Parents in a North Cork parish have strongly criticised a decision by a local parish priest that will leave some relatives with no alternative but watch confirmation from a specially erected marquee. A record 80 children from Glantane, Bweeng and Dromahane will be confirmed next Thursday, resulting in a decision to issue each child with just four tickets for family members inside Bweeng church, due to pressure of numbers.
For the added numbers expected at the annual confirmations, a marquee will be positioned outside Bweeng church to accommodate other relatives of the children being confirmed.
This will be linked to the church via CCTV.
Bweeng is the smallest of the three parish churches and does not have the capacity to cater for large numbers.
Local PP Fr Patrick Buckley has been accused of failing to listen to appeals for alternative arrangements from parents.
However speaking to his local Corkman newspaper Fr Buckley said that he believed the majority of parishioners were 'rallying behind the decision to have a marquee outside the church.
Acknowledging that some concerns were raised by parents at a recent meeting, he added that he firmly believes that the marquee is the “way to go this year.”
He said he had not received any request from parents to have two days of confirmation in Bweeng or let the largest parish of Dromahane have their own day.
“I would encourage people to enter into the spirit of the sacrament. The decision has been made," said Fr Buckley, “for what is the largest ever number of children to be confirmed in the parish.”
However, several parents have told The Corkman they are not happy that close relatives will not now be able to attend their child's confirmation in person.
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