Mass in Massachusetts! Buncrana priest takes leap of faith across the Atlantic
'People will be joining in in Boston, and then it will be streamed on the Buncrana Parish Facebook to people locally at home'
A Buncrana Parish Priest has taken a leap of faith across the pond to the city of Boston, where he will celebrate a special transatlantic Mass to “keep connections alive”.
Fr Francis Bradley says the Mass is in many ways the culmination of a series of such ceremonies he has celebrated in different parts of the world where Inishowen people are living.
Last year he was in Perth, Western Australia and Chicago, Illinois, to join in faith with Inishowen ex-pats there – and now it’s the turn of the diaspora in Boston for a Mass in Massachusetts!
The special service, which will be streamed live on the Internet, will be held at the Irish Pastoral Centre, Boston on Friday, July 18 at 7pm US Eastern Time and 12 midnight Irish time.
Fr Bradley explains how it’s all part of a collective effort to bring people together and keep connections alive so that no one is forgotten, wherever they are in the world.
“People will be joining in in Boston, and then it will be streamed on the Buncrana Parish Facebook to people locally at home.”
“Even though it’ll be late at night, people will be looking in. We look forward to a lovely celebration. As ever, there’ll be tea and buns afterwards. That’s very important, as it’ll give us all a chance to natter,” he smiled.
Fr Bradley says the Mass is a “nice thing” for people, particularly in this Jubilee Year of Hope.
“It’ll be nice to see people from the area and gather them. We’ll be at the Irish Pastoral Centre there. I’m thankful to so many people for lending their help with this, especially Jacqueline McElhinney (née McDaid), who has done so much groundwork.”
“Then, just two weeks ago, a lady called Kathleen Shea passed away in Boston. She was originally Kathleen Bradley, from Shandrum. She was well on in years but always kept contact with home. Her family are coming to the Mass and she will be especially remembered there. She has siblings still living in Buncrana, Clonmany and Carndonagh.”
“So it’s all about connections. That’s what keeps us going,” he added.