Abstract

The summer had ended and the people of the mountainy parish of Glencolmbkille, in southwest Donegal, looked to the few events which promised to punctuate the dreary stretch of darkening days until Christmas. ‘Well there’s the “fleadh ceoil” at the end of October, and there’s the “mission” at the beginning of the month. A mission is a highly structured Catholic parish revival, carried out by a team of priests from one of several religious orders specializing in such activities. Vincentians, Oblates, and most often in Ireland, Redemptorists, come to such parishes as Glencolumbkille every two years or so and submit the local populace to a one- or two-week religious ‘total immersion’. The fathers visit homes, hear many hours of confessions, celebrate daily Mass and preach special sermons every evening of their stay.