A COMPANY producing pre-signed, over-the-counter Mass cards that have been flooding the midlands plans to defy the Bishop of Clonmacnoise and Ardagh, Colm O’Reilly, who has questioned the authenticity of the cards.

David Hughes has hit back at the bishop’s claims that the Mass cards are not authentic. He said his Longford-based business produces pre-signed Mass cards using the signatures of overseas priests. He claims to have given one priest in India up to €62,000 in donations after he allowed his name to be used on the cards. But he believes the intervention of O’Reilly brought an end to the deal with the Indian priest.

Hughes said he will continue producing the pre-paid cards, despite the Catholic Church’s objections. He said he has recruited another overseas priest, whose signature will adorn the Mass cards in return for donations to the poor and needy.

The increasing popularity of pre-signed Mass cards has drawn the wrath of the Catholic church. Traditionally, priests will personally sign a Mass card for a small donation to the parish coffers. The donation is normally between €10 and €20. The pre-signed cards are sold in shops for up to €3 a piece, considerably cheaper, leaving the local priests out of pocket.

It had been suspected that some in the pre-signed card business obtained signatures from priests — mostly foreign — which he believed may not have been authentic. Gardai are investigating allegations that pre-signed cards carrying the names of priests who are either dead or missing, are being printed and distributed in Longford.

The practice has been going on for years, but in recent months the Catholic hierarchy appears to have stepped up a campaign to stamp out the controversial cards. O’Reilly has condemned them from the pulpit, urging shopkeepers not to stock them and parishioners not to buy them. He argued that the cards were in breach of correct Eucharistic theology, and in breach of standards set by the Conference of Religious of Ireland.

Hughes suspects that the Catholic bishops also tracked down one priest, living in India, who allowed his signature to be used, and asked him to pull out of the arrangement.

He has been producing pre-signed cards through his company, Donna Maria Cards, for the past six years.

He said he contacted Fr Jose Thenagathara, a priest at St Marys church, Kumbalam, through a cousin in 1997. He said he agreed a deal with the priest to allow his signature to be used on pre-signed cards. In return, Hughes claims that he has given Fr Thena- gathara regular donations, which he claims has totalled €62,000.

“All of this money would then go into his parish and missionary. I’ve bought him clothes and a motorbike and have even helped finance his efforts to study law.”

Hughes, who printed thousands of cards a month, sold them to retailers for €1.27 each, which were then sold on to customers for up to €3. Then three months ago, he said he received a letter from Fr Thenagathara asking that his signature no longer be used because he understood the cards were causing concern to the local church.

Now he has embarked on an agreement with another overseas priest, Fr Nazario L Vocales. Hughes said his agreement with the new priest was approved by his presiding archbishop, and that a legal contract will ensure money forwarded by Hughes will be used for the poor and needy of the parish.

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