Church leaders have welcomed the June 5 2020 announcement by An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (above) that churches can reopen for public worship from June 29.
## Church of Ireland
The C of I Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson said the decision “Gives us the opportunity to take up the threads of faithful living in very particular ways of worship in our communities once again.”
He commented, “The return to gathered worship comes with a caution. We are duty bound to put safety at the top of our agenda and much preparation is already going on to make churches as safe as we can in the time of the pandemic. We ought not to take too much for granted too soon. I appeal also for personal responsibility and for the good sense to stay at home if individuals feel vulnerable or feel they have symptoms that need to be tested.”
The United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough is also engaged in a consultation process with clergy to develop guidelines which can be implemented locally. The Church of Ireland have issued a guideline document to its clergy.
## Catholic Church in Ireland
The head of the Catholic Church in Ireland has urged young people to volunteer to help with preparations for the resumption of services.
Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh welcomed the announcement by the Irish Government on Friday that church services may resume in the Irish Republic on June 29.
He said he is “greatly looking forward to celebrating public Mass and the sacraments soon with our congregations”, and added his “fervent hope and prayer” that parishes in Northern Ireland will also soon be able to resume public worship.
Churches in Northern Ireland have been allowed to open for private prayer with social distancing being observed.
This week the Bishops of Ireland will meet for the first time over video-call for their Summer General Meeting. They are expected to finalise their framework document for the return to Mass and the Sacraments which will offer best practice to parishes as they begin to fully reopen community life again.
## C of E approach
The Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, who chairs the House of Bishops recovery group, said in a statement: “We welcome the Government’s announcement today that church buildings can open up for supervised individual prayer from June 15. This is the start of the journey for church buildings to open up safely in line with Government advice, and we look forward to their detailed guidance on enabling this first step to happen.
“Advice has already been circulated to all our dioceses to enable local churches to plan ahead for opening up for individual prayer. Our advice recognises that a particular local church may or may not be able to open at the same time as others and collaborative working between local churches is encouraged. A simple risk-assessment template has been provided.
“Throughout this crisis churches have been serving their communities in a range of practical ways, but this announcement recognises that the buildings themselves are important sacred spaces for people. We also remember all at this time who mourn the loss of a loved one who died during the crisis, and recognise that this is a fragile time in the prevention of the spread of this virus.
“We look forward to when it is safe for our church buildings once again to become meeting places for worship, prayer and all they do to serve and bless their communities.”
## Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster has welcomed the decision by prime minister Boris Johnson to allow churches to reopen for private prayer on 15 June.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who along with leaders of other churches has been lobbying behind the scenes and publicly for a cautious relaxation of lockdown, said he was “grateful” for the development, made on the advice of a government’s Covid-19 task force.
He said: “This is a first, measured step in restoring the more normal practice of our faith and will be welcomed by so many, who have waited with great patience since 23 March when our churches were closed, by Government decision, as part of the fight against this pandemic.
“I thank everyone for that patience. It is important that every care is taken to ensure that the guidance given for this limited opening is fully observed, not least by those entering our churches. Our preparation is taking place with thoroughness. Visiting a church for individual prayer, benefitting from the sacredness of that space, can be done safely and confidently.”