Irish Police State: What Kind of Catholic Would Report Priests For Offering Mass?
CAVAN, Ireland, November 19, 2020 (LifeSiteNews) — Irish police are threatening a Catholic priest with prosecution because of his refusal to turn people away when they arrived for Mass.
Under the current law, the Irish government is expressly forbidding gatherings for “religious or other reasons” and threatening priests with a fine of €2,500 and/or six months imprisonment should they attempt to offer public Mass. The law has come about as part of the Level 5 lockdown currently enforced across the country.
Speaking to the AngloCelt, which reported on the story, Fr. P.J. Hughes mentioned that “somebody reported me,” which led to his Masses becoming known to the local bishop and the civil authorities.
Fr. Hughes’ superior, Bishop Francis Duffy, had contacted the priest last week after receiving a complaint from a parishioner that he was saying Mass with people present. Duffy reportedly told Fr. Hughes that he was in “dangerous territory.”
Fr. Hughes told the AngloCelt, “I have continued to say Mass because I feel it is our Constitutional right to practise our religion,” and also mentioned that when members of his congregation would arrive at church, he “did not chase them away.”
He noted that the church had taken all the measures required by the government in the face of COVID-19 and that people in the church are “just there to pray and go home.”
Based in Mullahoran, Cavan, in the Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, Fr. Hughes was approached by two police officers before offering Mass this past Sunday, who informed him he was breaking the law.
Shortly after Mass ended, four officers appeared, stating that “a file would be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), meaning that
he may be prosecuted for breaching the Covid rules introduced during the last lockdown period.”
Hughes challenged the police, appealing to the constitutional right to freely practice religion.
The law banning public Mass appears to be in direct violation of Article 44 of the Irish Constitution, which states “The State acknowledges that the homage of public worship is due to Almighty God. It shall hold His Name in reverence, and shall respect and honour religion. Freedom of conscience and the free profession and practice of religion are, subject to public order and morality, guaranteed to every citizen.”
Apparently, Fr. Hughes has been offered a final chance to submit to the ban on public Mass.
He explained he has “no support, only from the people maybe, but I have no support. So I put myself out on a limb. I have to make a decision to celebrate Mass every day, but I cannot celebrate it at the time that’s designated because people will come in.”
“So I’ll say Mass at a different time each day, on Facebook, for the people,” Fr. Hughes continued. “Because I don’t want to be prosecuted either, although I would like to test to see would they go and bring me before the DPP because I just think this is scandalous really, we’re gone to a police state.”
In a radio interview after the Mass, Fr. Hughes mentioned that “people mattered more to him and God mattered more to him than anything else.”
The case of Fr. Hughes is not an isolated event, as police in Cork also approached a priest to warn that they would “apply the full rigours of the law,” if he continued celebrating Mass with people present. Source – Lifesitenews
Comment:
The parishioner who reported Fr Hughes (and the priest in Cork) for offering Mass with people present is about as Catholic as any other Protestant – that is to say, any other person protesting against the Catholic religion; that is to say, not a a Catholic at all. That is to say, a person who does not believe that Christ is King and that, thus, no Government gives us our basic freedoms, nor does any Government have the right to take them away. That is true without the assistance of the Irish Constitution. It’s great that the Irish Constitution specifically protects religious rights, but it is not the Irish – or any other – national Constitution which confers such rights.
Our right to our religious freedom derives from our duty to worship God, as He commands. I’m lost for words that any Catholic would even consider reporting a priest for infringing these despicable and wholly unnecessary restrictions on our freedoms. I’ll say nothing about the Bishop because what I’d like to say about him is unprintable. If anyone is “in dangerous territory” it’s bishops who are bowing, yet again, to the authority of politicians over God’s law. Health has become their god, not Christ the King. And they will answer for their worship of this false god at their judgement.
Here’s the thing though… Is that likely to happen here, in the UK? Would any parishioner even consider reporting a priest for breaching the latest ridiculous rules, including a limit on the number of people who may – thanks to the “permission” of the politicians – attend Mass? These politicians, remember, are here today, gone tomorrow. God, on the other hand, will be there, waiting for us, at the moment of our death. Who, thinkest thou, is entitled to our obedience in this matter?
Comments (18)
I would not be one bit surprised if parishioners in the UK reported priests.
It’s absolutely true that they have made their health their god. It’s sinful, no question about it.
I’m just sorry that Fr Hughes used the Constitution as his reason – surely his reason has to be the duty to worship God as commanded in the Ten Commandments?
I know he would argue that he was being “wise as serpents” – I take that point, but I think we’re also at a major crossroads now, good and evil are in a face-off, and we all need to be clear about why we are not going to allow the government rules to over-rule God’s commandments.
Josephine what’s the point of quoting The Ten Commandments to people who have never heard of them . I had little Tit a Tat with the Ed about a Football Crowd and said if it were the other Team I would have said the same. Their is what i would call a Plastic Paddy who has a Football Blog and is always at pains to say He is a Marxist. On the Day of The Terrible Abortion Referendum He had the Cheek to Print a Quote from Bobby Sands Last Words .
” Our Revenge Will Be The Laughter Of Our Children ” which Sinn Feign actually also have in their Office Window. I put under it .
” Yes Our Revenge Most Certainly Will Be The Laughter Of Our Children
But First Off You Have To Let Them Be Born “.He never answered me . What Cromwell couldn’t do the Irish have done themselves. As for The Judas who reported this Faithful Priest am sure that He or She probably received a little Reward for this Story 30 Euros maybe. Of course we need not look across The Irish Sea for a Judas . Remember the Faithful Priest turned in for having Benediction on the Day of one of those. Horrible Pride Things.
FOOF,
Well the priest has heard of them and he has a duty to uphold them, plus he has a duty to spread the Faith so there is NO excuse for not doing so.
Of course it’s fine to quote the Constitution as well but no Irish person derives religious (or any other) rights from any human source – there’s a reason why we speak about our “God-given rights”; it’s because God DID give them to us!
Josephine
I think if it came to a court case, the priest`s lawyer would prefer to fight the case quoting the Irish Constitution rather than the law of God when dealing with the atheists sitting in
the bench in present day Ireland.
Yes, of course, but maybe it wouldn’t get to court if the priest reminded the police (quite possibly Catholics themselves) about the commandment to worship God.
No, any Catholic who would report a priest like that is not a Catholic. I wasn’t impressed with the priest in the photo at the AngloCelt link – casual jumper, I wish priests realised that they don’t impress most people with their unprofessional dress.
This is a similar scandal in England, where the priests are not allowed to say Mass but they can allow support groups of one kind or another. I wonder if any of them will refuse.
https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/english-churches-banned-masses-but-support-groups-blood-donations-are-allowed
Fr I admire you. Your faith is amazing and your fellow priests should be joining you in celebrating Mass for their people. God bless you Fr
Padraig,
Well, I’d have been more impressed if he hadn’t given in and resorted to Facebook Masses.
The fear of the fines and possible imprisonment is entirely understandable, of course, but I’d be surprised if that would actually happen. I think any judge in his or her right mind would throw out the case in [Irish] jig time.
At the speed with which the clergy comply, though, we’re unlikely ever to find out, at all, at all…
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/f0/58/7d/f0587d645e8bd2e01e1a817dd6c2b929.jpg
Just another case of Catholics having lost the faith. Nothing about former Catholic Ireland surprises me now, they have betrayed not only God and the Church but also their staunch and faithful Catholic ancestors. The Republic of Ireland is now under the control of Lucifer, no question. Who could ever have imagined?
This article about priest-hunters is worth reading, since history – specifically, The Penal Times, is repeating itself. A couple of excerpts
“The Religion Act 1580 (23 Eliz.1 c. 1) fined and imprisoned those who celebrated the Mass or attended a Mass. The Jesuits, etc. Act 1584 (27 Eliz.1, c. 2) commanded all Roman Catholic priests to leave the country in forty days or be punished for high treason unless, within the 40 days, they swore an oath to obey the Queen. Those who harboured them, and all those who knew of their presence and failed to inform the authorities would be fined and imprisoned for felony. It also provided an incentive to informers by according them one-third of any forfeitures.”
“Walsingham tracked down Catholic priests in England and supposed conspirators by employing informers, and intercepting correspondence. Shortly before setting off for England, Edmund Campion learned that a letter detailing their party and mission had been intercepted and that they were expected in England. It was a common practice for a spy to pose as a Catholic and engage a suspect in conversation in the hope of eliciting an incriminating statement. This technique led to the arrest and execution of Richard Simpson in 1588.” [emphases mine]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priest_hunter
RCA Victor,
That is precisely what causes such amazement; the fact that the Irish had to fight for their freedom including their right to practise the Catholic Faith and yet now they have handed over their freedoms without so much as the blink of an eye. It’s incredible.
Not exactly Ireland connected, but I’ve just received the following email from Lifesitenews which underlines what we already know, that “Big Tech” (or “Idiots” as I prefer to call them) have censored Lifesitenews…
From Lifesitenews….
In yet another shocking though not unexpected display of Big Tech censorship, YouTube announced today that it has banned LifeSite from using its services for one week.
For the next seven days, LifeSite will be unable to post, upload, or livestream any videos on YouTube.
What this means is our hugely successful podcasts and on-the-ground reporting from across the world that our 200,000 YouTube subscribers signed up for will come to a halt. For now.
According to YouTube, a LifeSite video titled, “Canadian doctor destroys ‘utterly unfounded public hysteria’ over COVID-19,” violated their “Community Guidelines.” They said the video was “medical misinformation.”
This is patently false, and we will be appealing this decision. If you saw the video prior to it being removed, you’d see it was simply quoting directly from the doctor himself and not stating an outright claim.
What’s more, not only has YouTube removed our video, but they’ve given LifeSite its first “strike.”
https://lifesitenews.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b519162c561a81f1ee4736a3&id=4750cca23b&e=e86b9217c3
We need another platform for videos, so we can by-pass YouTube. It can’t be THAT difficult. Any and all ideas welcome…
Editor: your question made me thank the Patron Saint of Detectives for inspiring me to watch all those episodes of Columbo over the years. Miss Marple helped as well. My advice is to just amble along to the nearest traditional church in your area. I’m sure you’ll find it an improvement on the novus ordo. Goodness, a Pentecostal Prayer Group would be an improvement… Kidding! Seriously, loved your question but I have a great Guardian Angel who makes sure I don’t fall into traps (we have trolls who keeping trying, between thee and me…)
https://quotesnhumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Top-30-Funny-Minions-quote-Pictures-memes.jpg
Editor,
You must get fed up of these trolls. It’s a wonder they have the time to think up silly ways to trap you. Good on you for catching on. That must madden them, LOL!
The big lie I just read in an Irish paper is that “lockdowns save lives”. That’s a bare-faced lie. The evidence is overwhelming that lockdowns do more harm than good.
I wonder, too, how many lives are likely to be saved when they’ve told God he’s not essential?
Lily
One of the special features of these NWO people is how they can lie convincingly and with ease. They know they’re lying and they know they’re good at it, true children of their father, the devil, the Father of lies!
Athanasius
It`s not too difficult to know if these people are lying. Just watch to see if their lips move.
Sad but true, a busy body picked up a phone to “report” a priest for offering Mass. Truly bad times we are in.
Sacred Heart of Jesus have mercy on that vile collaborator, grant them faith, in Your Mercy.
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