Catholics by Brian Moore

Author:Brian Moore [Moore, Brian]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: Religion, Fiction, Science Fiction, Catholicism
ISBN: 9780829423334
Publisher: Loyola Classics
Published: 1972-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Did you know that Ireland used to be the only country in Europe where every Catholic went to Mass of a Sunday? Every one, even the men?”

“Yes. I was here some years ago. In Sligo.”

“Were you, now? Well, anyway, when this new Mass came in, we tried it, we did what we were told. But we noticed that the men would come into Cahirciveen with their families and stand, smoking and talking, outside the church. When Mass was over, they took their women home. Now, I thought that was a bad sign. I mean, this is Ireland, after all. I wrote our father provincial about it. He wrote back that the new Mass was popular everywhere else. Well, I did not know what to do. We were losing our congregation, hand over fist. I said to myself, maybe the people here are different from the people in other places, maybe they will not stand for this change. After all, what are we doing, playing at being Sunday priests over there on the mainland, if it’s not trying to keep the people’s faith in Almighty God? I am not a holy man, but, maybe because I am not, I felt that I had no right to interfere. I thought it was my duty not to disturb the faith they have. So, I went back to the old way.”

“Then what happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“But it must have been noticed. There must have been talk in the diocese?”

“I suppose there was. But people are not well informed on liturgical matters. I think the people thought because we are an old order we had some special dispensation to do things the old way. Anyway, the old way became very popular, after the word got around.”

“And, soon, you had thousands coming to Mass every Sunday.”

“That is not so,” the abbot said. “For a number of years we did not have many extra people. Some older people from parishes about. But it was just lately it caught on. It was the tourists. Ireland is choked with tourists now in the summer months. I blame those new planes, those Supers, or whatever you call them.”

“So, it was only last summer that you moved out of the priory in Cahirciveen and began saying Mass on Mount Coom?”

“You are well informed. I am not surprised. Our father provincial, in Dublin, is not what you would call an admirer of mine.”

“On Mount Coom,” Kinsella said. “You decided to say Mass on the Mass rock. According to my reading, the Mass rock, in Penal times, was associated with rebellion. Mass was said there, by outlaw priests, in secret, with some member of the congregation on the lookout in case the English soldiers came.”

“The Mass rock was a mistake,” the abbot said. “At the time I did not think of the connection. I was just trying to accommodate the crowds.”

“You accepted a gift of loudspeakers from the merchants of Cahirciveen.”

“It is customary to accept gifts that aim at enhancing worship.”

“But, loudspeakers,” Kinsella said. “Surely,

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