RTÉ is set to begin daily broadcasts of Mass from St. Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny each morning during the covid-19 pandemic.
The services will air at 10.30am on the RTÉ News Now channel from today, Thursday.
The broadcaster will continue until at least 29th March, when current public health measures will be reviewed by the Government.
At present, Masses are taking place behind closed doors without a congregation due to government guidelines on gatherings. Parishioners have been encouraged to watch live streams of services, to pray in churches outside mass times and to pray from home.
A notice for the public on the gates of St Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny
Mass broadcasts on RTÉ will be followed each day by a short religious message from representatives of Ireland’s other faith communities and Christian denominations.
They will also be available on the RTÉ player.
RTÉ’s Head of Religious Content, Roger Childs, said: “We are aware that, either through self-isolation or Government restrictions, many people are unable to come together to worship at precisely the time when they feel most in need of community, comfort, encouragement and prayer.
“Facilitated by the web-streaming service churchservices.tv, the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Alan McGuckian, and Cathedral Administrator, Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, have kindly agreed to celebrate a Mass every weekday morning, which RTÉ is very happy to share with viewers, as part of our commitment to public service during the current emergency. We want people of all faiths to know that RTÉ is with them in spirit.”
