During the 16th and 18th centuries, under the Penal Laws, all expressions of the Catholic faith were prohibited in Ireland. Priests risked fines, imprisonment, and death for celebrating Mass. This forced priests to celebrate Mass outdoors, in secret locations, using rocks as makeshift altars.
Many of these “Mass rocks” are still in existence today and serve as a symbol of the hardships Irish Catholics endured during British rule.
During the Mass for the group of pilgrims, Dolan emphasized the importance of the Eucharist.
“We take it [the Eucharist] for granted. The stats tell us our people aren’t even showing up or believe in the doctrine of the Eucharist,” he explained.
Dolan added: “When you’re in a place like this and see that people are willing to risk their lives for the joy and the grace and the mercy of receiving our Lord in holy Communion — I don’t know about you, but it does something for me.”
The group of pilgrims will be in Ireland until Aug. 28 and are visiting locations such as Ballintubber Abbey, which was one of the only locations Mass could be freely offered during the Penal Laws in Ireland, as well as the Knock Shrine, the Dingle Peninsula, and the Cliffs of Moher.