturgies in our Dioceses be limited to the funeral Mass. In other words, there should be no removal to the church the evening before. We strongly advise that the priest celebrating the funeral Mass should be the only priest officiating. We give this advice on the basis of the widespread concern that everyone does their part to contain the virus. Mass should not be offered in family homes even in the circumstance of a bereavement. Normally, priests are advised against visiting homes at this time because priests themselves may be carriers of the virus without knowing it or the virus may be in the house.

With regard to the sacrament of the sick to the dying (last rites) which may be as, or even more critical than healthcare for some, it is essential that in anointing the sick, the priest should use a cotton bud or surgical glove for the anointing with Holy Oil and dispose of them appropriately. The rite should be administered while at a distance of 1 metre. It is important to follow recommendations on hand hygiene after the celebration of the Sacrament. The priest should avoid contact with others in the house of the person who is seriously ill. 

It is clear that some priests will themselves, because of their health condition or age, feel unable to attend to the sick person in their local parish. They may need to call on another priest from elsewhere to celebrate the sacrament. 

On this Feast Day of St. Joseph, may we seek his intercession to protect us, especially those who have contracted the Covid-19 virus, recalling St. Paul’s words in the Letter to the Ephesians that we are called to a spirit of solidarity, that is, “with all humility and gentleness, with patience, to bear with one another in love” (Eph 4:1-2).

A great saying found in all religions tells us: ‘do onto others as you would want done onto you’. It’s the Golden Rule and its application is never more timely that in the face of the radical measures we have to take in stopping the spread of the Corinavirus.

Even a brief review of the past few days tells us the situation is very serious. The country's schools, colleges and childcare facilities are closed. Public health authorities are strongly advocating social distancing at all levels. And it may not be enough. 

The news from Italy and Spain is like an alarm bell for us, with the narrative temperature and state of emergency dialling up by the minute. Some analysts are predicting dire overstretching of our healthcare personnel and resources.

Before such a serious situation what are we to do? Panic? That serves no one. Be serenely optimistic that only a few will be really affected? That’s naïve. Work ourselves up into a stressed mind-set? That will only curtail our resolve to do something.

What we can and ought to do is take responsibility. And we need to start by reviewing our lifestyle completely for the coming weeks in light of the Golden Rule. 

Would I like others to be spreading the virus in a way that I ended up contracting COVID-19? If not, then I must likewise seriously curtail all interaction with others to ensure I am not infecting them. Would I appreciate it if others made a big effort to make sure I didn’t get infected by the virus? Then I must do my part in taking whatever measures I can to ensure others remain healthy and the virus is stopped.

The stakes are too high. People’s lives are at stake. Our health system will not withstand the pressures if we don’t do our part now. It’s clear this is a rapidly spreading virus. We can no longer afford to be nonchalant about social gatherings any more, about meeting friends for cups of coffee, gathering in pubs, socialising in restaurants and clubs. 

For the sake of a few weeks, we need to make sacrifices. Of course, we are afraid of cutting back in business and services; that’s completely understandable but we are at a point where it is now so evident that if we don’t take short-term sacrifice, we will hurt long term. We will hurt economically but we will hurt from a health perspective. And people will die. 

While essential services need to run, it makes sense for business long term to take a few weeks of severe cutbacks to try and get rid of this virus that will otherwise cause havoc. Closing down for a matter of weeks all non-essential services was inevitably what happened in Wuhan, China and, it would appear, won the battle for them against the Coronavirus. If we don’t learn from this we could pay dearly.

The message I am picking up from public health authorities is that, in a word, it’s best if we can stay at home most of the time. This has its challenges but we need to be creative about this and not shy away from this as a social policy for the next few weeks. Social distancing is vital. Families have been told to avoid children mixing with others etc. I would appeal to young adults in particular to do their part. 

It’s not easy, I know, but for the sake of the ones you love, cut right back on all social outings at this time. Loving your parents and grandparents as yourself requires this. I’ve heard of some bars having large crowds across urban Ireland, in particular, and in Limerick as well, since government stepped up its measures on Thursday. No one likes to seem a killjoy but it’s hard to understand how a policy of social distancing can really take effect if our social life is going on as normal.

The very people not respecting this are the very people that could be putting their own loved ones at risk – the elderly and others vulnerable to this virus. ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you’.

While the Government hasn’t yet called for a lockdown, could we not already voluntarily do our part, as much as we can, to reduce effectively our interactions with one another. Ireland is known for its good social cohesion. This is a unique, unprecedented crisis calling for us like never before to pull together to stop the virus spreading.

A particular case in point must be funerals. Irish people are great at going to funerals but this is a case where your “condolences” (suffering-with) could end up “condemning” (causing to suffer) others to misery, self-isolation and possibly loss. No one should attend funerals unless they are immediate relatives or very particular friends. While I do, of course, understand the desire of others to attend, to do so if not members of immediate family or a very particular friend could enter into the realms of recklessness. And, of course, in keeping with the HSE advice, there should be no hand-shaking or hugs, regardless. Social distancing must be observed now as difficult as that is. Once this crisis has passed, and it will pass, another ceremony can be arranged for all those who should not attend now to gather and pay their respects in that great Irish way and let the family know you share their loss. In the meantime, phone-calls, texts and social media can be used to convey your support for them. 

All of these measures are about putting things we normally do on hold. 

Cutting back on our social interaction at all levels will bring its challenges. We all have to do our part pro-actively to make sure no one feels suffocated or alone or bored or down. It requires creativity on all our parts to share ideas, projects, initiatives on-line and among our family members. It’ll certainly be important to get out for walks etc. But still the message must be clear: staying at home is best. Who knows what kind of good fun and educational tips we might come up with in terms of music, study, games, cookery, historical documentaries and then there’s all those great moments to relive – sporting moments, movies and much more. In a word, answer this simple question before undertaking any social interaction during this time of crisis: am I treating my neighbour as I would want them to treat me? The answer is, yes or no.  

If you are on the frontline health services or emergency services, know you are serving your neighbour in a very valuable way for which we are all indebted to you. If you are doing essential necessary work, you are doing unto others as you would want done unto you. If you are avoiding social interaction out of care for others, you are living the Golden Rule. It’s a great measure: do unto others as you would want done unto you. You will be doing your part to stop the virus spreading.