Dear Editor, Mary Brien’s letter (IC 16/1/14) raises interesting questions about the desirability of Catholic schools opening on Holy Days.
As a former Catholic secondary school principal it was my responsibility to advise our board of management on school holidays. With the support of the Catholic school community, which we served, our school always opened and celebrated Mass on term time Holy Days.
The great advantage of this arrangement was that our students were always able to take a very full part in organising and participating in the liturgy including its music, dancing and hymn singing. Parents were always welcome and many came and joined us in a youthful and prayerful celebration and most stayed on after Mass for light refreshments and a chat with our chaplaincy team and senior staff.
Here in Killarney on January 6 several Catholic schools followed Mary Brien’s desired model. On the other hand my grandchildren’s school opened and almost 200 Catholic children were bussed to their local church, where they joined with parishioners for morning Holy Day Mass. The priest ensured that his homily was especially relevant to the children, who responded enthusiastically, especially to the carols. Interestingly, there was no significant evidence of attendance by parents and children from the parish’s closed Catholic schools.
It would not surprise me if any Killarney evaluation of this year’s Epiphany Holy Day experience was to come out in favour of Catholic school opening and Mass attendance on holy days.
Yours, etc
Alan Whelan,
Beaufort,
Co Kerry.
