Bishop Deenihan defends decision to defy state ban

The Bishop of Meath has this week spoken out to defend his decision to have First Communions and Confirmations resume in the Diocese of Meath – but is stressing that ceremonies will conform to social distancing rules, and the church is advising parents to adhere to the government’s guidelines.

"I think the right to practice one's religion is a fundamental civil right: it's in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights," Most Rev Tom Deenihan told The Westmeath Examiner.

"The former Archbishop of Dublin - and indeed the current Archbishop of Dublin - have said that there are situations where it is permissible to put restrictions on that right to practice one’s faith – and I think that was true in the early days of the pandemic."

However, Bishop Deenihan said, when such measures are taken, they should be for the shortest possible period of time.

"We are now moving into a situation where over 85% of the population have had their first vaccination and 75% are fully vaccinated and as you can see all around us, social and public life is resuming: international travel is back; public houses and restaurants are open; and on the weekend that we are proposing to resume confirmations, there will be 44,000 people in Croke Park.

"It is good to see events back because they have an important role in public life, in civil life and social life, but in that context, I think it is entirely reasonable that children would be allowed to make their first Holy Communion and that children would be able to receive confirmation."

Bishop Deenihan said it was important to stress that there are restrictions still, and he insisted that churches hosting ceremonies will be adhering to those restrictions.

In his letter to priests announcing the resumption of ceremonies, he said, he instructed that for confirmation, each child can have their parents or guardians and their sponsor: "So that will be four people and all those four people will be masked and they will keep a social distance from everyone else."

"It’s not that we're doing things wantonly," he continued.

"We are keeping to pods of 50, and we are only allowing the minimum number in, and we are having it without Mass to reduce the amount of time they will be in the church.

"I fail to see why anybody could object to parents or guardians, their child and their sponsor, going to church with a mask when they can go through a shopping mall; they can go to a restaurant; they can go to a bar; they can go to a gym; they can go to a football match; they can go to some concerts; they can go to a play."

Bishop Deenihan pointed out that the confirmations are to begin close to the date when children return to school

"In the context of where public life is resuming, I think we should expect that those who wants to receive First Holy Communion can receive First Holy Communion and those who want to make their Confirmation can make their Confirmation."

At the same time, if any child or parent wants to postpone their participation or has health concerns, Bishop Deenihan is happy to accommodate them later on.

The bishop said he is responding to a need: many have contacted him because they want, he said, these "important sacramental moments" to go ahead.

"And," he continued, "as a bishop, I think it would be remiss of me if I didn't, also say that the sacraments are important, and by resuming the celebration of the sacraments, I am actually saying that ‘yes: I believe the sacraments are important’.

"And I do feel a little bit uncomfortable that our government can say to us that you can celebrate Mass but you can't give a child First Holy Communion; you can have a wedding but you can't have Confirmation.

"That to me doesn't make sense."

As to whether Catholics are beginning to feel victimised, Bishop Deenihan said he does not subscribe to the notion that "the state is against us".

"But," he said, "I did notice the comment from the Archbishop of Dublin in which he said it was a matter of profound regret that the government did not respond to the representations made by the archbishops in relation to the resumption of sacramental life within the church.

"I think it is also true to say that the pandemic is, of its very nature, global and every country unfortunately has been hit by COVID, but, as we see, north of the border in Northern Ireland, First Communions and Confirmations have been resumed since last May and I'm not aware of any other government in the world that has said to its churches that they cannot give children First Holy Communion or Confirmation. I don't think any other government in the world has taken that stance."

Bishop Deenihan said he was aware of the concern over parties and said this was a concern he shared: "I certainly would be encouraging parents to be responsible and to adhere to public health advice in relation to celebrations afterwards. But I think, to be fair, people can be trusted in that regard, and people know at this stage what is and what is not safe."