A PRIEST is to celebrate weekday Masses in a small
meeting room instead of his chapel – in an effort to save money.
Mass-goers in Crusheen, Co Clare, attended regular Mass in the new venue for the first time just last Tuesday.
The
new arrangement has been launched on a trial basis by parish priest Fr
Ger Nash, who hopes to make "substantial" savings on the church's annual
heating bill.
He confirmed that only Tuesday and Thursday
services will be moved under the new arrangement – with all weekend
Masses staying in the main chapel.
These weekday services are
generally attended by elderly parishioners, who are more susceptible to
cold and flu during the winter.
Friday morning service at Crusheen church will continue in the main chapel as it is attended by local schoolchildren.
The new system will be operated on a trial basis until March or April.
COSY
"We
get between a dozen or two dozen people attending Mass during the week
so we decided, for economic reasons, to move these Masses to a cosy
meeting room towards the back of the church," Fr Nash said.
"It
can take around two hours of heat before the main chapel is warmed up,
but this room is nice and cosy in about 15 minutes. We
are starting this on a trial basis for Tuesday and Thursday Masses and
we will see how it goes from there. We have never tried anything like
this before. With the price of oil at the moment this could make a
difference. Even just for two days (each week) the cost savings by the
end of the year could be substantial."