One Kerry parish going 'all virtual' for Christmas masses

Others will hold masses under strict capacity limits but the Bishop of Kerry asks families to consider sending a single representative to festive masses

Fr Mossie Brick, parish priest of Castleisland (left) with his predecessor, Monsignor Dan O'Riordan. Fr Brick has opted to go 'all virtual' with his masses for Christmas. Picture: John Reidy

At least one parish in the sprawling Diocese of Kerry is going “all virtual” for Christmas masses.

The move, sure to be disappointing for many, comes in response to enforced capacity limits as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bishops in other parts of the country have already spoken out about the pressures of holding multiple masses and streaming events online to avoid disappointing parishioners where possible.

While masses will go ahead, under capacity limits, in many parts of Kerry, one parish is going to stream their masses instead.

Castleisland parish priest Fr Mossie Bric said the parish council had decided it would be impossible and unfair to limit the numbers.

The office work in sorting applications to attend and rolling out a ticket or booking system would take days and a number of staff, he said.

However, the deciding factor was the final Sunday before the shutdown in October when, closing the church doors to limit the numbers, church ushers encountered three disappointed neighbours, Fr Brick said.

Virtual masses were impersonal but very effective and they were live, albeit to an empty church.

Kerry parish to celebrate Christmas services virtually: https://t.co/uJZ5BSyFVe

— Radio Kerry News (@radiokerrynews) December 15, 2020

One man he met recent days asked him “will you get up at all this Christmas?” in the mistaken notion masses were pre-recorded, and the priests were doing very little, Fr Brick told Jerry O’Sullivan on Radio Kerry.

The parish was also conscious of “finishing this Covid journey” without anything happening, he said, amid fears that large gatherings in confined spaces could be a hotbed for spreading the virus.

The parish church in Castleisland has been live streaming all weekend masses, but holding masses during the week.

The Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne, in a statement on the challenge of Christmas celebrations, said churches that can seat over 1,000 would find themselves confined to just 100 or 150. Many of these would be full on a typical Christmas. 

Churches that can take 400, with some standing are reduced to 50. Parishes will judge by the number of masses being planned the total number that can be facilitated" 

Bishop Ray Browne

Christmas, even with extra masses, will fall far short of accommodating 50% of the people he said.

He has suggested families send a representative to ease the strain.

“Parishes are considering putting on Christmas masses on the weekday evenings before Christmas and on St Stephen’s Day, but all will want to be there on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning. 

Can those who are present offer mass on behalf of the rest of their family and the whole parish family? 

"Can people genuinely unite with the mass from home as the mass is streamed via the internet? Remember, the obligation to attend mass on Sundays remains suspended while the coronavirus is still with us.” 

Parishes may opt for a booking system or a ticket system.

Asking for understanding, Bishop Browne said: “Remember too, some priests have pre-existing conditions or are of an age where they must not put themselves at risk”.