asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce if he is aware that two American Catholic priests arrived at Shannon Airport on 26th May, 1952, and were booked in at the airport hostel until 29th May, 1952, and were informed that the regulations provided that visiting priests at the hostel would require his permission before they could offer Mass at the airport; and, if so, if he will state whether this is correct and make a statement on the regulations in this connection.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Airport Regulations for Saying Mass.
I am aware that two American priests stayed in the airport passenger hostel from 26th to 29th May. There are no official regulations prescribing that visiting priests must obtain the airport manager's permission before celebrating Mass at the airport. As is customary, the matter is regulated by the local parish priest, at whose request arrangements have been made whereby visiting priests desiring to celebrate Mass at the airport furnish certain particulars to the airport manager's staff as to their Order, parish, diocese, bishop, etc. The necessary facilities are then made available to them.
In view of the fact that a senior officer of the Minister's Department at Shannon Airport informed those two priests that they could not offer Mass unless with the authority of the Minister for Industry and Commerce, will the Minister now make inquiries with a view to seeing that no officer of the Minister's Department at Shannon Airport will take that line in future with visiting Irish-American priests?
No officer of the Minister's Department took that line. The question whether anybody desiring to celebrate Mass and claiming to be a Catholic priest is, in fact, such is decided by the local parish priest.
Father Crowley and his American friends should have been told that so that they could have got in touch with the local parish priest.
The clergymen to whom the question refers made no application to say Mass.
They did, and I can give the names to the Minister.
The Deputy's information is incorrect.
It is not.