A holy commotion, thanks to Covid

Like so much else, First Holy Communions have been a casualty of Covid-19. As we move nationally into Level 3 restrictions, Helen O’Callaghan hears about approaches to First Communion taken by families and parishes – and how some are still waiting for their special day.

Beautiful little girl in communion dress with eyes closed and hands together praying.

“It’s off again!” You can just hear the lament in homes across Ireland as First Communion falls casualty yet again to Covid-19 restrictions.

With Level 3 applying countrywide since Wednesday, religious services have moved online. Churches remain open only for private prayer, as well as for limited attendance at funerals and weddings.

According to a spokesperson for the Dublin Archdiocese – which has 198 parishes – First Communions were just getting underway in many parishes and were expected to continue over upcoming months when Dublin moved into Level 3 restrictions in September. They’ll now all have to be rescheduled.

While some dioceses report completing all First Communions, others say about 10% have still to take place. Communions in 58 to 60 of Cork and Ross Diocese’s 68 parishes have happened, while the sacrament has been celebrated in around 22 of 38 parishes in Galway Diocese.

Many parishes have had multiple ceremonies to accommodate social distancing – Oranmore scheduled 12 ceremonies over three weekends to facilitate the parish’s four primary schools. Galway Diocese had at least 12 ceremonies planned for this weekend before Level 3 upended plans – a situation replicated around Ireland with First Communion arrangements thrown up in the air and new uncertainty around when they’ll now happen.

“We were so lucky ours wasn’t pushed out again,” says Co Mayo-based mum-of-four Laura Brady, whose daughter, Fiadh, 8, was initially due to make her Communion on May 9 and finally celebrated it on October 3. “At least 40 made their Communion. They were split in two, one group at 11am, the other at 1.30pm. The church was sanitised in between. We had no concerns [about Covid]. We knew the school and priest had arranged it within guidelines,” says Laura, who found the Mass “lovely”, though the children didn’t participate in the ceremony as much as traditionally.

She acknowledges everybody would have liked the whole class together. “They were split alphabetically and some friends weren’t in Fiadh’s group, but there’s no right or wrong way to do it in these times.” When Laura’s son, Rian, celebrated his First Communion last year, the church was full and very busy after the ceremony. “This year, being a much smaller affair, it was more relaxed. There were so few people in the church the children were able to find each other afterwards.” 

Fiadh Doherty on First Communion Day on October 3

While Fiadh’s dress was “more ballerina-length” than it would have been in May, the day was “lovely and crisp”. The only downside was Fiadh being able to compare her post-ceremony celebrations with what Rian enjoyed last year. “Her big thing was having her cousins around for the big bouncy castle and the party. This year it was just us and the two grannies, so she was a bit upset. I didn’t have the heart to cancel the bouncy castle – we still had that just for our four kids.” 

Con O’Callaghan, principal of Knocknamanagh NS, Minane Bridge, Cork, saw nine pupils celebrate First Communion on August 29. “We didn’t know would it happen and then Canon Murphy informed us it would.” Mr O’Callaghan says it was a big loss that singing wasn’t allowed. 

“We had music over a CD, which isn’t the same. There were no grandparents. It was a very small crowd, very low key. First Communion is a big day in the parish – that was lost. But it was still beautiful and very dignified. And we didn’t have any worries with people so spaced out in the church.” 

In Moyvane/Knockanure, Co Kerry, parish priest Fr Kevin McNamara says 23 children received First Communion, split into two groups on the first Saturdays in August and September. Children sat on cushions, there was “plenty space and distance”, the liturgy was “plain and simple”, two socially-distanced members of the youth choir sang and some grandparents from further away didn’t attend.

“The children were very reverent. It was lovely. And parents were so grateful the ceremony was able to go ahead,” says Fr McNamara, adding that celebrations at home were muted and adhered to HSE guidelines. “Some other places weren’t as fortunate. Not out of carelessness – but out of a sense of joyfulness and coming together – there were high numbers, which was risky and did result in some Covid-19 cases.” Back in May, 40 children in Lusk Parish, north Co Dublin, made their First Communion virtually from their own home. “Thank God for the pastoral council – one of them came up with the idea. They saw a pastoral need and asked how we can meet this,” says parish administrator Fr George Begley.

Parents were invited to collect the consecrated host from the church and – having been trained – administered First Communion to their child during the Mass. Children had also recorded and whatsapped prayers of the faithful, which Fr Begley included. “Feedback was fantastic. Those who experienced it felt this is what First Communion is about. It’s not about dressing up – nobody was looking to see what anyone else looked like. The sacrament was very much highlighted.” Lusk Parish was set to hold traditional Communion ceremonies for a further 60 children when Dublin went into Level 3 restrictions. “That happened Friday evening – we’d been all set to go on the Saturday,” says Fr Begley.

Laura Erskine, parenting expert with BabyDoc Club, knows “quite a few” families who’ve had First Communion put on hold. Living in the Dublin Archdiocese, her nine-year-old, Lucy, has had two dates cancelled – the second scheduled for October. “Despite having to buy a second dress and pair of shoes – she’d grown during the summer – we were better able to cope with the second cancellation,” says Laura, adding that with only parents allowed in the church – no siblings or close family – it just wasn’t going to be the celebration they’d been looking forward to.

She says parents and children would much prefer First Communion be moved to summer 2021 “when hopefully we can all enjoy the special day without major worries about virus transmission”.

In May, Killybegs parish priest Fr Colm Ó Gallchóir wrote to all 42 children in his parish who’d been due to celebrate First Communion.

“I wrote to each one personally. It was the week before they were due to get First Communion and I knew they were disappointed. I wanted to say we haven’t forgotten you, we’re thinking about you and we’ll try to arrange Communion as soon as schools open. It was really to keep in touch.” Fr Ó Gallchóir subsequently arranged First Communion for the second Saturday in September, split into four sessions with no more than 12 children in each group. 

“It was immediate family only. It worked out very well. We were glad we did it before Donegal went into Level 3. Some parishes were planning it for end of September and some were even due to do it on the Saturday just after we went into Level 3, so they brought it forward a day or two.

“We had a lovely celebration. We asked the children to stay in their seats at the end and we invited each in turn to come up for a photo in the sanctuary. A parishioner who’d just completed a degree in Graphic Design did a portrait of each child on her laptop and we presented every child with their own portrait as a First Communion gift.” 

Fr Ó Gallchóir believes there’s genuine concern among families who’ve had First Communion postponed. “I’d encourage them to have some dialogue and engagement with their parish.” Meanwhile, as Dublin went into Level 3 in September, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin wrote to churches, saying he understood the disappointment of families who’d been ready to celebrate First Communion only to find it postponed. He warned against “undue haste” in trying to “get the sacraments done”.