Mass in Carlow Cathedral

For only the second time, Mass in the Gregorian Rite was celebrated at the new Altar of Carlow Cathedral on Saturday, 21st May, to honour Our Lady's Month and, belatedly, the feast of St. Conleth, Patron of the Diocese of Kildare and of our Association.

Carlow Cathedral for Saint Joseph the Worker

I was bowled over, a rarity for me, by my experience of the Mass for the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker today as the venerable stones of the mother Church of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin witnessed the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, a sight that I am sure it was thought, they would never see again. It was a day for extraordinary things as the people turned out in extraordinary numbers. I stopped counting at 180 and there were plenty more beyond that. People came from Carlow, town and County, people from the Diocese of Leighlin and from the Diocese of Kildare, and further afield, turned out in strength of Faith, strength of hope and strength of voice. Time and again after Mass, they wanted to know if it was going to be celebrated again, where, how regularly. The answer, at least in this Diocese, is not an happy one... extraordinary.

Once again, we were graced with the presence and singing voice of the magnificent Miss Máire Mullarkey, who filled the cathedral vaults with the music of Heaven and led the congregation in once-familiar Gregorian Chants and traditional vernacular hymns. Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, O Salutaris, Pange Lingua, Adoremus in Aeternum rang out again in Carlow Cathedral. She rendered the Ave Verum, 'Queen of the May,' Críost Liom with consummate skill and with a reverence and discretion that seemed to fit the extraordinary nature of the day as it did the majesty of the day's Liturgical observances. A noted and professional singer we were privileged that she shared her gifts with us once again.

The celebrant was Father James Larkin of the Archdiocese of Dublin, the Metropolitan See loaning of her very self to her suffragan Diocese today. In his sermon he spoke of the dignity of work, and the tragedies of unemployment that we see in our own country. He said that in dedicating this day to St. Joseph the Church wishes us to understand that work is in God's plan that we provide for ourselves and that we fulfil ourselves in service to our families and our neighbours. He referred to the Gospel passage 'is this not the Son of Joseph the carpenter' and said that there seems to be a certain snobbery in this, as if the people asked how could a carpenter's Son have such wisdom. The answer is that, however people may set a social premium upon certain professions or kinds of work, all work has equal dignity in the eyes of God because its dignity is found in the fulfilment of our duties and of ourselves. Father Larkin spoke about the importance of devotion to Saint Joseph, a most powerful protector and patron of the Universal Church, and particularly, in this Holy Year of Priests, and since the Mass was offered for Priests, Saint Joseph's patronage of the Young Priests' Society, that helps young men to pursue their vocation to the Priesthood.

Great credit is merited by the Administrator of the Cathedral and the Cathedral staff, who were present throughout, giving every assistance and courtesy, and who made available the original Altar furnishings for today's Mass. Please God, we may speak as they do concluding the Passover celebration... Next year in Carlow!

A Tale of Two Towers

A view of Arran Quay from the West where the River Liffey flows

under Mellows Bridge with the Campanile of St. Paul's Church

and the Dome of the Four Courts Building on the skyline.

Two further pilgrimages for the Holy Year of Priests will be made on Saturday, 23rd January, to St. Paul's Church '@Smithfield' , Arran Quay, Dublin 7, for Mass in the Gregorian Rite at 11 a.m., and on Saturday, 1st May, to the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, for Mass in the Gregorian Rite at 11.30 a.m.

Last year, we had Mass in St. Paul's to mark the Holy Year of St. Paul during the Octave for Christian Unity and we are glad to have the permission of the Administrator of the Church to return again during the Octave.

The details of the pilgrimage to take place in March will be announced later.

The Mass on the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker will be the first celebrated there in the Gregorian Rite in more than 40 years. The funeral of Bishop Thomas Keogh in 1969 would have taken place before the publication of the Novus Ordo Missae but the Liturgy would have followed the reforms of 1965 and 1967.

The Campus of Carlow College with the Cathedral of the Assumption.

Titulars of Churches in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin

Interior of Carlow Cathedral c. 1910

In the Irish Ecclesiastical Calendar, today is the feast of the Dedication of the consecrated churches of Ireland except cathedrals, which have their own individual feasts. In any Diocese, the numbers of consecrated churches would have been relatively low. In Kildare and Leighlin, it appears that, certainly until the 1950s, only four churches in the Diocese had been consecrated: Carlow Cathedral, Edenderry, Naas and Newbridge. However, I propose to look at the whole range of dedications throughout the Diocese. Those churches listed with an asterisk have a secondary dedication. Parishes are listed in brackets.

Blessed Virgin Mary
Of the 137 churches in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, it is unsurprising that more are dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under various titles than to anyone else, in fact, 37 Churches.

St. Mary is the most popular dedication with nine churches: Askinagap (Hacketstown), Ballyconnell (Clonmore), Bennykerry (Bennykerry), Broadford (Balyna), Clonaghadoo (Mountmellick), Edenderry (Edenderry), Raheen (Killeigh), Stratford (Baltinglass), Wolfhill (Ballyadams).

Next is the Assumption with six churches: Cathedral (Carlow), Paulstown (Paulstown), Rathangan* (Rathangan), The Heath, (Portlaoise), Tynock (Rathvilly), Vicarstown (Stradbally).

Then the Immaculate Conception with five churches: Allenwood (Allen), Ardattin (Tullow), Cappinan (Daingean) Knockananna (Hacketstown), Walsh Island (Clonbullogue).

There are five churches of Our Lady: Caragh* (Caragh), Killamote (Hacketstown), Naas* (Naas), Prosperous* (Caragh), Sallins* (Sallins).

There are three churches dedicated to the Holy Rosary: Abbeyleix (Abbeyliex), Lugacurren (Ballyadams), Tullow (Tullow).

There are two churches dedicated to the Holy Family: Askea (Askea), Kilshanroe (Carbury).

There are also churches dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mayo (Doonane); to Our Lady of the Wayside, Clonmore (Clonmore); Our Lady of Lourdes, Skeoghvosteen (Graiguenamanagh); the Nativity of Our Lady, Newtown (Kilcock); Our Lady of Victories, Kildangan (Monasterevin); Mary, Mother of God, Daingean (Daingean) and Duiske Abbey (Graiguenamanagh), being a former Cistercian Abbey, was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. An icon of Our Lady of Duiske hangs in the Church there, which may well be the present dedication.

God
Of all the dedications to God, the Sacred Heart is the most popular with eight churches: Arles (Arles), Borris (Borris), Clonbullogue (Clonbullogue), Rath (Emo), Stradbally (Stradbally), The Hollow (Mountrath).

The Holy Trinity and the Holy Cross have both three dedications.

Holy Trinity: Allen (Allen), Derrinturren (Carbury), Goresbridge (Paulstown).

Holy Cross: Killeshin (Graiguecullen), Myshall (Myshall), Ratheniska (Portlaoise).

Christ the King: Cooleragh (Cooleragh)

Saints
Once again, it is no surprise that, in the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, that St. Brigid of Kildare, Muire na nGael, tops the list of dedications to saints.

Fifteen churches are dedicated to St. Brigid: Ballinakill (Ballinakill), Ballycomman (Daingean), Clane* (Clane), Clogherinkoe (Balyna), Clonegal (Clonegal), Croghan (Rhode), Curragh (Curragh Camp), Hacketstown (Hacketstown), Kildare (Kildare), Kill (Kill), Milltown (Allen), Rosenallis (Rosenallis), Shanahoe (Raheen), Suncroft (Suncroft), Talbotstown (Rathvilly).

The next most popular saint is St. Patrick with ten dedications: Ballymurphy (Borris) Ballyroan (Abbeyleix), Clane* (Clane), Johnstownbridge (Balyna), Killeigh (Killeigh), Mountmellick (Mountmellick), Newtown (Bagenalstown), Rathangan* (Rathangan), Rathoe (Ballon), Rathvilly (Rathvilly).

After that, St. Joseph, with six, narrowly beats two local saints, Laserian and Fintan, with five each.

St. Joseph: Ballinagar (Killeigh), Ballyadams (Ballyadams), Baltinglass (Baltinglass), Caragh* (Caragh), Prosperous* (Caragh), Tinryland (Tinryland).

St. Laserian: Ballinakellen (Bagenalstown), Drumphea (Myshall), Kildavin (Clonegal), Knock (Ballinakill), Leighlin (Leighlin).

St. Fintan: Ballinabranna (Leighlin), Ballyfin (ballyfin), Mountrath (Mountrath), Raheen (Raheen).

Saints Peter and Paul, either together or apart, have three, two and one dedication respectively.

Ss. Peter and Paul: Ballon (Ballon), Monasterevin (Monasterevin), Portlaoise (Portlaoise).

St. Peter: Rhode (Rhode), Two-Mile-House (Two-Mile-House).

St. Paul: Emo (Emo).

St. Michael has two dedications: Portarlington (Portarlington), Timahoe (Stradbally).

St. Anne has two dedications: Ardclough (Kill), Ballylinan (Arles).

The rest of the Saints (and Angels) have one didication each: Guardian Angels*, Sallins (Sallins); St. Conleth, Newbridge (Newbridge); St. Coca, Kilcock (Kilcock); St. Abban, Doonane (Doonane); St. Finian, Kilquiggan (Clonmore); St. Andrew, Bagenalstown (Bagenalstown); St. Benignus, Staplestown (Cooleragh); St. Brendan, Drummond (St. Mullins); St. Brochan, Bracknagh (Clonbullogue); St. Clare, Graiguecullen (Graiguecullen); St. Coleman, Kilclonfert (Daingean); St. David*, Naas (Naas); St. Fortchern, Rathanna (Borris); St. John the Baptist, Grange (Tullow); St. John the Evangelist, Killenard (Portarlington); St. Manman, Clonaslee (Clonaslee); St. Moling, Glynn (St. Mullins); St. Oliver, Grangecon (Baltinglass); The Irish Martyrs, Ballycane (Naas).

May the Saints of the Diocese and the Angels of the Churches of the Diocese pray for us!