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An old custom that still exists...The Stations
by Bridget Haggerty

This tradition dates back to the Penal Laws, when it was forbidden for Catholic priests to say Mass in public. To get around the problem, the Mass was often celebrated secretly in people's homes, and afterwards, those in attendance stayed on for breakfast. This was often followed by a full day of merriment - but only after the priest had finished his breakfast and taken his leave!

As the years went by, and the Penal Laws were repealed, the custom of The Stations continued, especially in Ireland's more rural areas. People take turns every few years to have the Mass said in their home for family, relatives, friends, and neighbors. It's considered a great honor to be chosen and preparations for it are often started months in advance.

There's many an Irish homemaker who has used this occasion as a valid reason to get all kinds of home-improvements started - and finished. For once, Irish procrastination takes a back seat to Irish pride in appearances. Outside the house, everything is usually given a fresh coat of paint or whitewash; gates are fixed, leaky roofs are mended, and the gardens are tended. Everything must be perfect!

Inside, a mammoth spring-cleaning takes place and there might even be a flurry of repainting and decorating. Once satisfied with the appearance of the home, the hospitality of the house takes center stage.

In her wonderful book, Festive Foods of Ireland, Darina Allen remembers that in her childhood, the parlor table was covered with an embroidered linen tablecloth and set with the best china. Mass was usually said in the kitchen and the table used as an altar. This was covered with a starched linen cloth, kept just for the occasion.

Come the big day, the woman of the house, and perhaps a few friends, would have been up since dawn making final preparations for the breakfast; the children would be sent to gather fresh flowers which were used to decorate the home throughout; and family members then spruced themselves up in their Sunday best, so that all was in readiness before the guests arrived.

Relatives, friends and neighbors arrived first, and as soon as the priest and his curate showed up, one priest began to hear confessions in the parlor, while the other said Mass and distributed Communion in the kitchen.

As soon as Mass was over, the next family to have the Stations would be selected and donations would be collected to help defray the costs. The priests would then sit down in the parlor with the assembled company to a hearty traditional breakfast, accompanied by copious amounts of strong tea.

The Stations were officially over when the priests departed. However, in many parts of Ireland, this was when the real social celebration began, complete with music, story-telling, sing-alongs and dancing.

Nowadays, as busy as we are, inviting the entire parish over for Mass and breakfast is probably not an event many of us would embrace with much enthusiasm; but, you could do what my mother always did after Sunday Mass. Serve a traditional Irish breakfast!

As a child, I remember that for our first meal during the week, we had cold cereal in summer and bowls of porridge in winter. But, oh, how we looked forward to Sundays. In my imagination, I can still smell the aroma of sausages, bacon, and eggs wafting from my mother's tiny kitchen. And I can see my dad reading his News of the World (which we children were not allowed to even look at!), glancing up often, his nose definitely directed toward that heavenly aroma, eagerly anticipating the plate of ambrosia that was coming. Indeed it was!

For recipes The Irish Kitchen.

Images: Ask Jeeves once again came through with thatched cottages for sale or rent, all over Ireland. The one shown here is Abans Ceimh, in Cave, Co. Galway. The Communion Host image is from a religious supplies web site.