As you are aware the Government has brought forward many aspects of Roadmap Covid for reopening society and business. This is scheduled to begin on Monday, June 29th and includes the reopening of our places of worship. We have been looking forward to this news with great anticipation. While we all wish to reopen our churches for the celebration of Mass as soon as possible, the Government announcement on June 25th implies we await a more specific protocol which will ensure the health and well-being of everyone entering our churches.

Initially we will be reopening the Cathedral for Mass where we will have a limited schedule of Masses. In due course we will reopen Bóthar na Naomh Church for Mass.

To this end the Parish Pastoral Council is working with the sacristans and volunteers to prepare our churches to be safe and well-ordered places for people to return to Mass with confidence in the near future. We ask for your patience while we work on this process. When we have finalised our reopening plan for the Cathedral, we will update you further. Thank you for your understanding in this regard.

As Archbishop Kieran paraphrased at the 11.00 a.m. Mass on Friday June 26 in the Cathedral, from Psalm 126 “We shall come back rejoicing, carrying the sheaves of our hearts back into the Church, back into the Community”.