The four Archbishops of Ireland have called for a meeting with the Taoiseach to allow people to go to church, amid the country’s level 3 restrictions.
Archbishop of Armagh Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary and Archbishop of Cashel and Emly Kieran O’Reilly expressed concern in a letter about the impact of the restrictions on the church.
The letter states that the loss of spiritual support can cause great anxiety and fear among believers and can have a detrimental effect on their overall health and well-being.
The letter also mentions that the mass is not just a gathering of people, but a profound expression of who we are as a church.
The Archbishops said they fully support the guidance of the public health authorities. But they wanted to actively engage with the civil authorities to ensure that the people could continue to gather for mass.
Following this, they requested for a meeting with the Prime Minister in the coming days.
Religious services have moved online as Level 3 restrictions remain in place in the country.