Diocesan News
Bishop Pat Storey Breaks Bread Again in St Augustine’s at Mothers’ Union Event
The Bishop of Meath and Kildare, Most Rev Pat Storey, returned to her former parish, St Augustine’s in Londonderry, on Saturday for a ‘Faith in Action’ Prayer Breakfast, organised by Derry and Raphoe Mothers’ Union and served by the men of St Augustine’s.
The event – which was hosted by Bishop Storey’s successor as Rector of ‘the Wee Church’, Canon Malcolm Ferry – was part of the local celebrations marking 130 years of Mothers’ Union in Ireland. Around 100 members of branches all across the Diocese attended the breakfast in the parish hall, which was followed by a service in the adjoining church.
The congregation were treated to three pieces of music performed by the renowned Donegal harp–player Tracey McRory. Her performance included the first public rendition of one of Ms McRory’s own compositions, ‘James’, which was written to commemorate her great–uncle, Fr James McRory.
Fr James McRory, who was an army chaplain, was shot and wounded as he ministered to soldiers during the First World War Battle of Passchendaele. There were audible gasps from the congregation when Ms McRory produced the chalice used by her great–uncle for services in the trenches.
Bishop Storey said it was great to be back in St Augustine’s where she had spent “ten very happy years in ministry”. She commended the local Mothers’ Union on its theme for this year, ‘Faith in Action’, which ran alongside the all–Ireland theme of 13 decades of love and action. “Isn’t one incomplete without the other?”, Bishop Storey asked. “Faith is meaningless without action,” she said, “and action is empty without faith”.
The service concluded with presentations to both Bishop Storey and Ms McRory by the Diocesan President, Mrs Mary Good.
For further information please contact:
Diocesan Communications Officer, Derry & Raphoe
Mr Paul McFadden
028 7126 2440
07525 826290
press@derryandraphoe.org