St Clare’s Church was filled for the evening vigil, with additional members of the community watching the service from the nearby parish centre via livestream.
The three women and seven-year-old boy were travelling towards Dublin Airport when their car was struck by another vehicle travelling in the wrong direction on the motorway.
All four remain in hospital receiving treatment for serious injuries.
The community’s response has also extended beyond the vigil, with a fundraising campaign for the family having surpassed €675,000 by yesterday evening.
During the service, those attending took part in a prayer for healing. A flame was passed from a central candle to smaller candles held throughout the church, creating a shared symbol of hope and support.
Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin Denis Nulty said the circumstances of the crash had touched the wider community because the journey was one that many people could easily recognise.
“The thing about it is, they could be any one of us on the road from Carlow to catch an early morning flight from Dublin Airport,” he said.
He said it was “only right that we gather and know how much this gathering will mean” to the family.
Bishop Nulty described the mood in the community as one of “shock” accompanied by “maybe fear and grief”, saying people had come together in “solidarity” with those affected.
He also paid tribute to the emergency responders who spent hours dealing with the aftermath of the collision.
The bishop urged people to consider the impact of what they say and post online, particularly while emotions remain raw.
“Words can hurt. But they also have the power to heal,” he said.
He added: “To be careful of our social media posting, what is posted cannot be unposted, to be careful of our commentary.”
Bishop Nulty also asked those attending to remember the occupants of the other vehicle involved in the collision.
“We also remember the five boys in the [other] car and that's the Christian thing to do,” he said.
“They too have heartbroken parents, families and friends, we pray for them this evening.”
Fr John Dunphy said the local community had been struggling to process what happened since Sunday morning.
He said its “hearts had been numb”, while also expressing concern for the injured family.
“We prayed that they will recover. We knew it would be a long road back. Thankfully, they're on that road and please God, they will make a full recovery.”
Fr Dunphy later told the congregation that the family had been in contact and had been deeply affected by the support they have received.
He thanked those who had offered prayers and assistance, as well as the emergency services and hospital staff, whom he said were going “way beyond the call of duty”.
“They are absolutely overwhelmed by the support that they've been getting, and it gives them great strength and courage to keep fighting and keep going,” he said.
