Priest swaps water for wine as he performs Mass in Irish pub

A priest was forced to perform his popular Mass in an Irish pub to 250 of his congregation after his church had to close for renovations.

Vincent and Adrienne Clarke, who own The Irish Pub and Restaurant in Luxembourg said they initially thought Father Michael Cusack’s emergency call was a prank.

The couple, originally from Sligo and Louth, were actually on holiday when they received the unusual request.

According to the couple, Father Michael had heard the pub was very large with loads of parking and seeing as the business was usually closed on a Sunday anyway, he asked if they would mind letting him set up for his service.   

Adrienne said: ‘I initially thought this has to be a scam. I said to Vincent: “You won’t believe it, but an Irish priest has just rang asking to say Mass in our pub!”.

Speaking to LMFM Radio’s Late Lunch, she went on: ‘Vincent fell around the place laughing and then said, “No, seriously, who was on the phone?”

But when they found out that the call was genuine, the couple didn’t hesitate to help the Father on his mission.

Once he had permission, Irish Redemtorist priest Father Michael set up his altar in the 800 square metre warehouse turned pub.

Parked under a Hop House 13 sign, it stayed there for two weeks so his parishioners could come and say Mass while his church was shut.

Adrienne and Vincent set up the pub, restaurant and whiskey shop, named The Irish Bar, in 2016, and say it’s often the point of call for Irish people moving to Luxembourg.

Father Michael, originally from Galway, Ireland, had never met the couple but had heard about the pub and how big it was.

The Irish Pub and Restaurant is usually closed on a Sunday so it meant the business wouldn’t be losing out on revenue.

With an altar set up and the word put out, Father Michael says 250 of his congregation joined him on two Sundays at the end of January, while a further 250 joined in the service online.

Father Michael, who lives in a Redemptorist Monastery, revealed the church had been closed for renovations by the State as archaeologists were there trying to discover if any city walls had been built underneath it. 

According the priest, the excavations could go on for as long as six years and the closure meant his entire congregation, which comprise of 1,000 English-speaking Catholics, had been displaced.

The former warehouse was converted into a bar and restaurant in 2016 by Adrienne and Vincent Clarke

He said: ‘We had Mass there [Adrienne and Vincent’s pub] for two Sundays and then, I think that was enough to shame the Diocese into trying to find a new place for us.’ 

Father Michael joked that although he didn’t turn water into wine during the two services, on the final day they did open the bar afterwards and had a ‘lovely celebration’.

Following the pub Mass, Father Michael has now been moved into three different churches in Luxembourg so he can continue his service. 

Adrienne and Vincent have told Father Michael that he and his parishioners are welcome back if they ever need the space again.