PRIESTS and lay ministers of the eucharist in a Donegal parish were yesterday instructed to wash their hands with an alcohol-based sanitizer before distributing Communion.The step was among several in Catholic churches in the parish of Kilbarron in south Donegal to combat the spread of swine flu.
The handshake is being discontinued as a means of offering the sign of peace in the parish, which includes churches in Ballyshannon, Rossnowlagh and Cashelard.
The sharing of the chalice by concelebrating priests and ministers of the Eucharist is also being discontinued.
In addition, Communion will no longer be placed on the tongue.
Other individual churches and parishes are believed to have introduced similar measures, but a decision on a diocesan-wide introduction of what's called the swine flu protocol is not expected until the Bishop of Raphoe, Dr Philip Boyce, returns from holiday next week.
Parish priest Fr Cathal O Fearrai said a number of visitors had expressed surprise that measures in their own churches were not being applied in Kilbarron. The re-opening of schools earlier this month was also a factor.
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