Another chance to attend a Tridentine Mass in Ireland

I am in Trad Heaven. I went this morning to a beautiful Latin Mass in a church built just after the Penal Times, in 1806. St. Michael's is near Kells, in the middle of green countryside and hedgerows. The Church of St. Michael the Archangel, Staholmog, Co. Meath is a small gem in the middle of nowhere, as we would say in the States. And here, Ireland is all it should be with green hills, a pub in the distance, black and white cows, handsome Celtic people and adorable Celtic altar boys. The Mass was sung by Father David Jones, a hermit of the Premonstratensian Order. The world is so small, as he actually knows a friend or two of mine. He has a website here.


People here ask me why I would leave sunny and friendly Malta for cold, wet, and, well, cold and wet Ireland. The lack of the Latin Mass is on my list of five major reasons. One other being no birds, except pigeons, (see post from the 2nd). The Church is "so cute" as we would say in the States, but being in a place, where a century or more ago, people were going to Catholic Mass under a shadow, I felt keenly the reality of St. Michael's today. 


What I love about the Latin Mass is not merely the reverence, but the true simplicity, in the sense of purity and grace. It is the simplicity of the Incarnation.  Here is the schedule for those who may not know it.


Sunday: 1pm, 
First Friday: 11am and 
Holy Days announced: 1pm or 11am where no conflict with parish celebrations.