It was a privilege to pray with prisoners

This week’s Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column

Michael Commane

Two weeks ago in this column I wrote about Shane McGowan’s funeral Mass. I was so impressed with the service that it inspired me to talk about it here.

Guess what, another Mass has left a deep impression on me, not because of the words of the priest or the wonderful contribution of the musicians, but because of the genuine prayer of the group of people who attended the Mass.

I regularly celebrate Mass in an Irish prison. This year we had our Christmas Mass on the Saturday before Christmas.

Three musicians, a number of prison staff and I joined a large number of prisoners for the occasion.

It has often crossed my mind over the years we have tended to treat the Mass in such a way that we separate it from all reality. There are many aspects to the Mass. 

The Eucharist, the sacramental presence of Christ in our midst is at the centre of our faith but so too is the community aspect of the Eucharist. After all don’t we call it Communion? And isn’t that all about people living and praying in communion with God and with each other?

 

I’m always intrigued by the expression ‘I got Mass’. For me it sounds like getting the bus, getting the groceries, or getting the newspaper. The Mass is about community at prayer. In a prison gym on Saturday, December 23 I certainly got the impression that we were a community at prayer and what helped make it such a spiritual experience was the people who were there in that gym that evening. 

They joined in the singing and you could see it in their faces how enthusiastic and delighted they were with simply being present and participating in the service.

When it came to the Prayers of the Faithful I was inspired and impressed with how many participated in their own personal prayer, praying for their families, children, friends, those of their families and friends who had died. 

It’s my experience  celebrating Mass in the context of a church building it’s seldom you get many people volunteering to take part in the Prayers of the Faithful. It was a very different story at our prison Mass. 

All during the Mass you could feel the silence and attention. And it all came across in such a natural way, nothing forced or imposed about it. Honestly, it was the highlight of my Christmas.

And I think I can speak for the musicians, one of whom is a young university student, who plays the violin. 

She went home afterwards and spoke to her parents how she had been so moved by the prayerful attitude of the prisoners. The other two musicians contacted me later to say what a privilege it was for them to have  been there and be able to pray with the prisoners.

After the Mass a number of prisoners spoke to me about their lives, their personal situations but it was all done in a most prayerful and meaningful manner. 

It was certainly a humbling experience for me. I am not for a moment exonerating anyone or ameliorating any of the wrong done by the people I met. But I can say it was a faith-filled experience for me. And I think I can speak for all who were there on Saturday, December 23.