Re-Dedication of St.Joseph’s Church, Clarkston, Friday 25^th August 2006.

1. Gathered here in this Church this evening, we should, I think, feel the touch of history. For the re-dedication of St. Joseph’s Church opens a new period in the life of St. Joseph’s Parish, Clarkston, in which the parish community now has a beautifully enhanced, re-ordered and enlarged Church in which to worship God in spirit and in truth, as the Gospel says, and in which to accommodate what is thankfully a still growing parish community, a welcome grace in a time when people speak more readily of shrinking numbers of Mass-goers.

 2. This new chapter in the life St. Joseph’s Parish emerges from the history of Catholic faith and life in this area. Key dates are the opening of St. Bridget’s Eaglesham in 1850 and especially the foundation in 1880 of this present Parish of St. Joseph’s with its Church on this site. We could also look back in history to the 12^th century monastic foundation at Carmunnock and to the events and story of the intervening centuries. But these bare dates and historical references are only the skeleton for the centuries of faith and life, with their hopes and joys and sorrow, of the people and priests of this parish and this area. Their faith and life remain the foundation of our parish life here. Their prayers and sacrifices are a spiritual treasury for us. Their struggles and achievements in building up the community of faith here, and notably in schooling and education, are the platform on which we, with the help of the Lord, continue to build the life of the Church in this area, to which education and schooling remain integral. Their joy is one with our joy today. It is with them that we are united in the communion of saints as we re-dedicate this Church. It is in memory of them and with them that we will sing later in this liturgy the Litany of the Saints to the honour and glory of God.

 3. For myself, I am honoured to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Paisley to whom it falls in history to re-dedicate this Church, and I feel at very much one with my predecessors of happy memory, Bishop James Black, and Bishop Stephen McGill, who opened the enlarged St. Joseph’s Church in 1971. I am sure that both these bishops are with us in spirit and in prayer. I sense also the completion of a work authorised by my immediate predecessor Bishop John Mone, who is happily with us today in person and who encouraged your Parish Priest, Father Brian Magee, to undertake the present enhancement of St. Joseph’s Church.

 4. Everything we enact in this Liturgy of Dedication communicates to us this message which in our hearts we know well: a Church is a holy and sacred place for the celebration of holy mysteries and for the gathering of a holy people. Just like the Chosen People of old, our hearts should swell with joy as we hear the Word of God proclaimed in this Church: let that Word touch our lives and fill us with light and inspiration and consolation so that we can be more faithful disciples of the Lord we love. Just like those who have gone before us in faith, we will gather to be made holy by the mysteries we celebrate here: The mystery of the new life of Christ in Baptism: you will bring your babies and children here to be initiated into the mystery of Christ and his Church. The mystery of Reconciliation: here you will come with humility and true sorrow to confess your sins, confident in the over-flowing mercy of God.  Above all the mystery of the Eucharist: you will gather especially on Sundays for Mass, the sacramental memorial of the Sacrifice of Christ who gives us himself as spiritual food and drink. Let Sunday, the day of the Lord’s resurrection, be the centre of your parish life. Here you will celebrate the joy of marriage when man and woman become one flesh. Here you will bring your loved ones who have departed this life and commend them to God’s love in the life of the resurrection. Here you may come quietly to pray before the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament and bring Him our hopes, our sorrows and our joys. A Church is a holy place for holy mysteries and for a people who is called to be holy.

 5. I share your joy today that the works here have been completed so impressively and that you now have unfettered access to your parish Church. I know that, encouraged by Fr. Brian, your parish priest, and by Fr. John, you have tempered your eagerness and excitement with patience during the time the work has been taking place. I know you were able to use Netherlee Primary School for Sunday Mass for a year of that time. I would like to thank the Head Teacher and people of the school for their kindness and understanding. I know too that, despite the inconveniences and difficulties of the last 18 months, God has blessed this parish with unexpected graces which have come from creative ways of dealing with the disruption. As often happens, the community gains new strength and unity from a common purpose and from a shared hardship such as this. I say again to you: a Church is a holy place for holy mysteries, and for a people who is called to be holy. This is the House and dwelling-place of God: may he abundantly bless you and your children now and in the future, until we are gathered together in the heavenly Jerusalem. May Jesus Christ be praised. Mary, Mother of the Lord, pray for us. St. Joseph, husband of Mary, pray for us. Amen!! Alleluia!!