Archbishop says politicians have neglected spiritual wellbeing of people
Archbishop of Armagh and the Primate of All Ireland Eamon Martin noted the experience of one cross-border parish that was having to adopt one approach for its two churches in Northern Ireland and another for its solitary church in the Irish Republic.
The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland has criticised politicians for neglecting the spiritual wellbeing of people during Holy Week and Easter.
Archbishop Eamon Martin has compared the differences in Northern Ireland to the Republic, saying an opportunity was missed for "cautious" gatherings to celebrate Easter.
While face-to-face services remain prohibited in the Republic, the four main churches in Northern Ireland have begun a gradual return to in-person worship, having voluntarily stopped as the most recent Covid-19 wave took hold in January.
At St Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh, Archbishop Martin had both a physical and virtual congregation on Good Friday.
Earlier, he expressed concern that lawmakers in the Republic had neglected the spiritual wellbeing of the community during the pandemic.
"It's a really difficult balancing act but we would have really hoped to have some opportunity to gather in cautious, small numbers for Holy Week and Easter, as we're doing in Northern Ireland," he told RTÉ.
"We have been having very mature and careful conversations with the government here in the North and with the public health authorities who recognise that people's spiritual, mental and emotional health helps them with their physical health as well."
The senior cleric highlighted the unusual position of having different restrictions in different parts of the island.
He noted the experience of one cross-border parish that was having to adopt one approach for its two churches in Northern Ireland and another for its solitary church in the Irish Republic.
"We're really hoping for the day when across the whole island people can gather to worship safely," said the archbishop.
The Bishop of Waterford and Lismore has also raised concerns about people's spiritual and mental wellbeing being eroded from being unable to attend Mass.
Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan said "their patience is wearing thin. They are frustrated and feel unrepresented and discriminated against."
In a statement, the bishop said he felt compelled to speak out to represent their voices.
"When I celebrate Mass each Sunday in the cathedral I do so behind closed doors," he said.
"Yet they cannot receive Holy Communion in their church, which is spacious and can accommodate dozens of people safely.
'It is very difficult to explain to people why they are barred from public worship, bearing in mind also that Ireland is one of the tiny few countries in Europe where worship is not allowed.
"It is not that we must stop public worship to safeguard public health. We can do both. We must safeguard people's health and support their spiritual wellbeing."
