Susan O’Keeffe: Communions can and should be delayed

The ultimate Christian gesture of treating others as you would wish to be treated should mean not putting people at risk of being infected with a virus for the sake of a ceremony and party that can take place at a later date

‘A handful of senior Catholic bishops have recommended that communions can go ahead in August in their dioceses. This advice flies in the face of the public health advice.’ Picture: Getty

Missing funerals will forever be the saddest legacy of Covid-19, when it comes to the effects of lockdown and limits on social gatherings. The traumatic impact of death itself, combined with the many difficulties which have surrounded the rituals of death since the pandemic started, will remain forever with those forced to miss the funeral of a loved one.

Have we already forgotten the early days of sealed coffins and the difficulties finding people to ...