Category: Local Services

Introduction
The letter from the Archbishop, about the reduction from four priests to three, stated two requirements for weekend Masses:
	That weekend Masses in the parish had to be reduced from twelve to nine.
	That the times of Masses had to allow for two priests celebrating all the masses so that the third priest would be available to celebrate a Mass on Clare Island when required.
From the responses at all of our recent meetings it was accepted that there would be some pain for people in making changes, but it was also agreed that the situation was very different from the time when extra Masses were introduced to accommodate those who had no transport and so had to walk several miles to get to Mass.
The following proposals were agreed at a meeting of representatives from all areas of the parish on February 7th 2002.
	It is not intended to close any of the nine churches. (Unless circumstances change in future years).
	However, with fewer Masses, the larger churches will be used for weekend services, in order to provide sufficient accommodation for the holiday season, bank holiday weekends, Easter, Christmas and weddings or festivals, without having to change Mass schedules.
	The new arrangement for weekend masses will begin on the second Sunday of Lent- the 23rd/24th February, 2002. for the Vigil and the Sunday Masses.
	There will be Vigil Masses in Achill Sound, Bunnacurry and Pollagh.
	There will be Sunday Masses in Currane, Achill Sound, Derreens, Bunnacurry, Dookinella and Pollagh.
	There will not be weekend masses in Belfarsad, Dooega and the Valley churches (after the weekend of 16/17 February, 2002). But at least one weekday Mass will be celebrated in each of these churches, each week as far as possible, and they will remain places of worship with the Blessed Sacrament reserved in each and will continue to be maintained from parish funds. (Arrangements already made for First Communion this year will stand). It will also be necessary to make provision for an Irish Mass for the pupils of Coláiste Acla.
Vigil Masses
6.30pm 7.30pm 7.30pm	Bunnacurry Church Achill Sound Church Pollagh Church
Sunday and Holy Day Masses
9.45am 10.00am 10.45am 11.00am 12 Noon 12 Noon	Currane Church Dookinella Church Achill Sound Church Bunnacurry Church Derreens Church Pollagh Church
Weekday Masses
The Archbishop’s letter stated that “Apart from weddings and funerals, no priest should be celebrating more than one weekday Mass”. Accordingly with three priests there shoulld be just three scheduled Masses in the whole parish on weekdays. It is hoped to produce a joint newsletter for all the churches, which will include the list of masses for the week, so people will know when and where there is a weekday Mass in the parish. It is also intended to have occasional Masses in St. Colman’s and St. Fionnán’s Nursing Units. The changes in weekday Masses will be introduced gradually beginning in May 2002. Communion services conducted by lay people, who have received training, are now used in schedules in churches in Ireland on weekdays when there is no daily Mass. These have been introduced in a number of parishes in our own Archdiocese and it is proposed to introduce them in Achill and invite people to train as leaders. The service includes the Liturgy of the Word as in the Mass for the day with prayers of the faithful. Then a Eucharistic Minister distributes Communion to the congregation.
Mass Intentions
With a reduced number of Masses on Sundays and weekdays, some changes will be necessary in the booking of Mass Intentions. Please remember that we have between 65 and 85 deaths in the parish each year, requiring that number of funeral Masses and Month’s Mind Masses in the year of death, and the same number of first Anniversary Masses in the following year, in addition to the Anniversary Masses of the previous years. Therefore people must have consideration for the needs of other families when booking Masses. Families are asked to book only Anniversary Masses for their deceased. Where there is no available date close to the Anniversary, a list of people who have anniversaries in the coming week will be printed and prayed for at the weekend Mass. Mass Intentions will then be offered on weekdays, if any are free, or will be sent to Missionary priests for celebration.
Involvement of lay people
The letter from the Archbishop stated; “ A further consequence of these developments will be an increased need for involvement of the lay-church members of the parish”. So, what does this mean in practice? There are many things that can be done in the parish by lay people to exercise their Baptismal calling and dignity, so that priests can focus more directly on priestly duties. Some are already being done but need to be more structured and to be done in all the areas. It was agreed to form into five Coistí Dúiche;
	Achill Sound Church area. Currane/Belfarsad Church area. Bunnacurry/Valley Church area. Derreens/ Dooega Church area. Dookinella/Pollagh Church area.
Each Coiste Dúiche is asked to take responsibility for;
	The maintainence and upkeep of the church/s in their area.
	Organising the rota for all the different ministries, with particular emphasis including people involved from the smaller church that will not have weekend Mass. Eucharistic Ministers, Readers, Leaders for Communion Services, Collectors Servers, Music and singing for Mass and other ceremonies.
	The Altar Society to take care of the sanctuary and have the church ready for liturgical celebrations.
	Preparing liturgies especially for Holy Week and Easter ceremonies, Christmas and other special occasions as well as for the weekend Mass.
Pastoral Council
We are asking the representatives from all the Coistí Dúiche to meet and form a Pastoral Council to plan for the needs of the whole parish and to organise the training necessary for different Ministries. A core group would be formed to continue as a planning unit. A key requirement also would be the formation of a Finance Committee to manage the accounts of the parish.
Residence
One other element of the Archbishop’s letter was to ‘ maximise the availability of priests to the whole population of the parish’. Taking into account the spread of population and the responsibilities of each of the priests, as outlined at the previous meetings, it was agreed that the priests remain where they are and that the house in Bunnacurry be used as a Pastoral Centre for the whole parish. It has a fine open plan room for meetings. The office would be used to service the parish and if at all possible to get some secretarial support. The Newsletter for the whole parish would be assembled there and it could become the hub for activities for the Pastoral Council.
Conclusion
When changes have to be made in any situation it causes unease and uncertainty, but, it is important to manage change in a way that provides a clear way forward based upon the resources available. The change in staffing of priests in Achill parish can lead to despondency if we simply moan for the past, or it can be seen as a challenge to use the gifts and talents of all the people and create a vibrant and life- giving church community into the future. In the words of the seanfhocal “ Ní neart go chur lé chéile”. Guibhimis Beannacht Dé ar an obair atá romhainn.

As some of you may know there have been a number of meetings recently to discuss the changes that will need to take place in the Parish due to the death of Fr Sean Nolan and therefore the reduction in the number of priests from four to three. Following a letter from the Archbishop, a number of changes have been agreed by the clergy, together with representatives from all areas of the Parish. A statement has been issued. The main points in short, for those of us in Currane are; that after the weekend of the 16th/17th February 2002, weekend Mass at Belfarsad will cease and the time of Sunday Mass at Currane will change to 9.45am.