Church of Ireland Pastoral Assistant says need for "spiritual food" is similar to the need for physical food

The need for the public to receive "spiritual food" in churches is the same as the need to buy physical food in shops.

That's according to Walter Pringle, who is a Church of Ireland Pastoral Assistant in Clones.

It comes following confirmation that churches will only be allowed to open for private prayer during the on-going lockdown, while religious services will remain online.

Walter told this morning's Joe Finnegan Show that there are more people in the supermarkets "any day and at any time" than would be in churches: