Mass to celebrate the 200^th anniversary of Dromcollogher Church,

September 8^th, 2004

Speaking Notes of Bishop Brendan Leahy

I am very pleased to be here today for this special occasion marking the 200th anniversary of this building, Saint Bartholomew’s church. Everything is looking wonderful. I congratulate all concerned in preparing for this event.

We are steeped in history in this place. We know that the name Dromcollogher itself was first recorded in the Book of Leinster in 1160. And we also know also that the church in Dromcollogher is mentioned in a list of churches compiled in 1201 and contained in The Black Book of Limerick (the ancient historical manuscript about the diocese of Limerick). Just across the road in the graveyard, indeed, you have the ruins of a former parish church that might even have been on the site of the Medieval church. The church we are in today was built by Father Michael Fitzgerald, who acquired the site in 1819 from Robert Jones Staveley of Glenduff Castle, a judge of the High Court who had bought Dromcollogher and its surrounding lands from the Courtney estate in 1807 which would have been just a few years after the Act of Union. As the journalist Kayley Hardima pointed out in an article for the Limerick Leader recently, a striking aspect of the building of the Church in Dromcollogher was the patronage it enjoyed from the Catholic gentry families in the area, including the contributions of the Sheehy and the Hannigan families.

Of course, I’m not here to give a history lesson. You know it much more than I do. But I do want to acknowledge my predecessor’s link to this parish that he loved so much. Bishop Jeremiah Newman born and baptised here was instrumental in the 1989 renovation of the church when the walls of the nave were removed and replaced with the lovely glass panels, the work of Kevin Kelly and the Abbey Stained Glass Studios. The glass is engraved with both religious and secular scenes, including scenes from the life of Saint Bartholomew. I thought I would offer you some thoughts based on three of the panels.

The first one I chose is the glass panel upon which it is written: “Ag Críost an Síol, ag Críost an Fómhar, in iothlann Dé go dtugtar sinn. Father, you gather a people to yourself.” For 200 years now, God the Father has been gathering people to himself in this place. They have come for baptisms, Confirmation ceremonies, weddings, funerals, but above all, week in, week out, they have been gathering as a praying community for Mass, carrying their concerns and those of their families and neighbours and the wider world in their arms before God the Father. They had trust in God, praying they would also be gathered together in God’s barn. There were many, I’m sure, great occasions of joy and celebration in this church. But we know too that famine, disease and illness struck this area. People would have come into this church also for moments of silent, deep heart-felt prayer to the God whose style is closeness, tenderness and compassion. People in this area learned how to bring the happy days when the sun was shining to God, but also the sad tragic days of headwinds, need and want before him. They made their prayers to God not just as individuals but as a community. It’s so important to remember that there’s no such thing as a Christian on his or her own. Our religion is about us being a people called by God together. It’s together we support each other. It’s together we experience God among us. It’s together we go out in mission to make a difference in our world.

The second glass panel that I’d highlight is the one upon which it is written: “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” This is core to our Christian faith. We believe Jesus is Risen. He is alive. I like the first line from a letter Pope Francis has written to and about young people. It says: “Christ is alive! He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world, and everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life.” We all need to be renewed, made new. That’s what the Word of God and the sacraments do in our lives. That’s why we come to Church to hear the Word of God and celebrate the sacraments. In this building we gather to let Jesus put new life into us. And that life is the life of love so that we can go out to be the first to love, to love our neighbour as ourselves.

It is our belief that the new life in Christ continues even beyond death. Very often at funerals, we hear the priest pray the prayer: “Indeed for your faithful, Lord, life is changed not ended, and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust, an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.” The people of Dromcollogher relied on that belief when the tragedy of the fire in 1926 struck. It was a terrible tragedy. The diocese saw its effects first hand in Fr Paddy O'Callaghan whose mother died in the fire. He became the Diocesan Secretary for Bishops Henry Murphy and Patrick O’Neill. We remember the victims who perished in that fire and their family members who suffered such bereavement. I’m sure the memory of that harrowing event lived on for generations. Many of the victims are buried in the plot just inside the church gate with its fine Celtic Cross. May they rest in peace.

The third panel that I chose is the one that says: “A variety of gifts – always the same Spirit.” A church building is always just a building of stone, glass and wood. It’s not the building itself that matters as the community it houses. Over two centuries this community has been blessed with many who have come here not just to pray but to give their contribution in faith, hope and charity. Many have served here as sacristans or cleaned or worked on the church building and grounds. Others still have served on committees and various initiatives over the years. Above all, of course, the community has been built up by fathers and mothers, daughters and sons, uncles and aunts, and grandparents living their family life as domestic churches, and carrying out their duties at home or on the farm or at work with care. We recall today the many priests who served in this parish and indeed the many priests who came from this parish, including those who are joining us together. In the last century alone over 20 men were ordained for the Diocese of Limerick. I’m sure there were also many men and women who served in religious Congregations. Among the priests I recall today Mons Michael Moloney from this parish who is the most distinguished historian of the Diocese after Archdeacon Begley. He was a great friend of the Hunts and was probably involved in their collection. He contributed to the North Munster Antiquarian Journal. He contributed towards putting clergy of the Diocese on a solid academic and cultural footing.

Yes, the Holy Spirit has been and is active in this parish community and in our lives more than we realise. Without the Holy Spirit we can do nothing good. It is the Holy Spirit who gives his gifts that are unique to each of us and to be used for the good of the community. And that includes the gifts of all involved in the renovations carried out over the past two hundred years starting in 1861 with Father Patrick Quaid, then the refurbishment by Fr Michael Byrne in the early 20th century, with improvements designed in 1906-1909 by the Limerick-based architect Brian Edward Fitzgerald Sheehy. The apse and many of the beautiful stained-glass windows depicting Sts. David, Our Lady, the Sacred Heart and Saint Catherine were added at this time. The Stations of the Cross also come from that period. I should note also the other lovely stained-glass windows depicting the Holy Child of Jerusalem, St. Joseph and St. Patrick and the beautiful statue of Our Lady. And then we have the renovation of the late 1980s-1990s that I’ve mentioned already providing beautiful new additions to the church.

All of this artistic work still speaks to us today. It reminds us that there are many people who have contributed, and in the art work we are reminded of the contribution also of heaven, of the saints in heaven to our community. We are not on our own.

So on this day full of memories, let’s above all thank:

God the Father who has brought us together as a people over the years;

Jesus the Risen One who has put new life in people, providing hope even in the fact of terrible tragedy;

The Holy Spirit who has been active in our community pouring out many gifts, helping us.

There is much to be grateful for today. So many memories. So much history. So much devotion. So much prayer. So much community spirit.

One final point, though. Over here we have the very precious marble statue of Our Lady, sculpted and donated by Padraig Pearse’s father, James, a statue acquired by Fr Tomas De Bhál when he was curate in the parish from 1910 to 1922. Our Lady has been with us, with our parish community, with our families over these two hundred years. Today is September 8^th, the date we celebrate her birthday. So it would be right that on this date when we are celebrating 200 years of our church, we re-dedicate ourselves to Mary’s care. She is a Mother, always a mother to us. And she wants nothing more than that we will imitate her and share her maternal care in our relationships with one another. Mary, mother of this parish of Dromcolliher, pray for us. Amen.