Priest says 15-minute masses to suit parishioners

A County Mayo priest has a novel approach to making sure that parishioners who are stuck for time are able to attend Mass by offering a 15-minute Mass. 

Fr Kenny started his 15-minute Mass as nothing more than an experiment at the start of Lent, just over a week ago.  In addition, he claims that the reasons that the masses are so short are his decision to forego the sermon and having the help of a Eucharistic minister for communion.

The regular morning Mass at 9 o’clock had been drawing an attendance of just three or four up to the start of his no-frills experiment.  The Ballyhaunis native decided to bring the time back to 7:30am and guarantee he would keep parishioners no longer than a quarter of an hour.  Attendances at the small north Galway parish church have now soared to between 30 and 40, with Mass-goers walking out the door by 7:45am.

Speaking to the Irish Independent newspaper Fr Kenny said, "The general view among parishioners is that the nine o’clock Mass was totally unsuitable for people going to work.  Now, more and more people are coming along to the Mass at 7:30am as they know they can be on their way to work or school 15 or 20 minutes later and it is far more suitable.”

Fr Kenny explained that he was very conscious of the work commitments of his parishioners when he opted to try out the Mass at 7:30am.  He decided to abandon the usual sermon and enlisted the help of a minister of the Eucharist to ensure that the congregation would be on its way by 7:45am.

“We have to think of the needs of people who have to travel long distances to work, some to Galway city, over 40 kilometres away.  The only way they could be in time for work while also attending morning Mass during Lent is by being out of the church by 7.45am.” 

by Sean Ryan