St Mary’s Church in Touraneena celebrates 200 years of worship

A celebratory mass was recently held at St Mary’s Church in Tournaneena in acknowledgement of the church’s 200-year-old history. Members of St Mary’s parish, as well as neighbouring parishes, gathered at the church for a special mass delivered by chief celebrant, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Alphonsus Cullinan.

Music was supplied by a children’s choir from the local Saint Mary’s Tournaneena National School and local singers and musicians. However, the organ remained silent on the evening in remembrance of Therese Butler, who regularly played the organ at church events before her recent passing.

In his homily, Bishop Cullinan told the packed congregation, as well as those watching the celebratory service through livestream, that, “It is very important to mark significant anniversaries like what we are doing now.

"Anniversaries are milestones in time, and we are creatures of time. It is good not only to celebrate the past, but to examine the present and look forward in so far as that is possible,” he said. 

Bishop Cullinan went on to mark the 200-year anniversary of the church by giving the congregation a stark reminder that Ireland was a very different place in 1826, when the church first began operating.

Remembering those who have worshipped in the church over the years, Bishop Cullinan said, “We are grateful for the pioneers of our faith, those who sat in these seats over the years. Those who planted the seeds of the faith of this community.

"We are grateful for the pastors and his co-workers and all the people who have served in this church and prayed in the sacred place over the 200 years. And we are grateful for the countless members who have given their time, talents, and resources to build up our church community.” 

While the mass and the celebrations around it were to do with the past, Bishop Cullinan went on to say that, “This is our chance to make history. And we thank God for all that is going on in our parishes.” 

After the distribution of Holy Communion and before the final blessing, Patrick Power, Chairman of the Parish Council, addressed the congregation thanking Bishop Cullinan for his attendance on the night as well as the priests in attendance. 

Mr Power also thanked Sisters Mary Flynn and Angela Kiely, two Touraneena natives who were invited back especially for the celebratory mass. Mr Power went on to say that the people of the area have a right to feel proud of 200 years of the church.

Local parish administrator Fr. Michael Toomey echoed these sentiments, adding that in a show of gratitude for the school children and their teachers who performed at the mass, he would give them two months off from school from the evening of the mass.

Before he delivered the final blessing and closed out the evening, Bishop Cullinan asked the congregation to pray for different vocations, with a particular prayer said in hopes that the people of Tournaneena might provide someone willing to go forward to study to become a priest.