Bishop Philip celebrated Mass in Holy Family Church, Port Glasgow for the 50th Anniversary of of the Dedication of the Church

Feast of the Holy Family

50th Anniversary of the Dedication of The Holy Family Church, Port Glasgow

As I said at the beginning of Mass, I am very pleased to be here with you for the 50th Anniversary of the Dedication or Blessing of this Church of the Holy Family, Port Glasgow, on 20th December 1959 by my predecessor as Bishop of Paisley, the Right Reverend James Black. On this golden anniversary, we rightly give praise and thanks to God for this parish and for this fine church, made even finer and more handsome by recent repairs and works.

An occasion like this always calls for some history. This parish was opened in 1946 as a parish of the Archdiocese of Glasgow. Very soon, Holy Family Parish became part of the territory of the new Diocese of Paisley. Its first parish priest was Joseph Sweeney. Initially Father Sweeney, along with assistant priests, Fathers Patrick Rice, John O’Dwyer and Patrick Burke lived in what had been known in wartime as HMS Monk, a series of huts which Father Sweeney converted into a church, a hall and a residence for the priests of the parish. For thirteen years, Mass and worship was offered to God in this temporary accommodation and the business of the parish was conducted from there. These years would be foundational for building a sense of community and common purpose as a growing Catholic population prepared for the building of their own Church.

That Church was designed by the celebrated church architects Gillespie, Kidd and Coia, and was blessed and dedicated, as I have said, on 20th December 1959, by Bishop James Black, the first bishop of the Diocese of Paisley. The Church of the Holy Family is recognised as a particularly successful example of a “Coia” church building, using brickwork to excellent effect in order to produce a pleasingly traditional neo-romanesque church with an elegant functionality. It is no surprise to know that the Holy Family church belongs to the beginning of what is regarded as the most successful period of Coia’s modernist architecture.

It has been here in this church that the parish community and its priests have gathered to worship God and celebrate the Eucharistic Sacrifice for the last 50 years. After Father Joseph Sweeney, the Parish Priests of the Holy Family Church were Fr. Patrick Rice, Fr Edward Costello, Fr. Joseph Quinn, Mgr Gerard Gallagher, Fr. Douglas MacMillan and now Fr Brian McGee, your present Parish Priest. I know that you thank God for all your priests, parish priests and assistant priests, living and dead, who have offered the sacred mysteries in the Holy Family Church, Port Glasgow.

It is very fitting that we should celebrate this 50th Anniversary of the Holy Family Church on the Feast of the Holy Family itself. When Jesus as a young boy said to his mother Mary and to Joseph, “Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?” he was alluding to his fundamental identity as the Incarnate Son of God. He sensed and was expressing his unique filial relationship to the Father. The Feast of the Holy Family continues our celebration of the Christmas mystery in which we rejoice for the presence of Jesus among us as the Emmanuel, God-with-us. In its dedication and name, the Church of the Holy Family gives glory to the eternal Son of God who became the baby and the child Jesus, so that we might become children of God. This fine church is thus a living monument to the mystery of the Incarnation,

The Church of the Holy Family also proudly stands to the honour of Mary the mother of God and to Joseph, her husband, foster father of Jesus. Mary and Joseph, who loved each other as husband and wife, formed a family which was created out God’s design and purpose. They are a shining example to us of openness to God and of willing obedience to what God asks of us. These are the virtues on which this parish were founded. These are the virtues on which this church was built. These are virtues which will continue to animate, nourish and strengthen the parishioners of the Holy Family Parish and Church, Port Glasgow, and indeed the whole People of God.

Holy Family Parish, Port Glasgow

27th December 2009