StJohnVianney,Ardlea

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 28 JUNE 2020

WELCOME BACK Get the flags out and let us celebrate the re-opening of the church for public worship. Our first Mass will be tomorrow, Monday 29 June, at 10.00 am. Presuming we have enough stewards to ensure the safety, there will be Mass every morning until Saturday at 10.00 am. There will also be Holy Hour on Thursday at 7.30 pm and Mass at 7.30 pm on Friday. Next Sunday, 4 and 5 July, the Masses will be as usual, 6.00 pm, 9.30 am and 11.30 am.

STEWARDS REQUIRED We say there will be Sunday Masses next weekend, but that also depends on us having five stewards for each Mass to ensure that we follow the safety guidelines etc. There will be meetings this weekend, 27/28 June, at 6.00 pm Saturday, and 9.30 am and 11.30 am on Sunday. Perhaps you are not able to help yourself, but you might know someone.

Thanks to those who have found volunteers to help with our mid-week Masses this week. We are lucky that some of the volunteers have been family members of people invited from outside the parish. But we still need more volunteers for the mid-week Masses so that we have a team of five to cover each day in order to make sure that we can have three people at each Mass. This is a system that is going to have to continue for the foreseeable future.

PRAISE THE LORD We give thanks to God for keeping us safe and well in the past three months and more. We remember those who have died and those who are still struggling to cope with our recent experiences and with our fear for the health of ourselves and others.

NO OBLIGATION We are under no obligation to attend Masses in the ongoing climate, particularly if we are of a certain age and with underlying conditions or accompanying others who are vulnerable. It has been phenomenal the number of people who have been following Mass on television or online. Here at the presbytery we have been streaming all our Masses on Facebook, but these will come to an end today.

ONE-WAY SYSTEM When you come back to church you will discover that, following the guidelines, the church has been laid out with arrows for a one-way system which generally follows the way we go to Communion and return.

STEWARDS When you come Mass or one of our services you will be met by a steward outside the main door, who will allow people to enter one at a time, keeping the two-metre distance.

On a Sunday the collection baskets, clearly marked, will be immediately ahead of you before the closed double doors. One of the stewards will keep an eye on the collections.
There will only be one door to enter the church and one door to leave. We will enter by the door to the left, which will be propped open.
One of the stewards will remind you to sanitise you hands from the dispenser, which is above the holy water font.
On a Sunday they will also offer you a missalette from a box. The missalette will need to be taken home with you.
Inside the church there will be one or two people to help you to find your way to your seat.
Every second bench will be closed off and there will only be two people to each bench.
On the longer benches you will be encouraged to sit a few feet in, just before the ‘Sit here’ sign.
On the narrower benches on the left and right aisles you will be invited to sit at the end of the bench in order to keep the two metre distance.
Couples and family groups, or helpers, will be able to sit together.

COMMUNION To begin with only the priest will give out Communion. He will administer the sacrament first of all from the centre of the altar for those in the centre of the church, and then he will go to the left-hand side where the Eucharistic minister normally stands and then he will go to the right-hand side.

If possible, come to Communion starting from the front benches and keeping your distance by standing near the arrows.

In order to keep a maximum distance, rather than putting your two hands together, extend one hand as far as you can to receive Communion, and the priest might only just whisper ‘The Body of Christ’, and just give a whisper back ‘Amen’, but be shouting from the depths of your soul as you thank the Lord once again for being able to receive him in Communion.

At times of going to and returning from Communion, as well as entering and leaving the church, you might not be able to follow the arrows strictly if you are on the other side of the bench. The walkways in the middle of the church and at the back of the church allow for two way traffic, but always keeping your distance and waiting for others.

THE END OF MASS At the end of Mass we are instructed to clear the church without any delay, but still keeping the social distancing and exiting one at a time.

Starting from the back benches, make your way to the ‘exit only’, which is the small door on the left-hand side of the porch, but waiting at the arrows until the path ahead is clear. The stewards will be there to ensure that people coming from left and right will be able to exit in turn.

There is a sanitising point to the right of the exit door. Please sanitise your hands again before you leave, in order not to take anything from the church.

Another steward will be in the porch encouraging people to exit the porch without any delay and reminding us of the importance of keeping social distancing in the car park.

SANITISING THE CHURCH After each service the stewards will sanitise the benches. This is another reason why we need to exit promptly.

RESPECTFUL SILENCE We ask people when entering and leaving the church to keep a respectful silence and avoid any unnecessary talk, in order to avoid creating dangerous droplets.

CANDLES We ask people for the first week or so to abstain from lighting candles so that we can get our system properly in place. The church will remain open during the day. Whenever you enter and leave by the correct doors please sanitise your hands. This will enable you to safely pick up the lighters. Check that you have rubbed the cream thoroughly into your hands in order not to drop any cream onto the candles, which could cause you to get burned.

CONFESSIONS The confessional will remain out of use, but the priests will make themselves available to hear confessions to the left of the Sacred Heart shrine, or they will be available in a quiet corner of the car park. You can always ring at the presbytery and we will hear your confession somewhere outside.

OUR PRIORITIES In all these arrangements our priorities are to keep people safe and also to show that we can keep our distances in such a way that others who are not ready to come back to Mass will hear of our standards and be reassured that they can come back to the sacraments.

EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS AND READERS You will be contacted in the coming week to ascertain your availability for exercising these ministries in the church.

OFFICE The office will be opening again on Monday from 9.00 am – 1.00 pm. There will be a hand sanitiser at the entrance. Keep your distance at the office window, keep talk to a minimum.

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 21 JUNE 2020

MONDAY 29 JUNE We are all looking forward to being able to celebrate our first Mass after the lockdown at 10.00 am on Monday 29 June, and at 10.00 am for the rest of the week as usual, although we need to have assured the Archbishop that we have made all the necessary preparations for opening the church. We have a checklist which needs to be returned officially to him and to be countersigned by him (see checklist below, at end of newsletter).

VIRUS CORE COMMITTEE We had a good meeting this week of the Virus Core Committee to oversee the opening and to find volunteers to cover all the Masses. We estimate that to be able to open the church safely we will need five volunteers for each Sunday Mass and three for Masses during the week, particularly for allowing people to come through the main door one at a time, or a family group can come together as well as an accompanying carer. Someone will need to supervise the collection baskets in the porch at the double doors, someone to stand at the left-hand door, which will be the only entrance to the church. This person will be assuring that everyone has used the sanitiser and will offer them a newsletter from a box, but a newsletter that can’t be left in the church and needs to be taken home. Particularly on a Sunday we’ll need a couple of people initially at the back of the church to make sure people get to the designated seats. We also need volunteers to sanitise the benches and other parts of the church after each Mass.

In general there will only be two people to each bench, keeping an empty bench in between. There’ll also be a one-way system for going to Communion and a procedure for leaving the church in an orderly manner, so that everyone can continue to keep their distance according to the arrows.

MONDAY 22 JUNE In order to ensure that we can open the church safely the following week, starting on Monday 29 June, we need to gather a team of volunteers to look after the mid-week Masses, so there will be a meeting of volunteers at 10.00 am on Monday 22 June for training. So if you can help in any way please come along. We’ll meet in the church.

FINDING VOLUNTEERS Many of our regular parishioners will be unable to volunteer because of age and underlying conditions. That’s why we need to think creatively who can help. Older parishioners might have children or grandchildren over 18 who’ve come to appreciate even more these days how important the church and the Mass is to their parents and grandparents. Think if you have any relations who would benefit from helping the church in this capacity. Also you might have able-bodied neighbours who are sympathetic to the church, who are out of work at this time or having to stay at home for children, who might be able to come and lend a hand.

SUNDAY 27/28 JUNE In order to begin celebrating Sunday Masses in the first weekend of July we will need to gather volunteers to help with those Masses, so there will be following meetings in the church for training and designation of roles:

Saturday 27 June 6.00 pm

Sunday 28 June 9.30 am

Sunday 28 June 11.30 am

We need a sufficient number of volunteers, who normally come to those Masses, to ensure that we can carry out the proper safety procedures etc. If we don’t get sufficient volunteers for each Mass then we won’t be able to open the church for our first Sunday Masses on 4/5 July.

CAPACITY Each church has to decide on its capacity. As we have 7 sections and just over 50 benches, we can safely set our capacity at 100. Given our normal attendance and given the age profile of our parishioners, there will be plenty of room for everyone.

SUNDAY OBLIGATION There is no obligation to attend Mass if you are vulnerable or unwell, and Archbishop Diarmuid stresses that people in these categories, and anyone who has any symptoms which might suggest Covid-19 infection, should stay at home.

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 14 JUNE 2020

CHURCH RE-OPENING FOR MASS We are hoping to be able to open our church for the 10.00 am Mass on Monday 29 June and for our Sunday Masses the following weekend. This is still dependent on the Government’s final approval. The Bishops of Ireland have produced a check-list of 22 steps that need to be taken and verified before the Diocese will give us permission to open for Mass. This check-list will need to be filled in and submitted to the Diocese by next weekend.

See check-list at end of newsletter, giving the 22 recommendations that need to be followed.

CORE PARISH TEAM The Diocese also insists that the parish needs to have a core parish team to supervise the progress towards the opening of the church and to monitor our procedures in the church for the coming weeks and months. This core team will also help with the recruitment of volunteers who will be able to ensure that the management of the re-opened church functions as it should in order to keep us safe from the virus.

CORE TEAM MEETING There will be a meeting at 7.30 pm on Thursday 18 June in the church for all who are willing to help with the setting up and supervision of the opening of the church for Mass.

They will also approve our action plan, which has to be submitted to the Diocese by next weekend. They will also be asked to recruit volunteers to ensure that the management of the re-opened church functions as it should.
It is estimated that, for all our Masses for the foreseeable future, we will need four volunteers for our mid-week Masses and at least six for our Sunday Masses. There will need to be people outside the church to welcome people and explain the system, as well as to ensure that we don’t go over the required number of people allowed in the church with the social-distancing.
Some people will need to be shown to their places, others will need to watch over the collection baskets and the church will need to be sanitised after each service.
These are just some of the things that need to be done. See the Bishops’ framework for a clearer picture of the requirements.

VOLUNTEERS The volunteers who will be helping to keep us safe in the church will need to be trained and prepared (see the Bishops’ guidelines) in order to do that we’ll be asking people who go to the different Masses to come along for the training and explanations the week before we begin our public Masses. That will mean having meetings the week before, at the same time as we’d be having the first Masses the week after.

We are asking people who regularly attend the weekday Masses and the Sunday Masses to volunteer for the Mass which they normally attend.

10.00 am Mass So we will gather in the church on Monday 22 June at 10.00 am in order to prepare for the first Mass in the church on Monday 29 June.

6.00 pm Saturday Vigil Mass We will gather in the church on Saturday 27 June at 6.00 pm, in order to prepare for the first Sunday Mass in the church at 6.00 pm on Saturday 4 July.

9.30 am Mass We will gather in the church on Sunday 28 June at 9.30 am, in order to prepare for the Sunday Mass in the church at 9.30 am on Sunday 5 July.

11.30 am Mass We will gather in the church on Sunday 28 June at 11.30 am, in order to prepare for the Sunday Mass in the church at 11.30 am on Sunday 5 July.

Many of you who will be reading this will not be in a position to help, but please have a good think if you know of anyone in your parish or family who would have the energy and the expertise to help with this framework for opening the church.

If you have any other ideas, questions or suggestions then please contact Fr Hugh on 086 210 2451.

SACRED HEART NOVENA

The annual Sacred Heart Novena begins tomorrow, Thursday 11 June, and continues until Friday 19 June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Below you can find the Novena Prayer.

Here at St John Vianney Parish, Ardlea Road, Dublin the community will be celebrating the Novena Masses in our house chapel. The Masses will be streamed online on Facebook at John Vianney ‘Dublin’.

The Novena Masses will be said at 10.00 am every morning, except Sunday.

And at our Sunday Masses, 6.00 pm vigil, 9.30 am and 11.30 am.

There will also be a Mass at 7.30 pm on Fridays 12 and 19 June.

Novena Prayer

Jesus, you have said:

“Ask and you shall receive,

seek and you shall find,

knock and the door

shall be opened to you.”

Relying on these promises,

I come in confidence

to ask you for the favours I need......(pause)

From whom shall I ask, O Jesus,

if not from you,

whose heart is an unfailing source

of grace and mercy.

Most loving heart of Jesus,

I believe in your power,

I believe in your wisdom,

I believe in your personal love for me.

Therefore, O Sacred Heart of Jesus,

I place all my trust in you.

Amen.

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 7 JUNE 2020

SACRED HEART NOVENA Our Sacred Heart Novena begins this Thursday, 11 June, and continues until Friday 19 June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. We will be saying the Novena Prayer at each of our Masses. The priests will be keeping all your prayers and petitions in mind during all our Masses from 11 – 19 June. We suggest that you write out your petitions once again this year but keep them at home. I know that some of you have set up your own small shrines, even if you didn’t have a little shrine in your home already.

Our Masses will continue as normal, to be said in the presbytery chapel:

10.00 am each morning Monday to Saturday
7.30 pm Friday evening
The Sunday Masses will be said as usual at 6.00 pm (Saturday Vigil), 9.30 am and 11.30 am on Sunday

During the Novena we will also be remembering all the petitions that have been written into the Prayer Book, which we normally keep at the back of the church. If you would like something to be written into the Prayer Book during the novena then you can text or phone Fr Hugh on 086 210 2451.

NOVENA PRAYER Jesus, you have said: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to you.”

Relying on these promises, I come in confidence to ask you for the favours I need......(pause)

From whom shall I ask, O Jesus, if not from you, whose heart is an unfailing source of grace and mercy.

Most loving heart of Jesus, I believe in your power, I believe in your wisdom, I believe in your personal love for me. Therefore, O Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Amen.

CONFESSIONS During our novenas we normally have invited priests who make themselves available for confession. We are going to miss that opportunity this year. Remember that the priests of the parish are available to hear your confession at any time during the day in normal circumstances, and we are still available during the lockdown. Ring the doorbell or phone to make an appointment on the parish number 847 4123. Normally we then find a quiet spot near the house or the church, keeping our social distance.

These days we hear confessions quite often, though it’s often people who come from other parishes.

OUR MASSES LIVE ON FACEBOOK For more than a month now we have been live-streaming the Masses that we say in the house on Facebook (see John Vianney, ‘Dublin’). The word is spreading and many people who have never been on Facebook but who can get online have been able to get people to set up a Facebook button for them. Or if there is someone else watching the Mass online they can copy you in to allow you to watch it as well.

It’s quite easy to set up your own Facebook page to access the Masses. You can just set up a basic page if you want - you don’t have to add any posts of your own, but can just use it to view other Facebook pages. All you basically need is an email address or mobile phone number. Just follow the link on our home page to sign up.

MASS INTENTIONS The priests continue to offer their Masses for the intentions that were already booked in the office diary. We are also adding in your family anniversaries that were down to be said on these days last year. But if you would like us to include any other intentions for the coming weeks or even for dates later in the year ring Fr Hugh on 086 210 2451.

20 JULY This is the date that the Government has said that we might be able to start having Mass in the church again. The Bishops of Ireland are working on a common policy that will be asked of all the parishes in Ireland so that we can assure cleanliness and sanitisation and safe distances.

ARCHDEACON KIERAN HOLAHAN RIP Last week we asked if anyone had any further information on Fr Holahan or had any particular memory of him. Simon Carroll has done some research on him and also shares some of the details that he heard when he watched Fr Ciarán’s funeral online. “Fr Holahan spent his early years living in the grounds of Arás an Uachtaráin, the home of the President of Ireland in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. I presume it was because his father was a civil servant or a member of the defence forces. It was during the war and they were provided with accommodation on site.

He was a twin. His twin, Sean, predeceased him. I would guess that he was sent to Choláiste Mhuire Primary School on Parnell Square. It was an all-Irish school and I gathered that he was a good Irish-speaker. It was a CBS school. The president at that time was Sean T Ó Ceallaigh. When curate in Donnybrook he officiated at the Mass for the well-known Irish writer and playwright Brendan Behan, 1964. Behan was a staunch Irish Republican and was interned in both British and Irish gaols in the 1940s. Fr Holahan said a decade of the rosary in Irish at his funeral in Glasnevin Cemetery.

A large photo of Fr Ciarán was displayed on an inside wall of the church in Foxrock at his funeral Mass in the purple vestments of an archdeacon. His official title was Archdeacon of Dublin (there is only one other archdeacon in the diocese and that is at Glendalough).

One of his best friends is Bishop Jim Moriarty, who was Bishop-in-charge of the Howth Deanery in the ‘90s and visited his parish on many occasions. The bishop was unable to attend the funeral due to the pandemic.

He baptised my daughter Clare in Ardlea in August 1976.

After the funeral a guard of honour was provided by parishioners on Kill Avenue, which leads to Dean’s Grange Cemetery.

In his retirement he did a lot of travel to Europe and further afield, accompanied by his sister.

When he was here in the parish in Ardlea he was in charge of the choir and took a great interest in music.

On the morning of the funeral Archbishop Martin phoned the celebrant to apologise for his non-attendance due to the virus and to offer his sympathy to all Fr Ciarán’s family”.

Breda and Larry also watched the Mass online, which was said by Fr John Bracken, who had been a curate under Fr Holahan and spoke very gratefully of all that the archdeacon had done for him. They remember it being said that Bishop Moriarty had been a school-friend of Fr Kieran.

Fr Ciarán Holahan was a priest in this parish and area from 1970 – 1978. He was born on 3 February 1936, studied at Clonliffe and Maynooth, being ordained on 21 May 1961. As was traditional in those days, as a young priest he was a chaplain to Connolly Hospital, and later St Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire. He was also chaplain to the Dominican Convent, Blackrock. For his first parish he was sent to Donnybrook as assistant in 1963, but then served as a chaplain to emigrants 1967-1970. When he came to St John Vianney parish he also served at Kilmore Road West before moving to Dalkey 1978 – 1986. He moved to St John’s, Clontarf as administrator, becoming parish priest there in 1990, moving to Foxrock in 1998 from where he retired in 2011. There is a photograph in our jubilee booklet of him with Fr Newth taken in 1972. May he rest in peace and God reward him for all his labours. If anyone has any other memories of Fr Kieran you could let us know on 086 210 2451.

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 31 MAY 2020

20 JULY This is the date that the Government has said that we might be able to start having Mass in the church again. The Bishops of Ireland are working on a common policy that will be asked of all the parishes in Ireland so that we can assure cleanliness and sanitisation and safe distances.

HOUSE MASSES Meanwhile we continue to say Mass for your intentions in the chapel in the presbytery at our normal times: 10.00 am Monday to Saturday, Sunday vigil 6.00 pm, 9.30 am and 11.30 am. There is also a Mass on the Friday evening at 7.30 pm.

MASS INTENTIONS The priests continue to offer their Masses for the intentions that were already booked in the office diary. We are also adding in your family anniversaries that were down to be said on these days last year. But if you would like us to include any other intentions for the coming weeks or even for dates later in the year ring Fr Hugh on 086 210 2451.

OUR MASSES LIVE ON FACEBOOK For more than a month now we have been live-streaming the Masses that we say in the house on Facebook (see John Vianney, ‘Dublin’). The word is spreading and many people who have never been on Facebook but who can get online have been able to get people to set up a Facebook button for them. Or if there is someone else watching the Mass online they can copy you in to allow you to watch it as well.

SACRED HEART NOVENA Our Sacred Heart Novena begins on Thursday 11 June and continues until Friday 19 June, the Feast of the Sacred Heart. Many of you normally write out your petitions, which are placed in the sanctuary. We suggest that you write out your petitions once again this year but keep them at home with you rather than endangering yourselves by delivering them to the presbytery. The priests will be keeping all your prayers and petitions in mind during all our Masses from 11 – 19 June.

LAUDATO SI Last week Pope Francis announced that from now until this time next year we are encouraged to celebrate a year of Laudato Si. This was an encyclical which he wrote a few years ago asking us to respect creation and to care for our common earth. These days of glorious sunshine hopefully have helped us to be more in touch with creation and has encouraged us to get outdoors whenever possible. Covid-19 has shown us to what extent we are part of nature and dependent on and linked to all God’s creatures. One of the theories of why the virus got a grip in Wuhan was that animals that were being sold for profit were not being cared for properly and were passing on various viruses from species to species.

Although our church remains closed until there are clear guidelines from the Government and the Bishops, we are very fortunate to be surrounded by a beautiful park space. Many of the local people take the opportunity to walk round the garden and others come as a pilgrimage to stand before the closed doors, or walk around imagining the various shrines and windows centring on the tabernacle.

ARCHDEACON KIERAN HOLAHAN A few weeks ago we missed the announcement of the death of Fr Ciarán Holahan, who was a priest in this parish and area from 1970 – 1978. He was born on 3 February 1936, studied at Clonliffe and Maynooth, being ordained on 21 May 1961. As was traditional in those days, as a young priest he was a chaplain to Connolly Hospital, and later St Michael’s Hospital, Dun Laoghaire. He was also chaplain to the Dominican Convent, Blackrock. For his first parish he was sent to Donnybrook as assistant in 1963, but then served as a chaplain to emigrants 1967-1970. When he came to St John Vianney parish he also served at Kilmore Road West before moving to Dalkey 1978 – 1986. He moved to St John’s, Clontarf as administrator, becoming parish priest there in 1990, moving to Foxrock in 1998 from where he retired in 2011. There is a photograph in our jubilee booklet of him with Fr Newth taken in 1972. May he rest in peace and God reward him for all his labours. If anyone has any particular memories of Fr Kieran you could let us know on 086 210 2451 and we can let people know in a future newsletter.

NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY 24 MAY 2020

DONATIONS In the past few weeks a number of people have delivered donations through the presbytery letterbox. Mostly these have been donations for the priests, now that you’ve heard that we are having a 25% deduction from our wages. Thank you very much, but possibly more important is that the parish income has likely diminished by 75% in recent weeks. Although I know that people are saving up their B & M envelopes and many are returning the one envelope to cover the previous weeks.

Possibly more in difficulty are the Common Fund and Share. It might be more difficult for these collections to make up what has been lost. Thinking of the Common Fund, which pays the wages of the priests and looks after the retired priests, many of the diocesan priests don’t have the same back-up as we have as a Religious community. When we think of Share it’s possible that some parishes will never be able to recover from the loss of income and they might need to close because the diocese will not have enough to support them.

You’ll have noticed that we have a donate button on the parish website. This is for giving contributions directly to the parish, but note there is also a link to the diocesan page which gives a simple way to allow you to donate to the Common Fund and Share.

TRÓCAIRE APPEAL Every year Trócaire asks for your help during Lent to fund lifesaving programmes around the world. This year, of course, it was not possible to return Trócaire boxes through schools or parishes in the usual way. This is the worst possible timing coming just as the world’s poorest people need us most. Therefore, Trócaire are appealing to you to return your Lenten donation. Simply count or estimate what is in your box and donate in the following ways:

Online at www.trocaire.org
By phone: 1850 408 408 (ROI) or 0800 912 1200 (NI)
By post to Trócaire, Maynooth, Co. Kildare (ROI) or Trócaire, 10 King Street, Belfast, BT1 6AD (NI)
Envelopes can also be handed in to the presbytery, and the boxes can also be handed in. Ask someone to do that if you are only allowed to go out for a walk and not allowed to be doing business.

The contents of each and every Trócaire box, no matter how small, come together to make a significant difference. This virus knows no borders, but neither does our compassion.

CHURCH RE-OPENING It’s hoped that we should be able to start saying Masses in the church for restricted numbers from 20 July. Last week we were looking seriously at opening the church again for private prayer, but in the end we decided to leave it for a while until further restrictions are lifted from those who are cocooned, in case we would be encouraging people to endanger themselves and others by coming to the church.

3 - 10 MAY 2020

THE MONTH OF MAY Pope Francis has asked that during the month of May the Rosary should be recited in the Church throughout the world in the context of the coronavirus and its effects. The Pope has composed a special prayer for these times.

POPE FRANCIS’ PRAYER:

“We fly to your protection, O Holy Mother of God”.

In the present tragic situation, when the whole world is prey to suffering and anxiety, we fly to you, Mother of God and our Mother and seek refuge under your protection.

Virgin Mary, turn your merciful eyes towards us amid this coronavirus pandemic. Comfort those who are distraught and mourn their loved ones who have died, and at times are buried in a way that grieves them deeply. Be close to those who are concerned for their loved ones who are sick and who, in order to prevent the spread of the disease, cannot be close to them. Fill with hope those who are troubled by the uncertainty of the future and the consequences for the economy and employment.

Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us to God, the Father of mercies, that this great suffering may end and that hope and peace may dawn anew. Plead with your divine Son, as you did at Cana, so that the families of the sick and the victims be comforted, and their hearts be opened to confidence and trust.

Protect those doctors, nurses, health workers and volunteers who are on the frontline of this emergency, and are risking their lives to save others. Support their heroic effort and grant them strength, generosity and continued health.

Be close to those who assist the sick night and day, and to priests who, in their pastoral concern and fidelity to the Gospel, are trying to help and support everyone.

Blessed Virgin, illumine the minds of men and women engaged in scientific research, that they may find effective solutions to overcome this virus.

Support national leaders, that with wisdom, solicitude and generosity, that they may come to the aid of those lacking the basic necessities of life and may devise social and economic solutions inspired by farsightedness and solidarity.

Mary Most Holy, stir our consciences, so that the enormous funds invested in developing and stockpiling arms will instead be spent on promoting effective research on how to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in the future.

Beloved Mother, help us realise that we are all members of one great family and to recognise the bond that unites us, so that, in a spirit of fraternity and solidarity, we can help to alleviate countless situations of poverty and need. Make us strong in faith, persevering in service, constant in prayer.

Mary, Consolation of the afflicted, embrace all your children in distress and pray that God will stretch out his all-powerful hand and free us from this terrible pandemic, so that life can serenely resume its normal course.

To you, who shine on our journey as a sign of salvation and hope do we entrust ourselves, O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary. Amen.

CEMETERY MASSES Each year we give the details of the Masses that are said in our local cemeteries in the months of June and July. Archbishop Diarmuid suggests that all these Cemetery Masses should be postponed until later in the summer when circumstances will permit them to be truly family and community celebrations. In the meantime he stresses that it is important that, where possible, people have access to cemeteries to be able to remember and pray for their deceased loved ones.

MASS INTENTIONS If you would like a Mass to be offered for the intentions of yourselves or your family, living and dead, then email hughhanley@btinternet.com You can also ring or leave a message on 01 8474 123/086 210 2451.

ARCHBISHOP MARTIN WRITES: I would encourage parishes to remind people of the importance of observing the current public health norms, no matter how restrictive they may appear. We have great admiration for our public health workers in the front line. We can easily forget that the long term success of their dedication depends on how we scrupulously respect measures to reduce social contact and thus reduce the danger of community infection. Failure to respect these norms is irresponsible and could quickly set back the extraordinary work of our front line workers.

FREE DIGITAL EDITION OF THE SACRED HEART MESSENGER During the coronavirus crisis the Sacred Heart Messenger will be available FREE OF CHARGE until normal delivery can be resumed. If you would like to receive a link to the Messenger for your laptop, tablet or mobile phone, please send an email request to c.henry@messenger.ie

St John Vianney Parish, Ardlea Rd, Dublin 5