Don't sit in the front!

What is the best seat in the house?

The back pew.

Warning! Jokes herein! [Feel free to skip around or skip entirely.]

My family always sat in what I suspect was the fifth or sixth pew. It was just behind a pillar, so you didn't have to count. We sat one pew in front of a particular family and we only discovered years later that each family told time by the other family's car. If our car was already parked outside of church, they knew they were late. If their car was at the church, we knew we were late.*

Anyway, the point of this is a new lesson I learned on our trip. Sit well back in a new church - especially in a foreign country. I have traveled a good deal and wherever we go we visit churches - large and small. They are almost always beautiful works of art and of historical significance. And we like them.

And I love the Mass.

On this trip I discovered different "rules" in each parish as far as when you sit, when you stand, and when you kneel. On a couple of occasions my first prayers were entirely, "Oh, Lord, PLEASE let someone sit in front of me." And my prayers were always answered - sometimes at the last minute. Even when sitting halfway back, I had moments of panic that I would be "winging it."

DH reminded me - "It's Irish time.** Don't forget they are on Irish time!"

There is something special for me - hearing the Mass in an Irish accent (and once in both English and the Irish language). In my teens we had two Irish priests at our parish. When I hear an Irish priest say the Mass, I am 17 again.

Finally (I promise), at Mass the third day of our trip, I noticed one of our fellow travelers, DF. Afterward as we walked back to the hotel I commented, "Well, it surprised me when I saw you at communion. I had not realized you were Catholic as you had not given me the secret Catholic handshake!" He replied, VERY SERIOUSLY, "I did not know there was a secret Catholic handshake!" Then I laughed and explained, in fact, there is none. It was just my way of saying I had not known he was Catholic and was glad to see him.***

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Skibbereen:

It's a pretty imposing church. See the statue of St. Patrick?

The door was open - Welcome! We said the rosary before Mass. And a man came over to me and handed me a blessed green scapular.* I don't think I have been handed one of these since elementary school. I thanked him and put it in my pocket.

The altar

Yes, I pick up everything. But here is the green scapular in case you were wondering.

St Mary's Church, Dingle:

DF let me know he had scoped out daily Mass in Dingle and we walked there together the next day as we had time before we were to be on the bus.

Some in my family always light candles, votive lights (and in all the churches we visited on this trip there were actual candles, not those electric things). We found prayers and warnings in many of the churches. I will skip the story of getting in trouble as a child over lighting candles at church - it still haunts me.

St. Mary's Church was a mix of the old rock walls/old fashioned stained glass and the new. I could not get a good photo of the crucifix, but it was a stylized one with an enameled or mosaic feel.

The crucifix.

I found this "tree" with messages on the side altar. It is reminiscent of the prayer trees**** found throughout the countryside, especially near shrines and holy wells.

Ever present, St. Patrick.

St. Margaret.

I think everyone loves Pope Francis. His photo is everywhere. My first experience of Irish Catholic homes was that certain "pictures"  were always present - Jesus, Mary, the pope, and John F. Kennedy.

Missal in Irish is left at the back of the church. I suppose this is so folks can see what they missed. Mass here was mostly in English, but some prayers were in Irish.

Later, my friend told me to go back and walk the gardens around the church. There were a number of gardens. It was lovely and inspiring, but those are subject of a different post.

St. Francis, Ennis:

We had foul weather on a day we were supposed to be on a boat. Instead, we went to Ennis. DH and I found the ruins of the Franciscan Friary. After asking the LOVELY man at the information desk about whether there were still Franciscans in Ennis, we were directed to Francis Street where the church stood waiting for us.

Even though it appears to be an alley, a lane, it was easy to find Francis Street.

The gate was open.

The door was open.

The sanctuary was beautiful.

We knew we would find this guy inside (St. Francis).

A side altar. See the candles at the lower left?

Someone had mentioned a fondness for St. Anthony. A Franciscan, he was here too. Patron saint of lost things (I have expressed this incorrectly, but you get my drift), he is called on by many. I find it interesting he can help locate car keys - he wouldn't have known what a car key was. Mom used to tell us to ask him for help finding our glasses (I guess she was busy).

Abbey Church, Fethard

We arrived in Fethard on a rainy Sunday. Parking was easy and we walked to the Abbey ruins and church next door. We waited for Mass and enjoyed a full choir with organ accompaniment. I knew none of the songs until communion - Here I am, Lord. It was one of my mother's favorites and it got me.

The stained glass above the altar was stunning. Here you see candles burning, as well.

Many of the old churches and ruins have graves within the walls. In this case I suspect the tomb was moved to the new church.

"HERE LIE RICHARD WALE OF RATHKENNY, GENTLEMAN, AND HIS WIFE CATHERINE WALE, NEE CARRAN, DAUGHTER OF MALACHY CARRAN OF MOBARNAN, WHO ERECTED THIS MONUMENT FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR OFFSSPRING, MALE AND THEIR DESCENDANTS.

PRAY FOR THE REPOSE OF THEIR SOULS. ERECTED THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1635"

A side altar.

A prayer provided at a side altar. Just to the right of this prayer is a statue of Jesus. After lighting candles a woman stopped to touch the statue. This is something I have seen before, but never ceases to surprise and move me.

Stained glass at doorway in the small chapel attached to the church.

Another mention of the scapular

Mosaic in the entry indicates this Abbey is Augustinian.

This is the only mention of that issue on many of our minds and hearts this scandal/crime/tragedy.

Another prayer for lighting a candle...with a selfie...

Church newspapers...plenty to read. In the stores there are 15 or 20 regular newspapers. Lots of choice of reading material.

Like you find in some shrines, there was a book for prayer requests on one side altar.

OK. That's it. I needed to put these walks somewhere and I thought that they belonged together. [Should I mention my sister just found  a votive candle stand from a old church? She says she thought of me, but that I would have no place for it. I told her I would make room.]

NOTES:

* We were in our hometown recently at a different church's fish fry. I looked up and in walked members of this family (the father and two brothers). I cupped my hands and half-yelled "You're late!"

**In past trips to Ireland we noticed that "Irish time" was anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes later than the posted or agreed upon time...even for plays and public transportation. Times have changed (we missed a play once because we arrived 5 minutes late and they decided to start on time), but we are not the only ones who have noticed this relaxed attitude and that it continues:

http://survivingireland.blogspot.com/2015/03/irish-timekeeping-and-long-goodbye.html

***Yes, my family (especially the nieces and nephews) will tell you I am a ruthless teaser.

****We visited two - one at the stone circle in Kenmare and one at St. Bridgid's Well - photos in other posts. http://atriptoireland.com/2013/06/03/what-are-wishing-treesmay-bushes/

FINAL NOTE: I have no clue why I took the photos I took...just struck me at the time. More will be added as I find them in the chaos that is my photo file.

Lyrics to Here I am, Lord:

I, the Lord of sea and sky,
I have heard My people cry.
All who dwell in dark and sin,
My hand will save.
I who made the stars of night,
I will make their darkness bright.
Who will bear My light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, It is I, Lord,
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of snow and rain,
I have borne my people's pain.
I have wept for love of them, They turn away.
I will break their hearts of stone,
Give them hearts for love alone.
I will speak My word to them
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, It is I, Lord,
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame.
I will set a feast for them,
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide,
Till their hearts be satisfied.
I will give My life to them,
Whom shall I send?

Here I am Lord, It is I, Lord,
I have heard You calling in the night.
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart.

By Dan Schutte (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Here_I_Am,_Lord)