Dumbarton church beams mass live online

Jul 3 2009 by Tina Kemp, Lennox Herald (main ed)

Internet link takes mass to the masses

A DUMBARTON church has turned to a higher power in a bid to reach more of its parishioners.

St Patrick’s Church is beaming daily mass live from its building in Strathleven Place.

The technology, introduced three weeks ago, means viewers – in particular the housebound – can enjoy services via t he online webcasts.

Funerals, weddings and baptisms are also being video streamed online, so that people unable to attend in person can be part of the occasion.

The initiative is attracting ex-pat parishioners all over the world who are tuning in to worship at their former church.

St Patrick’s introduced the innovative scheme after discussing ways in which it could reach out more to the elderly and housebound.

And while it is still in its early stages, parish priest, Canon Gerry Conroy believes it’s the way forward for congregations.

He said: “We have been seeking to introduce this video service in the church for sometime now, and I am delighted to announce that we now have it in place.

“One of the discussions that came out of our pastoral council was how we could reach out to people who are housebound. One place in Coatbridge was doing something like this and we thought we’d look into it.

“It’s very simple to set up. All it needs is a video camera, a computer with an internet connection and a box for sound.

“It means that people who cannot get out to attend mass in person can watch the service in their homes or in hospitals, or wherever they are.

“This will be especially relevant to housebound parishioners or hospital patients before they receive a visit from a priest or a lay minister who has been authorised to give them Holy Communion.”

Twice daily mass, together with three services on a Sunday, are beamed live from the church via the fixed camera.

Canon Conroy said the new service has already been watched by exiled parishioners in different parts of the world.

He said: “I know of one case where the relatives of a person who had died and were unable to travel home for his funeral were able to watch the funeral mass in their own homes in another country via the new video service.”

Tune in to mass by logging on to http://www.stpatricksdumbarton.org.uk.