Clergy delight with churches opening doors

Clergy delight with churches opening doors

27 May 2020

LOCAL clergy have welcomed the partial easing of lockdown restrictions as churches begin to reopen. 

Churches have been given the green light to reopen their doors for quiet contemplation after being closed for over 12 weeks due to lockdown restrictions imposed by the Stormont Executive. 

Fr Denis McKinley, parish priest in Castlewellan and Kilcoo, says he was happy to be finally able to open the doors of both churches last Friday. They are open from 1pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

“While we are open again we are operating under strict guidelines with one-ways systems in place, designated seating areas and a maximum of eight people in the church at any one time,” he said.

“I had hoped to reintroduce a limited number of sacramentals such as confession and benediction in Kilcoo, as this parish have had very little in the way of services over the last few years due to a shortage of priests. However, diocesan officials have cautioned against it, just now.”

Fr McKinley, who has been parish priest at Kilmegan for ten years, continued: “The virus came upon us out to the blue. It was a whopping surprise to all of us. Thirty years of the Troubles didn’t close us down but I suppose we all just have to put up with it as these are unprecedented times.”

Despite the first steps being taken to open churches Fr McKinley cautioned it could be quite some time before the parishes could resume their normal schedule. 

“St Malachy’s in Castlewellan holds over 500 people. I foresee it won’t be  any time soon before we are able to facilitate anything like that number,” said Fr McKinley has had to reschedule 16 weddings and postpone First Communions and confirmations until later in the year. 

He added: “It is an eerie and uncomfortable feeling to celebrate Mass in an empty church and I long for the day we will see our churches full to capacity once more. 

“However, while the obligation to attend Sunday Mass has been temporarily lifted  Masses are still available on the parish webcam for everyone to view.”

Magheradroll Church of Ireland Church in Ballynahinch will be open for one hour each Thursday, starting next week. 

Canon Warren Russell, rector, said: “I welcome the reopening of the church in line with the recommendations made by the Northern Ireland Assembly. 

“We will open from 11am to 12noon on a Thursday which coincides with market day in the town. 

“We want to reassure people that all possible safety measures will be in place to facilitate the opening and provide a quiet space for prayer and reflection once again.

“There will be masks, disposable gloves and hand sanitiser available at the back of the church for people to use.”

Canon Russell, who has been rector for the past 30 years, added: “We will measure the response and review it again in a few weeks. We will await further guidelines from the Diocese of Down and Dromore before introducing services and allowing our choir to reassemble.”