Mount Argus Update – 26 July 2020

Masses at Mount Argus are at the usual times, except that there is no 9.00 am Mass on Saturday for the time being. Mass and confession times and opening hours for the church are on the Mount Argus website and are posted on the notice boards outside the church. The church will now remain open after the 10.00 am Mass (or 11.00 am Mass on Saturday and Sunday) until the evening Mass, but will continue to close after the 8.00 am Sunday Mass until 10.30 am.

When you enter and leave the church, we ask you to use the hand sanitisers and to observe the one-way system of movement which is marked on the floor. We strongly encourage those at Mass to wear masks/ face coverings. We regret that for the present, the toilets are not available to visitors.

From Monday to Friday, we are able to accommodate 50 people at Mass. For Masses on Saturday and Sunday the church is divided into two zones. This allows us to accommodate 50 people in each zone, giving space for a total of 100 people at Saturday and Sunday Mass. Those going to Zone A enter by the main door of the church; those going to Zone B enter by the side door. Communion is distributed inside your zone. Please take your time when leaving after Mass to allow people their own space.

We are still encouraging you to phone the office to book to attend Mass; if you book, you are sure of getting in to the church for Mass. If you are able to come to Mass on a weekday rather than a Sunday, this will help those who are only free to come to Mass at the weekend. Nobody is obliged to come out to church for Mass at present.

Eucharistic Adoration will start again in August, but with shorter hours. Beginning on Wednesday, 5 August, there will be Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for Eucharistic Adoration every Wednesday and Friday from 4.00 to 6.00 pm.

We still need more volunteers for cleaning and stewarding. If you are between the ages of 18 and 70, with no underlying health concerns, and are able to help with cleaning and stewarding at Mount Argus, even for one hour per week, please contact us either by email (office@mountargusparish.ie) or by phoning the office (01 4992000).

The Government is due to review the numbers permitted indoors on 10 August. In the meantime we will continue to observe the measures which have been put in place by the Government and supported by our Bishops. We do this for the protection of all who come to our church. Although you may be growing tired of it, we encourage you to continue to take the necessary precautions with social distancing, hand washing, limiting our contacts, and so on. The pandemic is not over. The virus has not gone away. So let’s continue to have patience, to care for one another and to pray for one another.