1996/99
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Sunday Mass "ban" at House of Prayer
13 May 1998
SUNDAY MASSES are to be discontinued at the House of Prayer on Achill Island and pilgrims will have to go to the local Parish Church in Achill Sound instead. This decision by the Archbishop of Tuam, Dr. Michael Neary was relayed to the House of Prayer authorities last week.
Pilgrims say the news has "come as a bombshell" and they fear very much for the continuation of the Centre which has become a spiritual magnet for pilgrims from all over lreland and further afield.
A spokesman for the Archbishop of Tuam said yesterday (Tuesday) that the Diocesan authorities were going through a process of clarification at the moment with the House of Prayer administrators on the statement issued by the Archbishop before Christmas. There was no question of all Masses being forbidden at the Centre, the spokesman stressed.
Since January I last, pilgrims have been unable to obtain Confessions or hear a sermon in the House of Prayer which was founded by Mrs. Christina Gallagher in 1993.
Following notification from the Archbishop that there could be no Easter ceremonies and that pilgrims would have to go to the local parish church, pilgrimage organisers expressed "deep hurt and disappointment" and said in their opinion the Centre was being "forced underground".
It is understood that since Easter a meeting took place between the Archbishop and Mrs. Gallagher. No details of this meeting have emerged but last week the House of Prayer administrators were informed by Dr. Neary in a letter that from the end of this month all Sunday Masses will be celebrated in the parish church.
Some representatives of the business community in Achill were due to meet last night (Tuesday) to discuss what they describe as "a worrying situation" because of the economic importance of the Centre for the area.
