Message from Fr Larkin P.P.
<p>A Message from Fr Larkin (P.P. at that time) on the Occasion of the Re-opening of St John the Baptist Church, Drumcree - 28th November 2004:</p><p><em>Original Text</em></p><p><em>&quot;I am delighted to be able to celebrate the rededication of our Parish Church of St John the Baptist. In medieval times, there probably was a Church at Drumcree - in Irish Droim Cr&iacute;che - &#39;meaning the ridge of the boundary&#39; referring to the elevated position&nbsp;of the Church near the River Bann at the boundary of the Archdiocese of Armagh. (Place Names of County Armagh by Kay Mhur). We know little about the silent church of Penal times, but local tradition has it that a Mass box was kept and used in Foy Lane. Ols Saint John&#39;s was probably built in 1777 and served as a place of worship for many generations until it was dismantled and rebuilt at the Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra, Holywood, County Down in 1986. In modern times, the new Church of Saint John the Baptist was built two hundred years after the old Church, in 1977. It was blessed and dedicated by Archbishop Tom&aacute;s O&#39;Fiaich on Sunday 16th October of that year. </em></p><p><em>When I was appointed to the Parish of Drumcree, it soon became clear that Saint John&#39;s was in need of refurbishment. The flat roof had begun to leak, the lighting and ceiling needed attention and the Sanctuary required remodelling. So here we are today with a refurbished Saint John&#39;s. I extend my sincere thanks to so many who have made this dream come true - our refurbishment committee, our Parish Finance Committee, our Architect Daly O&#39;Neill and Associates, our contractor Brian McAleer and Son, our Clerk of Works Gerry Gribben and all those who helped with fund raising in any way. My thanks go also to the parishioners not only for their financial support but also for the inconvenience involved during the refurbishment work. Thanks also to Saint John the Baptist Primary School for their hospitality during the months our church was closed.&nbsp;</em></p><p><em>The renovated Church is a sacred place at the very heart of our community. This is the place where we worship as a parish: where our children growing in faith celebrate First Confession and First Holy Communion; where our young people receive the sacrament of Confirmation; where couples exchange their vows in the sacrament of Marriage; where we bring our dead as we pay our last respects in the rituals of Christian Death and Burial. This church is the still centre of our faith where the sanctuary light continues to burn as a sign of God&#39;s continual presence among us.&nbsp;</em></p><p><em>Every weekend over many years people have been drawn to our church in response to the invitation of Jesus - &#39;Do this in memory of Me.&#39; I hope and pray that we all discover a fresh appreciation of the Risen Lord Jesus, present and powerful in Word and sacrament when we come here to celebrate the Eucharist in our refurbished church.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>
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