The three Augustinian priests who concelebrated Mass with a Church of Ireland rector in Drogheda on Easter Sunday, in commemoration of the 1916 Rising and the Battle of the Somme, have apologised unreservedly to Catholic Church authorities and given an undertaking not to do so again, writes Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent.
A statement released by the Augustinian Order last night read: "The Irish Province of the Augustinian Order deeply regrets the pain, confusion and damage caused as a result of the Easter Sunday Eucharistic celebration at its church in Drogheda.
"The three Augustinians involved – Fr Richard Goode, Fr Ignatius O’Donovan and Fr Noel Hession – having reflected on the seriousness of their actions, have written to the Archbishop of Armagh, Archbishop Seán Brady; to the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto; and to Fr Robert Prevost, the Prior General of the Augustinian Order, who is resident in Rome. Their letter apologises unreservedly for the ill-considered celebration and gives an absolute commitment as to future conduct in matters liturgical.
"In an effort to bring closure to the issue, neither the Augustinians involved nor the Augustinian Order, will be making any further statement in relation to the matter."
2 comments
i haven’t been to your blog in a while – and upon observing the cool new people banner with ‘benny’ first, under it was ‘cool dead people’… that made me laugh out loud- kudos… and for the greek verification thing…. you earned yourself another fan.. 🙂
Obviously we can’t know the true intentions of the hearts of these priests, so I daren’t presume their guilt.
But I gotta wonder just how accidentally they could allow a non-priest to concelebrate with them and then claim ignorance. Especially three of them together – you’d think at least one of them would say to the others, “Say fellas, maybe I’m off my rocker here, but I seem to remember something in seminary about only valid clergy being allowed to perform the sacraments.”
It’s easier to ask forgiveness than permission, eh?