ENNISKERRY
PARISH OF POWERSCOURT WITH KILBRIDE
Church Services – The 10th Sunday after Trinity: Our inchurch Services now have taken a different form. As a reduction in time that people are together in an enclosed space reduces the risk of infection, shorter services now take place (20 to 30 minutes in duration) during the current phase of our re-opening with recorded music used between or beneath readings and prayers. To facilitate this, the service times run as follow: 10 a.m. – Short Service of Worship in Kilbride; 11 a.m. – Short Service of Worship in Powerscourt; midday – Short Service of Worship in Powerscourt – this extra Sunday Morning Service is to cater for the restrictions in the number of people the church can facilitate at any one service. Outdoor markings are now used (where necessary) at a 2m distance between individuals or family groups within the church car parks. Parishioners are asked to adhere to the social distancing regulations while awaiting entrance into the churches. If a queue has formed at the markers, please wait in your car till the Warden on duty indicates.
A hand sanitizer is inside the door of the church for use upon entering the building. Allocated places are marked by a coloured card and service sheet within the pews selected by the social distancing requirements. Please fill in your name and telephone number on this card with the pen provided. These cards will be collected after each service and placed in a dated envelope as it is important that we can recall who was present at every service in case Covid-19 is detected. A One-Way System is in place to reduce risk. All, who attend should follow direction from the stewards as to how they exit the church buildings. It is requested that you select the next available seat closest to the front of the church. People from the one household are welcome to fill an entire pew.
Following the service we request that each person/family exits the church carefully maintaining distancing, one by one, from the front forward, through the allocated door. There will be only one reader (apart from the Rector) at each service. A place is reserved for the reader within the front pew of the church to reduce movement. Readers are asked to read from their sheet as the use of hard surfaces such as lecterns are to be avoided. In adhering to Social Distancing restrictions, St Patrick’s Church (Powerscourt) will hold 25 individuals per service. (This will increase if families attend – each family will have a full pew). St Brigid’s Church (Kilbride) and its attendance numbers will fully fulfil the distancing requirements.
The HSE Guidelines restrictions followed by the Church of Ireland have been slightly eased for those who are within the higher-risk categories e.g. those who are over 70 and those with underlying health issues. However, the HSE still recommend that people within the high risk groups should not attend gatherings of more than six people. Unfortunately this would seem to rule out anyone within this group attending church at the present time. The current advice regarding this can be found at hse.ie. Anyone, who is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or who thinks they may have been in contact with someone with Covid-19 should not attend church services till they have been medically advised that it is safe to do so. Online Services: As you are no doubt aware, a large and varied range of Church Services are available online.
ST MARY’S CHURCH
Re-Opened Churches: St Mary’s and St Mochonog’s Churches have re-opened for weekend Masses on Saturdays at 6 p.m. in St Mochonog’s and 7 p.m. in St Mary’s. St Mary’s has re-opened for Mass on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10.15 a.m. and on Sundays at 10 a.m. and midday. Sunday Mass in St Mochonog’s will be at 10 a.m. Masses will also be on St Mary’s webcam on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10.15 a.m. Please notice that attendance at weekend Masses must be booked though the parish offices (St Mary’s – Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – call 01 2760030 or email stmarys@enniskerryparish.ie/ St Mochonog’s – Monday and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – call 01 2021882 or email stmochonogs@ enniskerryparish.ie. Please note that the minimum numbers that allowed into each of these churches with a clear two metre clear spacing between them are 22 individuals for St Mary’s and 16 individuals for St Mochonog’s. A greater number can be accommodated when some family members who reside in the same house sit together.
The following Mass attendance rules will apply: One way system in the church, Entry by the Front Door and Exit by the Side. Sanitise your hands on entry and exit. Keep two metres apart at all times which is also important in the church grounds before and after Masses and Funerals. Holy Communion will be distributed at the end of Mass as your exit. Stewards will be on duty at all Masses so please follow their instructions.
Confirmation Ceremonies: These will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church on Saturday, September 12, for St Mary’s and St Gerard’s National School, and on Saturday, September 19, for St Mochonog’s.
First Holy Communion Ceremonies: First Holy Communion Ceremonies will be celebrated in St Mary’s Church on Saturday, September 26, for St Mary’s and St Gerard’s National School, on Saturday, October 3, for St Mochonog’s and Saturday, October 10, for St Patrick’s. Parents will be advised soon.