Re-inauguration of east Mayo church celebrated
FOLLOWING many weeks of refurbishment of St. Joseph's Church in Aghamore, the re-inauguration of the east Mayo parish church was held on September 1.
Under the direction of Fr. Jerald David, Administrator, the main sanctuary of the church has undergone an extensive transformation in preparation for this very special celebration at the heart of the parish.
A large crowd attended the event, including Aghamore native Fr. Joe Feeley. Fr. Joe was the chief celebrant of the Mass and was one of those invited to cut the ribbon for the occasion.
Also present were Paul Tant and his wife Maria. Paul was the chief architect responsible for putting the artefacts together.
A significant part of the renovation process was the repositioning of the very large crucifix which has adorned the sanctuary of St. Joseph's Church for over 100 years. The crucifix was donated to the parish by the late John Waldron of Carnmore, Aghamore, in 1916.
His grandniece, Sr. Rosario Waldron (Sister of Mercy), assisted at the opening ceremony.
Paudrik Burk, painter of the interior of the church, sacristan Carole Duffy and Bríd Duffy (representing all the senior citizens of the parish) graced the occasion by cutting the ribbon.
Addressing the large gathering before the ceremony, Fr. Jerald gave a commentary on the principle features which have been transformed and now adorn the sanctuary of the church.
He explained: “In the churches throughout the world we see beautifully adorned artefacts of symbols, mosaics, murals, frescos, friezes, which appear as a mysterium tremendum et fascinans; that is, a mystery before which humanity both wonders and is fascinated and attracted to God. Here, in Aghamore, St. Joseph’s Church too has a lofty frieze that enshrines a few religious artefacts.”
Sanctus - Holy of Holies: Refers to the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle, where God's presence appeared. Holy of Holies, the innermost and most sacred area of the ancient Temple, was accessible only to the high priest. It enshrined the Ark of the Covenant. According to the Hebrew Bible, the Ark contained the Ten Commandments, which were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.
As was Jesus’ custom, he preached in the synagogue on the Sabbath and taught on the significance and the sanctity of the House of God, which is the dwelling place of our Lord. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus: the Holy of Holies, the Tabernacle is the inner Sanctuary, the dwelling place of God. The Holy of Holies is the spiritual connection of Heaven and Earth.
The four pillars represent the four Evangelists or the four authors of the Gospels, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They are often represented with their attributes: the Angel for Saint Matthew, the Lion for Saint Mark, the Ox for Saint Luke and the Eagle for Saint John. They were the pillars of the Gospel and spread the faith to the four corners of the world.
The crucifix is the most powerful reminder of Christ’s suffering, death, and Resurrection, the central aspects of the Catholic faith. Christ, the Son of God, came down to live among us and the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross to win pardon for our sins, thus ransomed us, giving us freedom and eternal life. The crucifix reminds us that there is no resurrection without the cross, and that we are called to pick up our own crosses and follow after Jesus. This display of immense love of Christ for all humanity reminds us of the hope of the Resurrection won by that victory of Jesus' Passion.
Tabernacle: The term comes from the Latin word Tabernaculum. Its meaning is ‘abode’, the house of God to those who come to pray, worship and adore Christ even outside of celebrations. The dwelling place of the real presence of Jesus is in the tabernacle, the heart and the cornerstone of each church. Here in our church, the Greek letters Alpha and Omega, imprinted on the Tabernacle, signifies that Christ is the beginning and the end. He is the true Bread from Heaven, the Bread that endures for eternal life.
The Altar: stands at the heart of the church building. Indeed, it represents not only the heart of Christ, but also of Christians. It’s around the altar where God gathers the Christian community led by a priest to do what Jesus Christ commanded at the Last Supper, to celebrate his Eucharistic Sacrifice - 'In Memory of Me'. The essential object in the church, the central focus for worship, is this sacred table where the priest celebrates the Divine Liturgy.
Altar reminds us of the Supper of the Lord, where the faithful come to be nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ. Altar therefore 'a festive table', 'a place of intimate communion with the Lord and a place of peace', 'a source of the Church’s unity and of fraternal harmony', 'the centre of our praise and thanksgiving'. Hence, the Lord’s Table on earth is a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that awaits faithful Christians - 'Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb'. The Mass is both a saving sacrifice and a sacred meal that’s profoundly portrayed in the wooden carvings of the Last Supper scene at the bottom of the frieze panel.
The Eucharistic and Marian Shrine: Aghamore Church is dedicated to St. Joseph’s care and protection.
The foundation stone was first laid in 1828 and completed in 1832. In fact, this very church was a mother parish even to Knock Shrine. In thanksgiving to Our Lady of Knock the apparition scene is displayed at the bottom of the frieze panel.
As we look forward to the bicentenary celebration of St. Joseph’s Church, Aghamore in 2032, a bit of refurbishment has given overall spiritual enhancement to the church.
Added Fr. Jerald: “I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to making this dream a reality. To the local pastoral council, to all the benefactors from the parish and to friends worldwide. May God be pleased with your generosity. God bless you all.”