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Céad míle fáilte to the Parish of Clonakilty website!
Please Check out Bishop Fintan’s Return to Mass Video.
We are delighted that once more we are able to celebrate Mass in our Churches and look forward to seeing you. Your health and safety is our priority and we have had to make some necessary changes as to how we do things. We understand that it may be difficult for you at first, so we ask you to please read this as a guide to what is going to happen in our Churches. There will be people to help you and we ask you to follow their directions.
First of all, we have changed the times of some of our Masses in the Parish Church. The weekday morning Masses still remain at 10am. The Vigil Mass on Saturday evening is now at the earlier time of 7pm and the last Mass on Sunday morning is at 11am. The Mass at 8.30am remains unchanged. We are also adding two extra Masses during the week on Wednesday and Friday evenings at 7pm. There is no change to the Mass time in Darrara at 10am on Sunday. Mass will continue to be available online through our Facebook page .
The biggest change is the number of people allowed in our Churches because of social distancing. We have carefully measured the seating in both Churches and worked out how to place people so that we can maximise the number of people attending. Currently the number permitted in the Parish Church is 100 and just over 50 in Darrara but we expect these numbers to change over the coming weeks. For your additional health and safety we have enhanced our cleaning and sanitising practices on a daily basis
There will be stewards in the church who will direct you to your seats. We ask that you follow their directions. The entrance to the church will be through the main door. You may have to queue outside the church where stewards will ensure that there will be social distancing. We will be filling the seats from the centre aisle first starting at the top and then when the centre is full, we will proceed to the side aisles where again the stewards will direct you to your seat. We know that we all have favourite seats where we like to sit for Mass but we ask for your generosity in giving up that seat and taking the one in the row to which you have been directed to make it easier for us to ensure that as many people as possible can be safely accommodated in the church. You might actually like your new seat!
For Holy Communion the stewards will again be directing you. There will be a priest and a Eucharistic Minister at the gates in the centre aisle. The stewards will be bringing you up row by row from the back of the centre aisle and having received Holy Communion you will return down either of the side aisles and return to your seat via either the porch or the Legion of Mary shop. When Holy Communion in the centre aisle is finished, the priest and the Minister will move to the two side aisles and again we will start from the back but this time you will return to your seat down the centre aisle. Don’t worry! The stewards will help you and please follow their directions.
When Mass is over the side doors leading to the car park and the Western Road side of the church will be opened. We will start exiting with the side aisles from the top and then to the centre aisles. As you exit the church, we ask you to you move away quickly to allow those leaving the church to do so while maintaining social distancing.
There will be stewards in the church who will direct you to your seats. We ask that you follow their directions. You may have to queue outside the church where stewards will ensure that there will be social distancing. We will be filling the seats from the centre aisle first starting at the top and then when the centre is full, we will proceed to the side aisles where again the stewards will direct you to your seat. We know that we all have favourite seats where we like to sit for Mass but we ask for your generosity in giving up that seat and taking the one in the row to which you have been directed to make it easier for us to ensure that as many people as possible can be safely accommodated in the church. You might actually like your new seat!
For Holy Communion please remain in your seat. The priest will come down the centre aisle to give Holy Communion in the seat. In the side aisles Eucharistic Ministers will give Holy Communion in the seat.
When Mass is over you will exit the church starting from the bottom. As you exit the church, we ask you to you move away quickly to allow those leaving the church to do so while maintaining social distancing
we realise that some people may be disappointed that they were not able to be at Mass because of the reduction in numbers. We would like to remind you that the OBLIGATION TO ATTEND SUNDAY MASS IS STILL LIFTED AND THEREFORE ANY WEEKDAY MASS YOU CAN ATTEND OR VIEW ONLINE (through our Facebook page) OR ON THE TELEVISION WILL COUNT AS A SUNDAY MASS.
The facility to make your donation to the offertory collections directly to the bank still exists see below:
THIS ACCOUNT IS FOR THE OFFERTORY COLLECTIONS ONLY
IBAN: IE54 BOFI 9026 1029 0094 71 (No spaces)
Account No: 29009471
BIC: BOFIIE2D
Sort Code: 902610
The Offertory Collections finance the upkeep and maintenance of the church which includes lighting, heating, necessary supplies and repairs and, as we begin to open the churches once more for prayer, the deep cleaning and sanitising of the buildings to ensure safe health for those who wish to come in and pray.
Many of our parishioners here in Clonakilty may still prefer to give their offerings directly to the church. If this is your wish we are asking you to set aside each week, the amount of money that you would normally have given in the Offertory Collection and hand it in either to the Parochial House or into the box near St. Anthony’s shrine in the Parish Church or the box near the sanctuary in Darrara Church. (Please mark the envelope ‘Offertory Collection’)
During these unprecedented times, please continue to stay safe. Please don’t hesitate to make contact with us by phoning or emailing Clonakilty Parish. Thanking you in advance for your continued generosity and be assured of my prayers.
God bless you all,
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