Mass can fight against loneliness, says Mrs Brown’s Boys star

Mass can fight against loneliness, says Mrs Brown’s Boys star Mrs Brown’s Boys actor, Brendan O’Carroll, and his wife and co-star, Jenny Gibney launching the ‘Have a Laugh for Loneliness’ initiative this week in aid of ALONE. Photo: Jason Clarke

The parish system in Ireland has been a vital source of comfort and support in combating loneliness, well-known actor Brendan O’Carroll has said.

The Irish star, best recognised for portraying Agnes Brown in the television sitcom Mrs Brown’s Boys, said that Mass historically curbed loneliness as it was a “central place” where people could go and meet others.

“Well, I think the Catholic Church and the parish system in general, particularly in rural areas have been very, very good because to have a central place – like when Mass was really popular, before it went out of fashion – there was a central place that you went to and you could see every Sunday morning,” Mr O’Carroll told The Irish Catholic.

“Often a lot of lonely people were found to have been unwell because they were missing from Mass – they wouldn’t be seen at Mass,” he said.

New 
initiative

His comments come at the launch of a new initiative, ‘Have a Laugh for Loneliness’ in aid of ALONE, the charity that supports older people to age at home.

The campaign is encouraging the public to host social events and to have a laugh to raise funds for befriending services while combating loneliness in their own area.

Speaking about the issue of loneliness to this paper, Mr O’Carroll’s wife and co-star Jenny Gibney said that oftentimes people are supported by parish groups and friends.

“There’s a group of people that always go to Mass, a certain Mass on a certain morning and if one is missing they know something is wrong,” she said.

Support

Mr O’Carroll added that this type of support is no longer typical in city areas as parishes are more spread out and less personal.

“But in the city areas, it’s much, much more difficult because you’ve got a lot more spread out.

“Parishes are bigger, it’s not as personal as it was and of course the Catholic Church itself is coming under a lot of pressure so they have to be careful how they schedule visits, how they do things – so maybe we need to rethink it,” he said