Saturday/Sunday Mass to be closed to public unless ’50 people’ rule relaxed

Masses in Mallow’s two churches will not be open to the public this Saturday and Sunday unless the government relaxes the rules which restrict the number allowed into services to 50. Monsignor O’Brien PP told the Mallow Star this week that allowing public entry to St Mary’s and the Church of the Resurrection for Masses on Saturday and Sunday would inevitably result in people being turned away at the door, as weekday Masses are already attracting upwards of 50 people. The Monsignor said it was hoped last weekend that the government would relax the rule and allow more than 50 people at Masses, but it did not come to pass. There is hope, he added, that there might be a breakthrough today, Thursday, which would allow more people to attend Mass, but, if it does not happen, then the doors of the churches will stay closed. In the meantime, however, weekday Mass at 9.15am in the Church of the Resurrection, and 10am in St. Mary’s, have been welcoming parishioners since last Monday, and in the event of Saturday and Sunday services being closed, people can still livestream them on their phones, tablets and laptops. (See page 13).