ONE West Cork parish is managing Level 5 restrictions with its Ash Wednesday ‘drive-through’ next week, enabling parishioners to collect blessed ash safely from their cars.
In a first for Clonakilty parish, Monsignor Aidan O’Driscoll told The Southern Star that the church was perfect for the initiative. ‘Our Church of the Immaculate Conception is very convenient to facilitate such a service. We will have a table outside the church door manned by a parishioner who will hand out the envelopes of ashes to the passing motorists,’ said Mons O’Driscoll.
‘Pedestrians are also able to walk through and collect their envelopes. We will make sure that people practise social distancing, use the hand sanitisers and that they are only travelling within their 5km.’
Mons O’Driscoll added that parishioners will also be able to collect envelopes at Centra near the church thanks to Ray Keane’s generosity.
Meanwhile, Enniskeane PP Fr Tom Hayes said the Diocese has organised for special envelopes to be distributed locally. Before Ash Wednesday the envelopes will have ashes placed into them (safely), will be blessed, and made available on the day in churches so that people who stop by to pray can also take an envelope.
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