A Catholic parish in Derry is believed to have become the first to celebrate Sunday Mass in a building which previously served as an Orange Hall.
Around 140 members of the Culmore parish attended Mass at Victoria Hall at Culmore Point on Sunday following the closure of their parish church a week earlier.
Owned by the Honourable, the Irish Society, Victoria Hall is an historic Masonic Hall but was used as an Orange Hall by the local lodge, Culmore True Blues, up until 2016. The facility also still marks the start of a small feeder parade each July 12. The building was later leased to Culmore Community Partnership. It has since been refurbished and is now used as a community hub.
The Culmore parish previously leased the local Thornhill church from the Sisters of Mercy Order of nuns and Mass was said daily with a full programme of services on a Sunday. But, after the nuns decided to sell their property, the parish was informed that the lease on the church would not be renewed long term. The closure of the church also coincided with the retirement of the existing parish priest.
The decision meant that Culmore would become the first Catholic parish in Ireland without its own church. However, it was agreed at a public meeting that every effort would be made to find an alternative venue. In the interim, Culmore Community Partnership offered the use of the hall to the parish free of charge as a temporary venue for the celebration of Sunday Mass.
It had been anticipated that around 50 parishioners would attend the first Mass at the venue on Sunday but around 140 parishioners turned up, with many having to stand in the porch of the Hall. Following Sunday Mass, a number of parishioners – some of whom were very emotional – expressed delight at the support for the continuation of the parish. One woman said the service had been particularly moving.
The woman, who asked not to be named, said: “At one point in the last few months we thought our parish was gone but it’s not; it’s clear that the Catholics of Culmore are determined that the parish will continue.
“It was great to see so many attending Mass in the hall on Sunday.”
