Notice from Fr TONY 13TH MARCH 2020

Notice to all parishioners

The Celebration of Mass and other Church Services in Abbeyfeale Parish during the Coronavirus Pandemic.

In the current emergency situation, All Weekend Masses and St Patrick’s Day Masses with congregations in the parish of Abbeyfeale are cancelled. All parishioners are dispensed from the obligation to physically attend Sunday Mass. Parishioners can participate in Mass via the local Church TV Services. Simply go to www.abbeyfealeparish.ie and click on the image of the parish church and you will be able to participate in Mass.  Fr Shoji and Fr Tony will celebrate Mass at the usual times on Saturday, Vigil Mass at 6.30p.m. Sunday 9.15a.m. and at 12noon.  All Mass Intentions for these Masses will be fulfilled during these Masses. However, if parishioners want to reschedule they should contact the sacristy at 068-51915 any morning 9.45a.m. to 10.30a.m.

The motivation for these new restrictive measures is a sense of care for the common good and especially for those most vulnerable.  Each Christian community should be acutely aware of the responsibility to care for those who are most at risk.

Funerals: Every Catholic is entitled to a dignified Christian burial.  Attendance at Funeral services and Masses should be limited to close relatives and must not exceed 100 attendees within the Church building.

Marriage & Baptism: Similarly, Church weddings and baptisms may be celebrated on condition that the attendance in Church does not exceed 100 people.

All non-essential pastoral gatherings and meetings, such as formation gatherings, retreats and seminars are cancelled.

All Confirmations are postponed until further notice.

In these difficult and uncertain times, people find strength, consolation and hope in prayer.   Churches should remain open for prayer each day.

This is an occasion for all of us – especially in families -to pray more intensely for each other and especially for those who have succumbed to the illness. We should pray also for those in the frontlines – especially our doctors, nurses and medical staff and other carers, including clergy – that the Lord will protect them as they place their own wellbeing at risk in the service of all.