Updated Letter to the Aughaval Group of Parishes, with amended dates
Updated Letter to the Aughaval Group of Parishes: Westport-Dugort, Castlebar, Turlough
20 February 2025
Dear friends,
I hope you are well and none-the-worse for Storm Éowyn.
Here in the Aughaval group, all of our churches suffered some damage. The good news is that already two of the five functioning churches have had initial repairs carried out to rooves to protect against water ingress. Thank you to those wardens, parishioners and other friends from the communities in each location who have worked diligently to help us find the necessary help. Holy Trinity Westport suffered some interior damage, to the ceiling over the sanctuary, close to the tower door and pulpit, where some of the heavy decorated plaster came down. This, as you will most likely know, has necessitated the temporary closure of the church on the grounds of safety. The Select Vestry (‘SV’) is grateful to be able to take advice from professionals and specialists in their relevant fields, on the damage, on related and imminent safety risks, and on steps to be taken before reopening is permissible. To the question, “When will the church be open again?” the answer is that we are in the hands of the professionals, many of whom are handling a heavy workload and a long to-do list on account of the storm damage. Coupled with this is the reality that Holy Trinity Westport is a listed building and therefore heritage-related considerations apply which can sometimes slow a parish’s efforts to bring about repairs.
In all this, thank you for your patience and your prayers. While closure is inconvenient and even uncomfortable, there are silver linings; for example, as a congregation we find ourselves the recipients of much genuine, generous and godly hospitality from our ecumenical friends and partners in St Mary’s Church, Westport. As a parish we cannot thank Fr John Kenny and St Mary’s enough for sharing with us their sacred space. It is no small thing for us to have been offered such hospitality, as people of a different Christian tradition. To be allowed to celebrate the Eucharist freely according to the Anglican way in a Roman Catholic sanctuary and setting is both humbling and moving.
For some of us the relocation represents practical challenges and perhaps pushes us out of our spiritual comfort zones. But I find it helpful to remember that wherever we are, we are in the presence and company of the Divine, of Christ the Good Shepherd and Friend who, we could say, in the Incarnation left the ultimate “comfort zone” on our behalf and for the Redemption of the world.
So much good and progress is made when our parish teams pull together with a common purpose as has been the case in our group of parishes. This spirit of co-operation has been evidently at work on Inishbiggle. A group of us from the parishes, including Bishop Michael, travelled there on Saturday 15 February (see https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2025/02/return-to-inishbiggle-sat-15-february.html ) to be reunited with the islanders and to celebrate Holy Communion in the quaint and special place which is Holy Trinity Inishbiggle.
‘Biggle’ Church also suffered damage to its roof. This is a setback and frustrating for the wardens and others who have worked diligently to repair and restore, improve and polish every nook and cranny of the interior, while simultaneously attending to outside matters. The words of St Paul come to mind: “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair…” (see 2 Corinthians 4.8ff)! We are not “in despair”, as volunteers and trusted tradesmen have come forward to express their willingness to come and help, in spite of the practical challenges this entails; for example, of transporting equipment and materials for such work, by currach. The example of all those involved, of resilience and creativity in finding solutions to problems, is commendable and inspiring.
Damage to Turlough Church roof was less serious. Sincere gratitude to the wardens and team who quickly insured that the Church has remained, we believe, watertight. Similarly in Christchurch Castlebar, where scaffolding was erected and repairs were carried out within days. In the old graveyard by the TF Hotel, a number of old trees fell and branches came down or had to be lopped for safety reasons. We attribute to the hand of God the fact – and no-small-mercy – that none fell either on properties or persons, and that the graveyard walls are intact.
St Thomas's Dugort suffered the loss or slippage of several roof tiles, but considering how exposed the church is (and how loudly so often the wind wails when we meet inside for prayer and Sacrament), the faithful few felt relieved that the damage was so contained. Again we are grateful to locals and professionals for helping to address the present needs.
All of the above and the inevitable focus on the practical and physical state of our buildings potentially has the effect of drawing attention away from the matters on which we ideally like to focus, that is, Word and Sacrament, Prayer and Pastoral Care, and our relationships with God and with one another. These will always be the priority, but perhaps you will in your private prayers devote extra attention to these matters and to the faith life and witness of our parishes and people.
On Sunday past, 16 Feb, reference was made in the intercessions to the season of Lent which is almost upon us, and also to the Easter Vestry meetings which will soon be notified. As is the pattern in the Church of Ireland, the General Vestry Registers are open in these weeks proceeding these annual meetings. This means that if you are not already included in the General Vestry Register and would like to be so, in order to formalise and confirm your commitment to your parish, and in order to qualify you to vote at an Easter Vestry meeting, and to allow yourself to be eligible for nomination as a potential Select Vestry member, there is now the opportunity and invitation. If you are not sure if your name is already on the Register, please feel free to contact the Rector. Or if you wish to make a Declaration of Membership in order to be registered, again, please contact the Rector. Dates are given below as to the closing of the registers for 2025. This closing takes place at a simple meeting between the Rector and a Church Warden or Wardens.
It is always a great joy to welcome new members. If you wish to learn more about the Church of Ireland and about serving on a select vestry, please visit the Church of Ireland website at this address:
We have referred elsewhere to the bishop’s latest visit to these parishes, arranged several months ago and well before the storm. It was timely and encouraging to have Bishop Michael with us last weekend. You can read about his visits to the churches and our congregations on the parishes’ website:
https://aughaval.tlk.ie/2025/02/celebrating-sacrament-and-celebrating.html
Sunday's Gospel was from Luke chapter 6 and included the Sermon on the Plain, with St Luke’s account of the Beatitudes, with ‘blessings’ and ‘woes’. The bishop’s comment and insights on the final woe was inspiring and salient. "Woe to you when all speak well of you, for this is what they did to the false prophets." Bishop Michael commented on the great value of “a critical friend”. Such a friend is often our closest or nearest and dearest - a spouse, a partner, a lifelong friend, or a child. He spoke of the mystery of being loved unconditionally in spite of our foibles and foolishness. His sermon was a fresh take on Valentine's Day and a helpful counterbalance to the traditional ‘slushiness’ of such a weekend. The inspiration was towards appreciation of such faithful friends, and towards thankfulness to God for God’s unconditional love towards us who must, to the Divine, at times be rather trying in our attitudes, to say the least! The encouragement was towards resisting despair at those times when we may not be well spoken of, be that by many or few.
At the end of the day we fall back on the grace of God as seen in Jesus Christ who loves us and gave himself for us, who forgives us, renews us restores us, who has
reconciled us with God through the Cross and Resurrection, and enables us to be always seeking reconciliation with one another.
Finally, a nudge to promote engagement with the weekly Wednesday service of Holy Communion (10:30 am in St Mary’s Church Westport while Holy Trinity remains closed), and/or engagement with the weekly online Prayer and Bible reading sessions which are at 7:30 pm by Zoom (link below). In these short online sessions (approximately 30-45 minutes), we usually use one of the shorter services in the COI Book Common Prayer, namely Compline or A Late Evening Office. Please do consider “giving it a go”. You will be blessed!
I end with this ancient prayer, prayed in the Schoolhouse, Inishbiggle, on 15 February:
Steer the ship of our life, good Lord,
to your quiet harbour,
where we can be safe from the storms of sin and conflict.
Show us the course we should take.
And give us the strength and the courage to choose the right course,
even when the sea is rough and the waves are high,
that in your name we shall find comfort and peace. Amen.
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Suzanne
Notices (Subject to change)
Regular service times:
· Turlough Parish Church, every Saturday at 7pm
· Christ Church Castlebar, every Sunday at 10am
· Holy Trinity Westport services are temporarily in St Mary’s, every Sunday at 12 noon
· St Thomas's Dugort, Oct-March inclusive, on 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, at 3pm.
· Drop-in to Christ Church Castlebar, Fridays from 11am – 1pm
· Online Prayer and Bible Reading is on Wednesdays at 7.30pm. All welcome.
Link below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82781900766?pwd=b2YEVeJHqhnprNxoLHjd5sqg492wbn.1
Meeting ID: 827 8190 0766 Passcode: 747477
Next Westport Sunday Club: 9 March, starting in St Mary’s at 12 noon, unless otherwise indicated.
Amended
Select Vestry Meetings
- Castlebar, Wed 5 March, 7pm
- Westport-Dugort, Thursday 6 March, 7pm - please note amended date, which is provisional ('tbc'), with apologies for any inconvenience.
- Turlough, Sat 8 March following 7pm service - please note amended date
·
Closing of the General Vestry Registers for 2025:
Following services on 1st and 2nd March
Serving on a Select Vestry
For those considering serving or serving again on a Select Vestry (2025- 2026), please take time to read the following, below, ahead of the forthcoming Easter Vestry Meetings (dates to be announced). Thank you.
Pastoral care and enquiries:
The Rector
Phone 0838003233
Email aughaval@tuam.anglican.org
Grouped Parishes’ Website: aughaval.tlk.ie
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AughavalParishes
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