Ireland: Archbishop Martin welcomes RTE move to broadcast Sunday Mass from parish churches

Archbishop Martin celebrating Mass in St Peter's Church, Drogheda, Armagh, for 400th anniversary of birth of St Oliver Plunkett (CCO archive)

Starting this Sunday, 11 January 2026, RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) will broadcast all Sunday Mass and worship transmissions directly from churches, marking a significant move away from studio-based broadcasting to parish church locations and worship settings. Sunday's Mass will be broadcast live at 11am from St Mary's Church, Navan, Co Kildare, in the Diocese of Meath, and the celebrant will be Fr Declan Hurley.

Archbishop Eamon Martin of Armagh, who serves as chair of the Bishops' Council for Communications, welcomed the development, stating, "We welcome RTÉ's decision to transmit live worship from parishes across the island - this is something which we have been encouraging for a number of years. While we are very grateful for past broadcasts of worship from the RTÉ studio, we believe that sharing the celebration of Mass directly from parishes and from our many beautiful and historic Churches will provide a richer and more authentic experience for all concerned. This as an example of public service broadcasting at its best, because those joining include the housebound and the elderly, who really appreciate and value this service."

The new broadcasts will be produced by independent production company, Scratch Films, led by documentary filmmaker Liam McGrath, who has been awarded the RTÉ contract for Sunday worship broadcasting for the next three years.

Archbishop Martin concluded, "Sunday's broadcast start date of 11 January is also significant as it coincides with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Baptism is a central theme for the Catholic Church in Ireland during 2026 as we prepare for the National Synodal Assembly in October with the theme, 'Baptised and Sent'. The Synodal journey in Ireland emphasises baptism as the foundation of Christian mission and the importance of shared responsibility in the life of the Church."