A Galway church offers a drive through Ash Wednesday service for people beginning Lenten devotions.
Hundreds of people in north Galway mark the start of Lent with a novel approach to Ash Wednesday. St Patrick's Church in Glenamaddy offers a drive through service on the church grounds. The idea came about when the Glenamaddy Pastoral Council discussed making Ash Wednesday more inclusive.
Parish priest Fr Paddy Mooney explains the drive though was initially intended for locals but passers-by from other parishes jumped at the chance to avail of the service. It takes less than 30 seconds to have ashes applied and blessings imparted.
It's all part of the journey of Lent.
The drive through opened at 8 am with a trickle of cars which increased to a steady flow once the secondary school opened. Student Macdara Geraghty praises the initiative,
It’s very handy.
Another student Maeve Flanagan observes the option has led to an increase in people getting ashes.
Mary Kenny visited on her way to work. She much prefers to have the ashes and blessing at the start of the day rather than waiting for the evening mass,
Blessed for the day thank God.
Tommy Dylan is delighted to have the chance to avail of the drive through service in his tractor.
Sure it's great isn’t it, you don’t have to dress up or anything.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 1 March 2017. The reporter is Pat McGrath.
