I’ve been invited to speak at mass
Posted by Jim on November 22, 2025
THE BELFAST TELEGRAPH:
I’ve been invited to speak at mass… but I’m not sure if I can accept it.
Out of nowhere came an invitation to speak at mass
Frank Mitchell
Today at 07:30
I’ve pinned badges on scouts. I’ve placed sashes on winners and rosettes on losers. I’ve picked roses for Tralee and Marys for Dungloe. I’ve switched on lights, cut ribbons, unveiled plaques, abseiled off buildings and walked on hot coals. I’ve named the shortlisted and crowned the champions.
Throughout my career the invitations have been regular and varied and I thought I had done everything possible — that is, up until this week.
Out of nowhere came an invitation to speak at mass. This wasn’t from my local priest or any priest I know. Instead, the headed note paper belonged to a successful Ulster businessman with a great passion for the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association.
He is encouraging people in his community to stay off what the Reverend Ian Paisley used to call “the devil’s buttermilk”. Some Irish Catholics and Free Presbyterians are united in their dislike of alcohol and can be equally vocal on the dangers and impurities.
Quite early in the letter, the businessman reassured me I would not be expected to preach. Rather, he is hoping I can talk openly about life free from alcohol and how I managed to live some 60 years without it ever crossing my lips.
To be honest, I’m not sure if I can do this. I never had any desire to drink. Growing up, I was slightly afraid of people who were drunk. Neither of my parents were drinkers and there was never any alcohol in our house. When I did see people drinking at community events, they seemed loud and clumsy. For a child looking in, this was quite unnerving.
By the time I was old enough to be in the company of the underage drinkers, it never crossed my mind to join them. I was always able to have plenty of fun without any artificial stimulant, and I’m still like that today. Maybe it’s because I like to be in control of situations. Or am I possibly too afraid to start drinking in case I’m a latent alcoholic? I have no idea. I don’t need drink to boost my confidence, but I seem to be lacking the necessary self-belief to accept the invitation to speak at the mass where the pioneer members will be honoured with the special lapel pins which once were a common sight in Catholic Ireland but are now something of a rarity.
The Total Abstinence Association was a strong organization when I was a child. It was a genuine effort aimed at stopping Irish people from drinking themselves to death. Sadly, at that time, many were.
In more recent years, there has been a culture of social drinking with a continental sophistication adopted by many families. But sometimes that hides the demons of addiction and the health problems connected to alcohol.
Is it my job to encourage people to take the pledge and be teetotal? I don’t think so. Moderation is the best approach, but it’s not the approach of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association. Is it possible to admire the moderate drinker and still applaud those who refrain completely from the temptation?
At some point the priest will interrupt the mass. I will be called forward and, from a marble lectern, deliver my testimony.
It is an honor to be invited, but will large swathes of the congregation feel uneasy, or even queasy, after a late night on the tiles? I can’t make up my mind. Should I accept or not? It’s a tough decision. There are times I think the pressure of choosing the right thing to do is enough to drive me to drink!