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Stornoway, Lewis
The Catholic parish in Stornoway celebrates its 50th anniversary this month and the event is being marked by what’s believed to be the first ever visit of a Cardinal to Lewis.
Leader of the Catholic church in Scotland Cardinal Keith O’Brien will attend a special Thanksgiving Mass next week to mark the golden jubilee of Our Holy Redeemer’s.
He will be joined by Bishop Joseph Toal who heads Argyll and the Isles diocese. A number of clergy from the Western Isles and the mainland are also travelling to the event.
It took 400 years after the Reformation for the parish to be established. But in 1961 there was no church building and the congregation worshipped in a Italian café in the town.
Then a former servicemen’s canteen, from the RAF base at Stornoway airport, was used until a modern church was built on the same site at the corner of Scotland Street and Kenneth Street in 1991. But that was destroyed by a fire, caused by an electrical fault, in 2004. An identical replacement was opened in 2007.
The anniversary effectively marks the parish’s symbolic coming of age within the diocese. Until now the parish was mainly served by the Jesuit order while former priest Fr Tom Cairns was a Dominican.
Father Roddy Johnston is the first diocese priest and he took up his duties in Feburary. Over 100 people attend mass on Sundays while others come on Saturdays. He also travels to Harris where about 20 islanders attend Sunday evening services.
Fr Johnston said it was vibrant parish and he was pleased at involvement of youth.
He said: “Bishop Toal was very keen that a diocese priest came to Stornoway.
“On of the particular points about the church in Stornoway is it’s noticeable a lot of parishioners are young.
“It not an indigenous Catholic congregation as many people have moved from Uist and Barra as well as the mainland. Some have come because of work, others for a quieter pace of life.”
“I am proud to be a priest to the Catholic community here.”
He added: “Some people remember Mass in the old café before a church was here at all.“
Parishioners have digging out old photographs of Confirmations, First Communions and other memories for a special display to celebrate the role of the church over the past half century.
Fr Johnston said: “A lot of stuff has come in and many a story is being told.”
The anniversary Mass on Thursday June 9 will be followed by a buffet in the Caladh Inn.
Other celebrations include a summer barbecue and a special Christmas service.
50th anniversary for island parish 30/5/11
Fr Roddy Johnston