Irish diocese ends funeral masses amid pandemic

The Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor has announced there will be no funeral Masses held during the coronavirus crisis.

Diocesan spokesman Fr Eddie McGee said Down and Connor took the decision because it is a large urban diocese, covering Belfast, and that holding services in an area with a large, close-quartered population increased the risk of spreading the virus.

Fr McGee said that in Down and Connor wakes were still being held at many deceased people’s homes but generally with just close family attending. In such cases the funeral cortege goes directly to the cemetery from the home.

“Some funeral liturgy resources are provided online so families can offer prayers in the home in the absence of a priest, while in some cases the priest can offer prayers remotely through computer loudspeakers,” he explained.

He predicted that other dioceses would “at some stage” progress to “the same measures as Down and Connor”.

Fr McGee said priests are continuing to administer the last rites to the dying, but while following social distancing rules in so far as possible. This included, he said, saying prayers two meters away from the sick person and applying holy oils using cotton buds rather than a finger.