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There were socially-distanced queues at a west Belfast church as a Catholic priest heard confessions.<\/p>\nThere were socially-distanced queues at a west Belfast church as a Catholic priest heard confessions.<\/p>\n
Father Paddy McCafferty of Corpus Christi in Ballymurphy was kept busy for an hour on Saturday as parishioners waited in line.<\/p>\n
He sat in front of the church behind the gates while those making their confessions stood about two metres in front of him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started hearing confessions at 11.40 and I was kept busy for about an hour with a constant stream of people, with everybody observing social distancing,\u201d he told the PA news agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs they came to me outside the church, there was a two-metre distance, maybe more.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was no one close to them to hear what they were saying and it was easy for me to hear what they were saying.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything was observed, the sanctity and privacy as well as protecting people from the virus.<\/p>\n
\u201cI intend to do it again next week and so on until we are able to get people back into the church again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fr McCafferty said previously he had been hearing confessions by appointment, meeting parishioners outside the church at a safe distance.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore Easter I did the same, I was outside the church and people were coming but I decided to stop that as we went into Holy Week because the worry at that time was the virus was going to peak, so I didn\u2019t want anyone at all leaving the house un necessarily,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing to stop you hearing confessions from people provided you observe all the precautions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am aware of other priests who are doing it too. We are not breaching any of the safety mechanisms and it does help people.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of people were very moved to be able to do it, and we have to comfort people and strengthen them in every way possible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are deprived of the Eucharist at the moment on account of the situation, to be able to give any comfort and strength to people is so important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fr McCafferty described the pandemic as a challenging time.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen people are upset and you can\u2019t comfort them in the way you would normally comfort a person, by putting your arm around them or trying to console them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt funerals in particular, it is desperately painful because we have to stand back, it\u2019s just awful and it\u2019s heartbreaking for them and everyone involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is what it is, we can\u2019t do anything about it, we just have to make the best of the situation and hope and trust that this pandemic will pass.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the meanwhile we have to try help people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mass services are being streamed online and last Sunday Father McCafferty drove around the parish in an open top car offering benediction with the Blessed Sacrament.<\/p>\n
He described the feedback after that as \u201coverwhelmingly positive\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople were greatly comforted and that was the purpose, to comfort people where they are, in their homes, at their gates, at their doors,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n