A greeting too far in the sacristy

Dear Editor, Michael Healy (Letters, September 17, 2015) isn’t the only person who thinks that the priest greeting everyone twice at Mass is superfluous. In the sacristy of Clonskeagh church in Dublin, I once greeted the late curate, Fr Arthur Larkin, with “Good evening Father” and then, after a short pause, “Good evening Father” again. 

When he wondered why I had greeted him twice, I pointed out that he’d done the same thing at the start of the recent Mass.

 He pondered for a moment, then said: “I never thought of it like that. I won’t do it again.” 

And he never did.

Yours etc.,

Kieron Wood

Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.