Letter from Fr. Peter re Christmas Masses at Milltown
Dear Parishioner,
As you know the Government has just moved us all from Level 5 Covid 19 Public Health Restrictions back to Level 3 which includes permission for the public celebration of Mass. While this good news is welcome, and we would love to be able to invite you all back to our church for Mass, there is a major ‘downside’ that has to be faced.
The Public Health Rules are very strict that the maximum number of people allowed to take part in Mass in our church is 50. This is well below the number that would normally wish to be in the church especially for the celebration of Sunday Mass and for special occasions like the Masses for Christmas. It means that a majority of our parishioners cannot be accommodated in the usual way for Sunday or Christmas Masses.
This is a matter of great regret for us, but it is a consequence of the clear requirements of the Civil Authorities for the protection of the health of all.
A very particular concern arises regarding the attendance at the Masses for Christmas. In order to manage the limited attendance that is permitted at each Mass we feel obliged to put in place a plan for “ticket-only” participation in each of the following Masses – Christmas Eve, Mass at 6.00 p.m. and 9.00 p.m. and on Christmas Day at 8.30 a.m., 10.00a.m. and 11.30 a.m. Each ticket will be allocated for one person and for one specific Mass only, and must be presented at the church for admittance to that particular Mass.
If you wish to be allocated a ticket, please phone the Parish Office (01 2680041) before Friday 11th December. A draw for allocation of available tickets will take place on Monday 14th December. Only those whose names are drawn will be contacted to arrange collection of their ticket. They will be contacted before Thursday 17th December.
We very much regret having to implement these limitations on our celebration of Christmas. At the same time we are asked to remember that the lifting of Level5 restrictions does allow Mass to be celebrated on each of the ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’. We invite you to consider joining us for one of these Christmas Masses (all the times are listed over the page).
We are also happy to say that our church will be open, outside Mass times, for anyone who wishes to come in for personal prayer. We hope that the new Christmas Crib may help your prayer and your sense of wonder at the birth of Christ, the birth of God among us. This birth tells us that each one of us is unique and a special creation of the loving God. God, who is love, is available to us all, wherever we may be.
Wishing you and all your loved ones the blessings of Christmas,
Fr. Peter
