Following the government announcement that all parts of the country will move to Level 3 restrictions with modifications from Tuesday, December 1st public worship will resume from that day.

These restrictions will be similar to the ones in place before 26th October when churches closed for public worship.

From Tuesday, December 1st up to 50 people can attend Mass and where the size of the church allows for a capacity greater than that number a church can be subdivided into distinct sections (pods) of not more than 50 persons in each pod.

As before, 2 metre social distancing is required while members of the same household can sit together. The wearing of face coverings is expected and no gathering of people is to happen outside the church building.

Bishop Fintan has said that “all parish communities are deeply grateful to volunteer stewards and those who sanitised and maintained churches to a very high standard since mid-March.”

In order for public worship to resume safely from next Tuesday 1st December, we will again be indebted to these volunteers and will need their help so we need to plan with them over the coming days to be ready for that date.”

The guidance in relation to Funeral Masses is unchanged in that up to 25 people will be allowed to attend.

The guidance in relation to weddings is unchanged in that up to 25 people can attend the celebration of marriage in a church.

Current Government guidance for religious services is available on https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7ba40-guidance-for-religious-services/