Renovation of St Mary's : A Pictorial Record, 2015

Before we bid farewell to last year, let us recall the significant year it was for our parish church. For the first time since its construction in the late 1840s it underwent major renovation, especially on the outside. The documentary record can be followed by clicking on 'St Mary's Renovation' on the menu-bar above. The pictorial record, or rather one person's such record (Donal McMahon's), can be viewed here: Photographic Record.

We saw a new initiative being introduced in the diocese to fund this renovation. 'Living the Joy of the Gospel' was a fund-raising venture designed to provide finance for major capital undertakings such as ours, as well as current expenditure requirements such as salaries for parish pastoral workers. Parishioners donated what they could afford to this fund. More information will no doubt be provided in due course on 'Living the Joy of the Gospel' but in the meantime these photos will bring home to parishioners the great work their generous contributions have made possible.

There are controls for back/pause/forward at the bottom left-hand side of the screen. The slides proceed automatically at a 5-second interval. If you want to change slide yourself at your own pace, press pause (the double lines become an arrow) and then press the right-hand forward arrow (not the middle one). You can then stay as long as you want on any slide.

A kind of premiere in its own small way, this first-ever slide show of our parish church allows us to ponder on each scene, focusing on whatever detail catches our attention. In a way, we are paying an imaginary visit to this familiar 'house of prayer', free to explore each scene as we wish and let our mind wander at will   . . . the workmen busy at their work ('laborare est orare')  . . . the parishioners coming out from Mass on St Patrick's Day . . . this old village we live in or near, Saggart . . . our lives here and now, those gone before us whom we remember, at rest across the road . . . God there, somehow, in all this  . . .

The Man on the Wall

The life story of Andrew Hart (1785-1815) was told at Mass on Sunday 22nd November as a way of marking the bicentenary of his death on 20 November 1815.  Since that day was a 'Do This in Memory' Sunday, the story had to be pitched to suit the young children in the congregation. But they were all very interested to hear the story of the 'Man on the Wall', as were also -- so the person who told the story, Donal McMahon, earnestly hoped --  the adult members of the congregation.

The effigy of Fr Hart is one of the most striking features of our parish church. Appreciating it better will no doubt increase our appreciation of all its other features and make us take a greater interest in their proper maintenance. After all the fine work done on the exterior, maybe Fr Hart will be able to turn his head round one day to admire the redecorated interior!  At least, as the children were told, he will do so invisibly, the way he will admire and encourage them next May when they make their First Communion.

  St Mary's Renovation Under Way

As announced in the newsletter of 9th November, work on the renovation began last month and is continuing apace as can be seen. Truly a historic time!  Thanks to the opening of the new St Mary's school next door and the consequent freeing up of the space behind the church previously occupied by the old school's temporary buildings, we now have a fine spacious car park, so badly needed. The whole landscape is indeed changing before our eyes. Last year marked historic anniversaries for the churches in Newcastle and Rathcoole, a bicentenary and a 25th respectively. The launch of the bicentenary book round this time last year crowned what was a momentous year for St Finian's. (By the way, copies can still be bought from Bridget Breen.) This year and next, we hope and pray, will see St Mary's lose its faded look and, all the scaffolding and sheeting finally removed, shine like never before in all its regained neo-Gothic splendour!

Tomorrow night there will be a Carol Service in St Mary's, starting at 7.30 p.m. and next Tuesday 16th, there will be a Festive Night in St Finian's NS, starting at 6.30 p.m. Please see the newsletters for more news: 14.12.14,
7.12.14,    30.11.14,    23.11.14                       

                        Newsletters 2 and 9 March

Hopefully you will find something of interest and maybe even of comfort to you in the above. I would draw your attention in particular to the item on St Mary's (2nd March). There was some water damage done to the roof above the choir gallery caused by the heavy rain of mid-February. This brings home to us how urgent it is now to repair and renovate this fine building. 'Previous generations, from the original Famine generation itself that built it, have preserved this lovely church as a bequest to us. Surely we have a duty of care to the coming generations to pass it on as best we can.'  Please read the rest of the report by Fr Enda.