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You’ve God Mail…
28.09.15
AN Inishowen-born
priest is writing to all 2,500 families in his
parish appealing for them to return to mass.
Culdaff-born cleric Fr Paddy O'Kane has drawn up
leaflets, including mass and confession times, as
part of a 'Big Invite' campaign to encourage lapsed
Catholics back to the fold in Ballymagroarty, Derry.
He said that 80 per cent of his parishioners only
come to church to mark events such as weddings,
baptisms, funerals and the big Christian
celebrations of Easter and Christmas.
But he said his Holy Family parish "missed them" and
wanted them back. |
In a recent homily, Fr
O'Kane, who is aged in his 60s, likened his city
parish to ripples in a pond.
At the centre were the priests, nuns and parish
staff expanding outwards with church volunteers,
Catholic charities and the 20 per cent who are
regular mass-goers.
"The last ripple is by far the largest of all. It is
made up of more than 80% of the people here at Holy
Family whom we only see at weddings, baptisms,
funerals, Christmas or Easter, people from your own
streets and families.
"The 'Big Invite’ comes from our awareness that we
miss them, that we yearn for their return and now
invite them back to the practice of the faith," said
Fr O'Kane. |
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Fr Paddy O'Kane. |
He has asked 36 people
to bring the ‘The Big Invite’ to all the homes in
the parish and has asked the parish Rosary Group to
pray for a favourable outcome from each individual
family.
"Some may reject it at the door, others bin it right
away, others still may go through it and mark as
read. Hopefully it will move the hearts of some to
accept," he added.
"If only one person does so it will still have been
worthwhile." |
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