A Belfast community has celebrated the reopening of the oldest church in the Diocese of Down and Connor. St Patrick's Church in Barnfield in the Parish of Derriaghy, which dates from 1733, reopened on Sunday last to the jubilation of local parishioners after several months of renovations.
''Last Lent, we had a parish mission and I asked for guidance on what to do about the church in the hope we could restore it,'' said parish priest, Fr Feargal McGrady.
''I received tremendous support which gave me the encouragement to go ahead. We're delighted with the newly restored church. There was a great buzz at the opening.''
''This church is iconic of the wider history of the Belfast area, where only six Catholics lived previous to it being built. The refurbishment has given the community an opportunity to get together and celebrate something worth celebrating -- this is a good news story and, for that, I want to express my deep gratitude to the people of Derriaghy,'' he added.
During the ceremony, a reliquary, in which the relic of the jaw bone of St Patrick has been put on display, was enshrined in the sanctuary. Fr McGrady, who has recently published a book on the subject, says the relic has ''attracted great interest from around the country''.
Speaking during his homily on Sunday, Bishop of Down and Connor, Noel Treanor praised those who supported and assisted the restoration: ''This is a statement of the community's religious faith. It is a concrete expression on the part of Catholic parishioners that public prayer and worship matter in the life of society and that they are of vital importance in the life of the community.''
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