Dec 19 2023

Bishop Andrew’s Christmas Message

Christmas Day is one of the great feast days in the Christian calendar, and probably the most eagerly anticipated. Children will be on tenterhooks, waiting to see whether they get the presents they’ve asked for. For most adults, it’ll be a chance to enjoy some time off work, visit family and friends, and share a…

Dec 18 2023

St Canice’s presents gifts to local charities

The distribution of cheques from the proceeds of sales at the Parish of Faughanvale’s thrift shop, New Beginnings, has become part of the Christmas tradition at St Canice’s Church in Eglinton and this year has been no exception. The shop, on the Benbow Industrial Estate, just outside the village, reinvests in the local community through…

Dec 12 2023

Choirs ‘steal the show’ from blue light heroes

There was rapturous applause for members of the PSNI, NI Fire and Rescue Service, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and other emergency services, in St Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry, on Monday evening (11th December 2023), but the warmth of the ovation paled in comparison to that which followed the performances of Foyle Down Syndrome and…

Dec 12 2023

New Canon appointed for Raphoe Cathedral

Rev Mervyn Peoples has been appointed a Canon of St Eunan’s Cathedral in Raphoe. The appointment, which was announced publicly on Friday 8th December 2023, was made by Bishop Andrew and fills the vacancy in the Cathedral Chapter following the retirement of Rev Canon Judi McGaffin. Canon Peoples, who has served in more than a…

Dec 12 2023

Christmas Tree festival ‘transports’ visitors to Bethlehem

Scores of pupils from Tobermore Primary School were among the first visitors on the opening day of Kilcronaghan Parish Church’s ‘Unto Us a Child is Born’ Christmas Tree Festival, which aims to “capture the wonder of Christmas” in trees. The Rector, Rev Rosie Diffin, and her husband, Ronnie, were on hand to greet the youngsters;…

Dec 12 2023

Foyle U3A Choir strikes the right note

‘What the world needs now,’ the Foyle U3A Choir sang, ‘is love, sweet love,’ and the sentiment in Hal David’s lyrics were rarely more appropriate, given what’s happening in the world at present. The hit song, whose melody was composed by Burt Bacharach, was one of the highlights of the U3A Choir’s barnstorming performance at…

Dec 12 2023

‘Darkness into Light’ procession

The Season of Advent was launched formally and dramatically in St Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry on Sunday evening (3rd December 2023) with its now traditional Advent procession. This is a well-established and much loved service of readings, hymns and anthems on the theme ‘Darkness into Light’. The temperature hovered around freezing as the congregation made…

Nov 26 2023

New Rector appointed for Leckpatrick and Dunnalong

The Rev’d Andrea Cotter has been appointed Rector of the parishes of Leckpatrick and Dunnalong, succeeding Rev Canon Paul Whittaker, who retired last February. The announcement was made at services in both churches, this morning, and also in All Saints’, Clooney, where Rev’d Cotter has been serving as Curate-Assistant since her ordination as priest there…

Nov 18 2023

The Canon and the cannon

Politicians from the four main parties on Derry City and Strabane District Council attended the official launch, this afternoon, of a new public realm scheme at All Saints’ Church, Clooney by the Mayor, Cllr Patricia Logue. Congratulating the various partners, the Mayor also thanked the Department for Communities, without whose funding — she said —…