All-Night Vigil

I am very conscious that for all those who have died in your parish(es) in the last twelve months, funerals have been far from ‘normal’, with all the COVID-19  restrictions that have been – and are – in place.  The pain of loss has, in many cases, been compounded by the paucity of support which would normally be there through attendance at wake and funeral.

To begin to acknowledge all of this and to remember in prayer all those who have died in our diocese since the start of the pandemic, I intend to lead an all-night Vigil in St Eugene’s Cathedral on the night of Friday 26th March, as we prepare for Holy Week.

1. The Vigil will be built round the Stations of the Cross and the names will be read out of those who have died since 14 March 2020 – the date of the first lockdown in the Republic.

2. As the names from each parish are read out, a rose plant will be brought forward to the sanctuary in the name of each parish.  These

roses will, at a later stage, be planted in a planned Garden of

Remembrance at the Cathedral.

I do, of course, appreciate that restrictions on funeral numbers will continue after this all-night Vigil, but it seems appropriate to mark the anniversary.

Ceremony will be available on St Eugene’s Webcam

Sincerely

+ Donal