First Mass and First Blessing of Fr Anthony Reilly, Drogheda

What to Expect

Fr Anthony Reilly will celebrate a First Mass in St Peter’s Church, Drogheda on Sunday 16 August 2026 at 11am and will give his First Blessing afterwards. He is a son of Breda and the late Frank Reilly of Ashfield Close, and formerly of Brookville Park in Drogheda, and he was ordained a priest of the Diocese of East Anglia on 4 July 2026 by Bishop Peter Collins at the Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Norwich.

A First Mass is a set piece in a parish’s year and a homecoming as much as a liturgy: the newly ordained priest celebrates in the church he grew up in, with family, neighbours and often the priests who taught him in the sanctuary. The First Blessing given afterwards is individual, so people queue for it at the end and it adds time to the usual Sunday morning. The parish note says only that all are welcome, which in practice means the 11am Mass will be busier than a normal Sunday, so arriving early is worth doing if you want a seat.

Good to Know

• Sunday 16 August 2026 at 11am, St Peter’s Church, West Street, Drogheda
• Free and open to all, no booking
• The First Blessing is given after Mass, so allow extra time
• Regular Sunday Masses at St Peter’s are 8am and 11am, with a Saturday vigil at 6.15pm
• Our Lady of Lourdes Church in the same parish has Sunday Masses at 9am, 10.30am and 12 noon
• Masses at St Peter’s are broadcast by webcam for anyone who cannot attend in person
• The church also holds the National Shrine of St Oliver Plunkett
• Parish office: 041 983 8537, office@sppd.ie

Getting There

St Peter’s Church stands on West Street in the middle of Drogheda, a few minutes’ walk from the bus station on Donore Road and roughly fifteen minutes on foot from Drogheda MacBride rail station on the Dublin to Belfast line. Scotch Hall and the town centre car parks are within easy reach, and Sunday morning parking around West Street is easier than on a weekday.