Gatherings for religious worship are to be suspended until next month in Northern Ireland due to an “alarming” rise in Covid-19 infections. The decision was taken by leaders of the Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian and Methodist congregations.

They met Stormont’s chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride and chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young on Thursday to discuss the pandemic.Private prayer can continue.

Ireland’s Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin and other bishops said: “We make this decision reluctantly, conscious that not being able to gather for public worship can cause pain for all the faithful, but in the hope that this limited period of sacrifice will be for the protection of life and health and for the greater good of all.“ We once more ask for prayers for the sick, the bereaved and all those whose livelihoods have been particularly impacted by the pandemic.”

Streamed Mass Schedule Weekend

Vigils     

7:00pm Vigil               

8:00pm (Hospital Mass)

Sundays

10:00am 11:15am

and 12:00pm

Weekdays

09:15am  10:00am

and 11:00am

Saturday   

11:00am