Father Jim ‘sad’ to leave Fintona after 18 years

FINTONA parish priest, Fr Jim Moore, said he isn’t relishing the prospect of finally saying goodbye to the local parishioners he has served through “sad and happy times” during the past 18 years.

Fr Moore will soon leave the area for pastures new in Clones.

But the Co Monaghan native says he has “really enjoyed” his time in the Fintona area since first arriving back in 2002.

Fr Moore said he really got to know the people of Fintona through births, marriages, deaths and the many community events that took place throughout his time ministering in the parish.

“As a parish priest you’re with local people at all the major events of their lives, like births, marriages and deaths. It has been a real pleasure to minister here for the past 18 years,” he said.

“Fintona often is unjustifiably represented, but the one thing which I have found out is that the people of the town and the surrounding area are so good-natured. Never once in my time here did anyone ever refuse to help and their commitment and enthusiasm realised a whole host of developments.

“It was the local people who worked to help refurbish St Lawrence’s Church and it was the local people who inspired and organised the very many community events which take place on an annual basis.

“As a priest, my role was merely to be there and offer whatever help I could.”

Fr Moore will leave the parish on September 1 to become parish priest in Clones.

The Fintona community has organised a collection to help provide him with a momento of his time in West Tyrone.