Members of the island’s Catholic church have been told they do not have to attend Sunday services during the coronavirus crisis.

The church has taken the monumental step in light of the Covid-19 outbreak in the UK and services will be available online.

Monsignor John Devine from Saint Mary of the Isle in Douglas, said that the church in the island is following the lead of Archbishop of Liverpool, Malcolm McMahon, who has published steps to be taken in the light of the coronavirus crisis.

Monsignor Devine that the ’severity [of the steps to be taken] brings home the seriousness of the situation we face’.

He added: ’Along with all the Roman Catholic bishops of England and Wales, the Archbishop has directed that from the evening of Friday March 20 no public acts of worship are to take place until further notice in any of our churches throughout the Archdiocese, including the Isle of Man.

’Notices to this effect have been placed on the doors of our churches, circulated by email and will be placed on our website www.manxcatholic.org

’The Bishops have stated that the traditional Catholic obligation to attend Sunday Mass and Holy Days is removed for as long as this crisis continues. It is important that this reassurance is communicated to our older parishioners who make valiant efforts to attend Mass each week.’

As a consequence of the Archbishop’s directive, as far as possible, mass will be celebrated behind closed doors without a public congregation and streamed online at 5pm on Saturday evenings and 11am on Sunday mornings.

Daily mass will also be live streamed on Monday to Friday at 12.10pm. Please go to www.manxcatholic.org and click on ’Live Stream’. Further opportunities to participate in live streamed masses will appear in due course on the Archdiocesan website www.liverpoolcatholic.org.

St Joseph’s, Willaston and St Anthony’s, Onchan, which are customarily closed apart from mass and service times, will remain closed until further notice.

St Mary’s church will remain open (for private prayer only), on Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 6pm. On Saturdays from 9am to 4.45pm and Sundays from 8am to 10am and 12pm to 6pm.

Archbishop McMahon has shared a prayer to be distributed at this time.

The Archbishop has also given us this special prayer for wider distribution in this time of peril: ’God Our Father, each person is precious to You. You are the Giver of life. Have mercy on us and protect us at this time, as the Coronavirus threatens health and life.

’You are an ever-present Helper in time of trouble. Watch over those who are suffering, give strength to those who are aiding the Sick and give courage to all in this time of anxiety. We ask this of you in the name of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen.’