Catholics in Ireland hold open-air Mass at altar used during British persecution

A group of Irish Catholics celebrated Mass at the “Mass rock” in Crohyboyle, a small town where persecuted Catholics once secretly gathered for the sacraments during persecution.

“It is a privilege to stand here in this sacred place where the faith of our fathers and mothers was tested in the hardest of times. The rocks around us became altars, the heather became pews,” said Father Nigel Ó Gallchóir in his homily, according to the Diocese of Raphoe.  

The Mass—the first of its kind in 36 years—was concelebrated by Fathers Lorcan Sharkey and Brian Ó Fearraigh along with Fr. Ó Gallchóir, according to The Way. Fr. Sharkey’s presence was something of a full-circle moment, since he had attended the 1989 Mass at the same location, not as celebrant, but as an altar server.

During the 17^th and 18^th centuries, Mass rocks were common in Ireland, because it was illegal to celebrate Mass publicly. This period of time has been memorialized in Irish Catholic culture, including in a traditional hymn, according to a translation published at Catholic Culture:

Did you go then to the grey rocks,
And behind a wind-swept crevice there,
Did you find Our Mary gently waiting,
Our Lady, sweet and fair?

The Diocese of Raphoe reported that Fr. Ó Gallchóir reflected on that history in his homily, encouraging those present to take inspiration from those who came before them.

“Our ancestors believed in [the] truth [of the Gospel] so strongly that they risked everything, even death, to be nourished by the Word of God and the Bread of Life in the middle of a lonely bog,” he said. 

Ireland is traditionally a heavily Catholic nation, but in the last decades of the twentieth century, the country secularized rapidly, with many falling away from the faith. However, in recent years, there has been an uptick in Irish people looking for peace in the Church. This year, a record number of adult Catholics were baptized in Dublin’s cathedral, according to Zenit.

The Mass was offered for the repose of the soul of Stephen O’Donnell, and music was led by the Annagry Parish Choir.

“We are called to continue that legacy – to live our faith with courage, not just in sacred places like this, but in our daily lives,” said Fr. Ó Gallchóir, according to The Way.

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