PARISH Upper Creggan Parish IN FOCUS Archdiocese of

Sacred Heart Church, Shelagh (1838) St Brigid’s, Glassdrummond (1932) St Patrick’s, (1835)

History, Structure and Maintenance The parish has three Churches: St development locally (not a new Upper Creggan Parish was established Patrick’s Crossmaglen (erected 1835, phenomenon) and many having to in 1795 when the original historic capacity 750); Sacred Heart Shelagh commute to larger urban centres for parish of Creggan, a hugely expansive (erected 1838, capacity 200) and St work. Until the recession of recent years geographical area, was sub-divided into Brigid’s Glassdrummond (erected 1932, many young people with trades in ourselves and a somewhat smaller capacity 500). While we are proud of all construction commuted daily as far as parish, called Lower Creggan, our our three churches and work hard to Dublin for work and sadly this group friendly neighbour and, in recent years, maintain them to a high standard, St became perhaps the hardest hit by the our cluster partner. Despite this sub- Brigid’s, opened in 1932, year of emigration of recent years. Not division Upper Creggan itself has an Ireland’s first International Eucharistic withstanding this the people of Upper extensive territory stretching across Congress, is considered an outstanding Creggan are resourceful, industrious South-West Armagh in the main but architectural gem and draws many and generous in their support of the also a part of County Louth towards interested tourists and visitors parish. A prudent finance committee Dundalk along the main Castleblayney- especially in the summer months. and stringent budgetary control Dundalk road almost as far as The parish has five primary/national combine to keep the parish financially Hackballscross. We are thus both an schools and there is also a secondary solvent despite the economic pressures inter-county and even an inter- school, St Joseph’s in Crossmaglen recession has visited on so many parish provincial parish with churches, which has some 600 pupils drawn from families. As is the experience elsewhere schools, football clubs and vibrant the three parishes in the neighbourhood revenue has fallen, especially in the communities on both sides of ‘the Upper Creggan, Lower Creggan and past two years, but we hope this fall is border’. /. All six schools ‘bottoming out’ and that, through time, are under the patronage of the things may improve a little again. Along The parish is largely rural in character Archdiocese/Archbishop and are with a few other parishes our annual with about half its c. 1750 families (c. managed and chaplained by parish accounts are overseen and audited by 6,500 souls) living in and around the clergy each with an active Board of the diocesan financial directorate under largest village, Crossmaglen, and the Governors drawn form the local a pilot scheme for which we volunteered other families located mainly in the community. In total some 1,350 pupils a few years ago. Upper Creggan, with Silverbridge / Glassdrummond, attend school in the parish and families in both the north and the Culloville and the Shelagh, (Co Louth) Republic, draws its income in both presently some 150 commute daily to districts. sterling and euro currencies, (and banks schools elsewhere, mostly in . The parish is served by three priests: in both) a ‘dual currency’ parish one The parish offers six Sunday Masses Fr Joe McKeever PP, Fr Liam McKinney might call it. and ten week-day Masses as well as a CC (both based in Crossmaglen) and Fr choice of four times monthly for Barney King SM, CC, based at our other Pastoral Life, Pastoral & Community baptisms. Despite increased emigration parochial house in Glassdrummond. Groups, Mission trends from among our young people The parish office is located in the main In some measure the day to day the parish population is slowly rising parochial house block in Crossmaglen ‘mission’ of our parish is shaped with over 100 baptisms annually in and operates Monday – Friday under (driven) by various of the forces listed recent years. Unemployment and under the watchful eye of our greatly valued above and pursued, as in many employment are prevalent throughout parish secretary, Mrs Una Garvey. parishes, by a combination of our the parish with little or no industrial

10 Intercom • February 2013 priests and of a band of co-workers / in Upper Creggan that is the case. These activists from the parish’s apostolic clubs are truly a blessing for our parish groups who collaborate with them. and each serves splendidly in its own Though many of these groups are a local district with facilities and outlets given in most parishes (and their roles for youth AND others. Each is run by self-evident in their names) even a highly committed volunteers who listing of them is perhaps instructive … promote not just football but also a the Pastoral Council, Parish wider care ethos for the local Safeguarding Committee, Appointments community and maintain regular Committee (for all salaried posts), contact with the parish. I cannot Finance Committee, Buildings overstress the force for good of their Committee, Collectors, Collection efforts. (One of our clubs also likes to Counting Teams, District Distributors win All-Irelands.) (annual parish envelopes), Baptismal Preparation Team, Pre-Marriage Course Conclusion Leaders, Ministers of the Word, Any parish invited to put its life and Ministers of the Eucharist, Eucharistic operations ‘in focus’ for a wider Adoration Rota, School Governors, Altar readership does well to acknowledge Society / Church Cleaners, Marriage that there are many challenges still to Tribunal Auditors, St Vincent de Paul be met for its people. As a parish, Upper Society, PTAA, Lourdes Committee and Creggan can easily fall into the cul-de- Apostolic Work Society (about 250 sac where maintenance (what we do) volunteers in all). St Patrick’s statue takes precedence over mission (what we Our current Pastoral Council took need to do). The lines of demarcation up office in 2008 after a comprehensive local couples. Power-point between maintenance and mission can four week training programme attended presentations combine with short inputs too quickly become blurred as priests by 40 parishioners. The Council was and questionnaires/worksheets get older, their numbers decrease and drawn up from these and comprises completed by the couples as couples. their faithful co-workers fewer and some who volunteered with others The course is delivered over one full fewer. The challenge of an increasingly deliberately approached to ensure that Saturday, starting in early morning. secular society where ‘the volunteer’ is various districts and age groups were Evaluations tend to be, almost in ever shorter supply threatens those represented. Most councillors are active invariably, positive. The witness-value who would have the People of God in other parish groups so that the of three local married couples actually appropriate their own identity as Council represents a pooling of all our directing the day is strong and the Church . The same challenge applies to resources. As such the Council practical appeal of one full day rather our need to broaden the appeal of convenes to discuss and plan key then shorter sessions spread over a few Liturgy, in particular our Sunday initiatives as they arise. It never meets evenings is favourably commented on. Liturgy, for the youth of the parish just for the sake of meeting. The Council The course fee is kept to a minimum whose attendance could be better. has been involved in planning and (£50) as all the speakers are voluntary Upper Creggan is not immune from resourcing a parish Mission (2010), our so real expense is kept to a minimum. such challenges but there is always annual parish Novena (each year), The course content is topical and room for hope. Last summer before the special anniversary events at two of our practical but also has a prayer/spiritual IEC in Dublin 150 of our parishioners churches, producing/selling a parish input which most participants view gathered for an evening to renew their magazine and promoting a parish favourably. commitment to serve in their parish. response to IEC 2012. The parish has a small community These good people, the salt and light of In the months ahead the Council will facility (actually called the parish every parish, are constantly reminded busy itself preparing for an all-parish rooms ) which hosts an AA branch and encouraged that ‘what they do for Mission to mark the Year of Faith weekly, the local Lourdes group weekly others they do for Christ’ (Matt:25;40). (hopefully just after Easter 2013) and a and also Eucharistic Adoration one day Two dozen of them also attended the parallel ‘mini-Mission’ week-end a week. Other groups use it less Statio Orbis in Croke Park (without their planned for youth. It will help promote frequently. Last year an initiative to priests who still had to preside at and host a planned diocesan pastoral provide some group and even individual Eucharist on the home front). As the council event for Ministers of the Word counselling services in it was explored Year of the Congress yields to the Year (Feb 2013). Since its inception only one by an ad-hoc group of local priests, of Faith we remain challenged as a of the Council’s seventeen lay members professional counsellors and a local GP. parish (as a Church) to cling to the has stood aside (personal Though the group decided not to pursue Lord’s promise to reserve ‘a future full commitments) and there are no plans to this for the present (as it was perhaps of hope’ for us if we but put our trust in re-vamp the current membership until duplicating other such services) a parish Him, in Upper Creggan and beyond. after the Year of Faith. bereavement group is still With many others we can cry out in the Currently two other features perhaps contemplated. Meanwhile the parish words of the Breton Fisherman’s Prayer deserve special mention. Upper Creggan co-sponsored a leaflet campaign, … hosts its own annual pre-Marriage delivered to all homes, listing agencies Course prepared and delivered by a which help with depression, addiction ‘Lord, your sea is so big local team of seven. These are the and related issues. This joint venture and my boat is so small’ parish priest plus three married couples was co-partnered alongside the four who undertook Accord training some GAA clubs in the parish. Mentioning years ago. The course takes place every sport, it may seem unusual to have four Parish website www.uppercreggan.co.uk Spring and can accommodate thirty thriving GAA clubs in one parish and yet

Intercom • February 2013 11