Drunks put future of midnight Mass under threat

File photo / Thinkstock

Catholic churches across the UK are being forced to abandon their traditional midnight Mass on Christmas Eve because of drunken louts disrupting the popular services.

The services start on the stroke of midnight and are popular among mass goers as they are the first services of the Christmas festival.

According to a survey of 50 priests across England and Wales, many are reporting that fewer parishes will be offering midnight Mass this year, while others have been forced bring forward the service several hours.

The Tablet, a Catholic newspaper, conducted a survey of 50 groups of parishes across England and Wales over they would be holding a traditional service at midnight on Christmas Eve.

The services, which date back more than 1500 years, normally begin with carols before the Mass begins.

During the Mass, the priest will complete the nativity scene in the church by placing the baby Jesus in a crib, representing his birth.

However, according to the survey many priests complain that the services are being interrupted by drunken louts, with one reporting that he witnessed a streaker during Mass.

Monsignor David Hogan, parish priest of St Bernadette's, in Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough, claimed that only one quarter of all churches offer the traditional service.

He said: 'Last time we had it, we ended up with a drunk trying to get the doors off the church. So we've made the decision not to have Mass when people are pouring out of the pubs sloshed.'

Canon Alan Sheridan of St George's parish in York admitted that he moved his midnight service to 8pm after a streaker ran through the church.

He said: 'We are on the main drag into town so people are coming straight from the pub and it can make Mass very difficult.'

Some of the priests complained that parishioners were seeking an earlier Christmas service so they could 'get on with Christmas' and get the religion bit out of the way.

Fr Michael Marsden of Our Lady of Lourdes in Middlesbrough diocese added: 'Going to Midnight Mass at Christmas used to be one of the hallmarks of being a Catholic; it is sad if that is changing.'

- Daily Mail