Weekend masses have been discontinued at three churches on Achill, Ireland's largest offshore island, as the Archdiocese of Tuam comes to grips with a worsening shortage of priests in the region.
Three priests in the parish of Achill are now doing the work of six in the 1960s, and the Archbishop, Dr Michael Neary, has effectively decided to close three of the island's nine churches.
Church rationalisation is already in force on the islands of Inishbofin, Co Galway, which has had no resident priest since last summer, and Clare Island, Co Mayo, which will have none from next July.
Dr Neary announced on Sunday that Sunday next, February 17th, will be the last date on which weekend Masses will be celebrated at churches in Belfarsad, Dooega and The Valley.
Belfarsad has been a place of Sunday worship since the 1850s.
Despite the withdrawal of weekend Masses, the three churches will remain open, with the Blessed Sacrament reserved and at least one weekday Mass celebrated in each.
In a message to the people of Achill, Dr Neary indicated he was aware of the sadness which the rationalisation would cause.
"I am not insensitive to the disappointment and regret felt by many parishioners whose areas will not have weekend Mass," he said.
He pointed out, however, that at a recent community meeting it was agreed that the situation was very different from when the extra Masses were introduced to accommodate people who had no transport and so had to walk several miles to Mass.
Until now there have been 12 weekend Masses in Achill celebrated by four priests, but the death last month of Father Sean Nolan brought about a reappraisal.
Weekend Mass will continue in the churches at Achill Sound, Bunnacurry, Pollagh, Curraun, Derreens and Dookinella.