The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Dunboyne, Co. Meath, has been rededicated by Bishop Michael Smith, after extensive refurbishment and renovation, which took place over the past year. The work, which cost some €750,000, was undertaken as part of the celebrations to mark the fifty year old church’s jubilee, included the provision of a new altar, ambo and celebrant's chair.
A new stained glass window was also installed in the baptismal chapel by George Walsh, who designed it with a view to giving visitors to the church "some feeling of spiritual renewal.”
Parish priest Monsignor Dermot Farrell said that a church was “much more than a roof to keep the rain off our heads at Mass. Our parish church is an expression, in architectural terms, of the religious life of our parish – a kind of sacrament of the faith of this parish and the dedication of our church is the dedication of its worshippers,” he added.
He said he hoped that God would “find an open door here, a sacred space where He can take up his abode in all, a silent space of welcome where all who come to Him may find always the open door of acceptance and hospitality.”
Msgr Farrell said the celebration was “recognition of the debt we owe to those who have gone before us.”
The homily for the rededication Mass was given by Professor Ronan Drury of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth, who also preached at the opening of the church half a century ago.
The rededication of the church was accompanied by the publication of a booklet featuring the history of Dunboyne parish and church specially written by Dr Thomas O'Connor of the history department at NUI Maynooth.
In a foreword, Monsignor Farrell acknowledged the support of all those who contributed in any way to the recent renewal of the church, making it a place of great beauty.
The present church in Dunboyne was blessed and opened in 1959 by then bishop of Meath John Kyne and replaced one that dated from the beginning of the nineteenth century.
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