Bishop George said: “Joy and celebration have given way to a great sense of loss after the devastating fire at the Church of the Holy Name, Greenisland. The Church was marking its seventieth year with many parishioners and friends of the parish attending a glorious celebration to mark the milestone. The Archbishop of Armagh and I were privileged to share in this wonderful event.
“Within a matter of hours, the Church was ablaze causing dreadful damage to this special place of worship. It was heartbreaking to stand with so many parishioners and watch as members of the Fire Service worked hard to save as much of the building as possible. The minister–in–charge, the Rev Dr Isy Hawthorne–Steele and the local Church community are deeply upset and shocked but determined that they will continue their work and witness and have been overwhelmed by the expressions of support from many people within the local community.
“In the days to come we will have a better picture of what will be needed to restore and replace what has been damaged and we will work to rebuild this place of worship. I want to say clearly though, that the Church of the Holy Name is not a burnt building. It is a vibrant group of people who love their God and love the community He has given them to serve. They are devastated, but they are also strong and courageous, and they will continue to worship together and reach out to others with Christ’s message of forgiveness and hope.
“The PSNI has confirmed that they are treating the fire as an act of arson and that has served to deepen our sense of sadness. I am at a loss to understand why a Church, that is such an integral part of the community and a beacon of hope, positivity and goodwill, should be targeted for destruction, but would call on all members of the community to help the PSNI in their investigations.
“I wish to express my gratitude to the Northern Ireland Fire Service and the PSNI for the way they responded to this emergency and to thank other church and community organisations and local politicians for their heartfelt expressions of support.”