In a statement this afternoon the diocese said it had consulted with the Health Service Executive about 'suspending' the sign of peace handshake at mass.
The current HSE position is that the practice does not need to be suspended.
However, the diocese says it has noted the HSE's concerns as to the dangers of people with flu symptoms attending mass and church services.
This constitutes the greatest danger of all in terms of spreading disease, according to the HSE.
As a result of this concern the Diocese of Ferns is asking people with symptoms of flu not to participate in church services during their illness.
The diocese is also asking that all church ministers be conscious of the need for increased hygiene at the present time.
Meanwhile, Britain is to launch a new swine flu hotline to give people who think they are infected access to the anti-viral drug Tamiflu.
The service, available on the telephone or online, aims to take the pressure off conventional health services.
There have been an estimated 100,000 new cases of swine flu reported in England since last week and 840 patients are in hospital with the virus, 63 of them in intensive care.
31 deaths have so far been linked to swine flu across Britain. All but one of the patients who died had other underlying health conditions.
Britain, the worst hit country in Europe by the virus, is now focusing on the best way to treat infected patients.
The new hotline, due to go live today, will be manned by about 1,500 non-medical staff who will follow a series of questions to reach a diagnosis.
They will be able to prescribe Tamiflu, although the most serious cases - including pregnant women, people with health conditions and very young children - will still be referred to a doctor.
England's chief medical officer Liam Donaldson conceded last week that the system could be abused by those who were not ill but wanted Tamiflu as a precaution, despite doctors warning that it should not be taken by the healthy.
'We have to trust in the public that they won't,' Mr Donaldson said.
Users will have to give their personal details and will receive a unique identification number and thus should only be able to receive one prescription, he noted.
Health officials stress that the majority of cases in Britain - last week put at 55,000 - were mild.
