The traditional Mass, for the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, was celebrated today at Lough Atorick at the site of the old Penal Mass Rock.
This year the celebration, which marks the resolute carrying on of the Christian faith of the people in Penal times, had an added significance. It marked the Jubilee Year 2000 and the third Millennium of Christianity we are entering into.
The Mass was concelebrated by Frs Pat Naughten, PP Woodford, Brendan Lawless, PP Ballinakill, and Willie Moran, OCD. Fr Owen Doyle, CC Woodford, was also present. About four hundred people were in attendance, from the parishes of Woodford and Ballinakill and visitors from further afield.
The ceremonies began with the recitation of the Rosary, led by local women. This was followed by the Mass, the celebration of which was enhanced by beautiful singing from the Woodford Church Choir. A homily was preached by Fr Lawless, extolling the faith of the people in Penal times. It was altogether most impressive and added to by the grandeur of being held in such a wonderful scenic setting.
The site is in the process of being renovated and a new road is being made into it. New signs have been erected, directing people in from the Lough Atorick road.
The original Mass Rock was removed in 1954 to serve as the base of the beautiful marble statue of Our Lady in the Marian Shrine overlooking the Bay at Woodford. The practice of the annual celebration of the Mass in Lough Atorick stemmed from the suggestion of Fr Jimmy Hickey, a native of Lough Atorick, and Fr Pascal Donohue, a former curate in Woodford, and has served to ameliorate any slight resentment that might have existed at the removal of the Mass Rock from Lough Atorick.
Salt of The Earth
Someone once said that religion springs from the people, and so it does.
It was Christ himself said that such people were the salt of the earth, and so they are.
It was a gathering of such people who met today, 15 August 2003, with their bishop, at Lough Atorick, to celebrate the feast of the Assumption of Mary, mother of god, queen of heaven and earth, and star of the sea.
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