“The daily broadcast by RTÉ is facilitating a spiritual communion of worshippers who, while not physically present within the church, are digitally united in faith” – Bishop Alan McGuckian
Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ, Bishop of Raphoe, has encouraged viewers to participate in daily Mass broadcast by RTÉ News Now at 10.30am, Monday to Friday.
Bishop McGuckian said, “As people throughout Ireland are complying with the restrictions that are required to arrest and reverse the spread of Covid-19, the broadcasting of Mass is even more important at this time. The daily broadcast is facilitating a spiritual communion of worshippers who, while not physically present within the church, are digitally united in faith.
“On behalf of the hundreds of thousands of people who would love to attend daily Mass, but who can’t get to Mass these days and who don’t have access to the internet, I wish to thank RTÉ News Now for broadcasting Mass. May I ask people to spread the word to those not aware of this special broadcast but who would love to participate at Mass on television. Do tell them that Mass is broadcast at 10.30am Monday to Friday,” Bishop McGuckian said.
According to Nielsen, the independent audience measuring service, since the first broadcast of Mass on RTÉ News Now on 19 March, and up to and including 31 March, there was an average audience of 34,600 television viewers. This figure is in addition to the circa 2,300 live streams for Mass each day on the cathedral`s own webcam.
Currently this RTÉ broadcast of Mass is taking place from the Cathedral of Saint Eunan & Saint Columba in Letterkenny, Co Donegal, but the venue may change. The broadcast is a response to the Covid-19 related restrictions on public gathering. Bishop McGuckian, the cathedral administrator Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, and other members of the cathedral clergy are the celebrants.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
- RTÉ News Now is RTÉ’s news channel and can be received on Saorview channel 21; Virgin Media 200; Sky 521; Eir 500 and on the RTÉ News Now App.
- Broadcasting of Mass
A number of platforms broadcast daily Mass, Rosary and Divine Mercy via television, internet and radio:
Vatican Television
During these days, Pope Francis has arranged for his celebration of Mass to be televised from the Vatican. The broadcast is simultaneously translated into the English language. For access please link to https://www.vaticannews.va/en.html
Diocesan and parish webcams in Ireland
Around the country, some parish churches and cathedrals livestream Mass and other liturgies on webcams which can accessed on the homepage of www.catholicbishops.ie and on:
https://www.churchservices.tv/churches/
https://www.mcnmedia.tv/cameras
https://www.parishwebsites.ie/
Radio Maria Ireland
Radio Maria Ireland facilitates the broadcast of Mass each day of the week at 10.00am from its studios in Dublin. Mass can be listened to in four different ways:
– on www.radiomaria.ie
– on the digital terrestrial television channel Saorview, on channel 210
– on the Radio Maria Ireland mobile app, and,
– on the Radio Maria-Ireland Facebook page.
EWTN
Eternal Word Television Network is a Catholic television station which broadcasts from the USA programmes some of which are produced or presented by Irish priests and religious, including daily Mass. EWTN is available on Sky television and free to view online:
https://www.ewtnireland.com/
https://www.ewtnireland.com/television/
https://www.ewtnireland.com/contact/
Shalom TV
Is a Catholic television station which broadcasts live from Rome including daily Mass celebrated by Pope Francis. It is available free to view on some digital television networks and via the internet. Please see http://www.shalomworld.ie/
For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long +353 (0) 86 172 7678 and Brenda Drumm +353 (0) 87 310 4444.
