Fr. PJ Hughes offered Mass again this morning in Mullahoran, Co. Cavan, despite being fined by Gardaí for repeatedly doing so during the current lockdown.
The Anglo Celt is reporting that several Garda checkpoints with over a dozen Gardaí were in place around Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Mullahoran, Co. Cavan this morning as parishioners and a number of people from beyond the 5km limit drove to Mass.
Fr. PJ Hughes, whose Mass was delayed because of some parishioners being detained at the checkpoints, asked the Irish Times if the Gardaí had “nothing else to do?”
“It is our faith that brings us here and they told me that I wasn’t reading the statistics and didn’t know what was going on. I told them I did not accept the negative message being poured out by RTÉ. It’s not fair,” he claimed.
“This is sectarianism. This is against our faith. It’s a sectarian act against our Catholic Church encouraged by the Government who don’t believe in God anymore.”
Fr. Hughes later told parishioners they should “turn off” any negative news for Holy Week.
“Our faith in God is being challenged by statistics and by so many people who want us to live according to their creed,” he explained during his homily.
“It is a challenge to somehow balance our faith with everything else that is going on in the world. I encourage people to turn off the television, turn off the radios and any negative news.
“Negativity does not fit along with faith. There is no hope in negative news. We are being destroyed.”
A Garda statement issued after the event said the checkpoints were in place to deal with an “anti-atheist” protest that was planned for outside the church during Mass, and that several on-the-spot fines were issued.
Fr. Hughes, originally from Athlone, was fined €500 on March 18 after approximately 40 people attended his Mass on March 7. The priest said he will not pay the fine.