Mass Protest

Priest will not ask people to leave church,Cleric told service breaches restrictions.

- Colin Brennan And Sarah Slater

A Defiant priest is refusing to ask parishioners to leave during Mass even though gardai warned he is breaking Covid restrictions.

Fr PJ Hughes claimed the measures “hark back even to when Catholicism was illegal under British rule and priests continued to celebrate services for the people in secret”.

Public gatherings for worship are banned under Level 5 restrictions and breaches can lead to €2,500 fines and/ or six months in jail.

Before Mass last Sunday, Fr Hughes, from Mullahoran in Co Cavan, was warned by gardai he faces prosecution if he continues to celebrate services with his church doors open.

He said he will now host services online as a result of the warning and won’t publicise the times of services in a bid to keep people away.

But Fr Hughes defended parishioners’ right to practice their religion.

He has a church that can accommodate a congregation of 500 people and feels he is offering a safe place to worship for those who turn up.

The cleric added unannounced masses to ensure people won’t attend.

He felt offended when gardai arrived five minutes before a service and asked him to tell everyone to go home.

Fr Hughes said: “I’m going to continue saying Mass. The living need it. People come in and pray for their cattle, children. They have their faith in God. I’m taking the precaution that people don’t know what time Mass is at. I’m not broadcasting the time of the Mass.”

He explained that the vocation of a priest can be very lonely.