On Christmas Day, at 3pm, a sung traditional Latin Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel of St Mary's College, St Mary's Road, Galway.
The traditional Latin Mass has been celebrated weekly in Galway since 2012 by the priests of the Institute of Christ the King, and since August 2020, with the gracious assistance of the College and Diocesan authorities, the Mass has been celebrated every Sunday at 3p.m. in St Mary's College Chapel.
Other Masses in St Mary's during the Christmas period will be on Sunday 31st December and Saturday January 6, both at 3p.m. At the end of the Mass on New Year's Eve, the Te Deum will be chanted as an act of thanksgiving for the blessings of the past year, for which a plenary indulgence may be gained by the faithful.
The Institute of Christ the King, founded in 1990, is dedicated to offering the traditional form of the Mass. It has grown steadily since its foundation, with the average age of its priests being 39. There have been several vocations from Ireland - including from the Galway congregation - to the priesthood and to the female branch of the Institute, the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus. Contrary to the experience of many parishes, attendance at traditional Masses continues to grow, attracting a high proportion of young Catholics and young families.
Many are drawn to it as they discover (or re-discover ) the focus on beauty and reverence in the liturgy and the music. Music at Mass in St Mary's is provided by a small choir which sings Gregorian chant, sacred choral music and traditional hymns.
