On Sunday, 9 February, Mass was broadcast from the RTÉ studios in Donnybrook, Dublin, and offered for the plight of persecuted Christians everywhere. The celebrant was Father Tim Bartlett of the Diocese of Down and Connor.
The congregation was joined by the president of the international charity Aid to the Church in Need, Regina Lynch, originally from Tyrone, who spoke before the Mass of how the charity serves Christians facing persecution around the world on a daily basis.
During his homily Father Bartlett, who also serves as ACN Ireland ecclesiastic assistant, said, “respect for the right to religious freedom is the cornerstone of a genuinely diverse, pluralist and free society. Sadly, despite the welcome progress in respect for so many other areas of human rights in the world today, research shows that respect for the right to religious freedom is under increasing threat, even in countries which pride themselves as being exemplars of respect for tolerance and diversity.”
Father Bartlett highlighted that many Irish believers experience “so-called ‘polite persecution’, where any public display or conversation about religious conviction is considered politically and culturally impolite. The right to religious freedom is among the most threatened of all human rights in the world today.”
The celebration was complemented by the outstanding De La Salle Waterford secondary school boys’ choir who cantored during the Mass, and gratitude was expressed to Brother Ben and all the support staff of De La Salle for the quality of the sacred music.
The Mass is currently available for viewing on the RTÉ Player.
ENDS
