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Church News

'Midnight' mass moved to 5pm

A survey by the Catholic magazine The Tablet has found 50 deaneries have shifted the times of midnight mass on Christmas Eve or cancelled it altogether.

In some cases it's being held at as early as 5pm.

It's over fears that services late at night could leave churches vulnerable to 'party-goers' who've had too much to drink and could be rowdy, or that people are simply too tired to attend.

Some churches have had to bring in 'bouncers' to stand at the door and deter late night revellers and in one case, a streaker.

A parish in York had their service interrupted by a nude individual last year. This year they plan to hold it at the earlier time of 8pm.

Monsignor David Hogan from St Bernadette's in Middlesbrough says it makes sense to hold the Christmas services a bit earlier:

"Last time we had it [at midnight], we ended up with a drunk trying to get the doors off the church."

Father Michael Marsden of Our Lady of Lourdes in Hessle, East Yorkshire says it's a shame:

"Going to midnight mass used to be one of the hallmarks of being a Catholic.

"It's sad if that's changing."

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