Posted on 12/23/2014 7:27:52 PM PST by Steelfish
Midnight Mass Tradition Under Threat Amid Fears Of Drunken Disruptions Catholic newspaper finds many parishes have had problems with drunk people interrupting services on way home from pub
Andrew Brown 23 December 2014
It is a night-time event that is considered to be at the core of a traditional Christmas. But the Christmas Eve celebration of midnight mass is at risk of dying out, partly because of worries about the growing number of Yuletide drunks stumbling through church doors.
A recent survey by Catholic newspaper the Tablet found that several of the parishes they contacted reported problems with drunk people interrupting services on their way home from the pub.
A church in Havant reported having to call the police three times after “drunken yobs” threw bricks at the worshippers one year, and in York, in 2006, the mass was disrupted by a streaker.
Canon Alan Sheridan, of St George’s in York, told the Tablet: “We are on the main drag into town so people are coming straight from the pub and it can make mass very difficult.”
In Middlesbrough, only one in four Catholic churches still offer the service, although the causes of the decline are more complex than alcohol-related disruptions.
Parishioners no longer feel a midnight mass is an essential part of Catholicism; church services earlier on Christmas Eve, at 8pm or even 5pm, tend to be much more popular.
The other great cause is the collapse in recruitment to the priesthood. Since the 1960s, the number of Catholic clergy has plummeted and those who remain have aged. There are about 135 priests for every 100,000 Catholics, and mass cannot be celebrated without one. Even where there is a large potential congregation, the priest may not be available to perform.
(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...
If I recall, the only new Catholic Priests in Britain tend to be Poles.
That’s why you have the Knights of Columbus as the greeters at the Midnight Mass.
A lot of polls have suggested that Catholicism has been increasing in the last few years as a proportion of the population in England.
Due to the influx of Poles, they may wind up saving Britain in the end.
Sad. One of the high points of my year is attending midnight mass.
This is what a once great country has descended into.
“A recent survey by Catholic newspaper the Tablet found that several of the parishes they contacted reported problems with drunk people interrupting services on their way home from the pub.”
Those people just need a good beat down - for the benefit of their eternal souls, of course.
Mr. Mercat and I went to midnight Mass for Christmas. We were sitting there trying to remember why we thought this was a good idea. So this year it’s the 8:00 a.m. service. Put the turkey in and go to church.
Good Morning! Merry Christmas!
As one who is part Polish, it is good to see something that made my Christmas Eve day brighter!
The Poles may save us all.
That is a great idea.
Home of the Great Divine Mercy!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.