The top of the Christmas tree in St Peter's Square is seen in front of the top of the dome of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican December 9, 2023. Photo: CNS/Lola Gomez Many parishes across Ireland saw packed churches this Christmas as people turned out in droves to celebrate the birth of Christ.
This followed calls from priests and prelates across the country in early December for people to use the festive period to encourage their friends and neighbours who have been away from the sacraments, to come to Christmas Mass and experience anew the sense of community.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic newspaper, Fr Fergus O’Donoghue SJ of Clonskeagh parish in Co. Dublin said that this Christmas was a particularly “joyful” experience in his parish.
“This year there was great involvement, and there was a great deal of joyfulness about it all,” Fr O’Donoghue said.
“People were very involved. In some years, I have felt that people were in a sense observing. They might be people who wouldn’t have been at Mass, except for funerals or weddings, for years, but this time I felt that people seemed to be more engaged,” Fr O’Donoghue said, adding, “that was my impression, anyway”.
This Christmas boost comes as many parishes struggle to attract not only people who have been away from the practice of their faith for a long time, but also people who got out of the habit of church attendance during the Covid-19 pandemic when public Mass was forbidden.
“We have here in Clonskeagh the Christmas Eve Mass at 7pm and the Christmas morning Mass at half past 10, and attendance was far, far higher than usual,” Fr O’Donoghue said.
“What was very interesting was the number of families that were here, which was very nice.”
The most important thing parishes could do in the face of the festive influx was be “welcoming,” Fr O’Donoghue said, which he felt his parish managed.
“The most important thing is that the actual parish church should be welcoming, and we were.”