Mountfield to celebrate 70 years of church

THIS weekend, celebrations will mark the 70th anniversary of Corpus Christi Church in Mountfield.

The special 10am Mass on Sunday will be followed by an exhibition showcasing the church’s fascinating history.

However, many attendees may not know the fascinating story behind the church’s construction in the early 1950s.

While parishioners eagerly awaited building work to begin in 1951, the project became embroiled in a Stormont controversy which delayed construction by over a year.

The then Bishop of Derry, Rev Dr Neil Farren, used the Sacrament of Confirmation in Cappagh Parish that year to address the issue, criticising the Unionist-dominated Stormont Government for failing to grant a licence to allow work to proceed.

Bishop Farren lamented that, “Stormont deliberate delays the granting of a licence for the building of the new Catholic Church at Mountfield on the specios plea of the need to conserve both labour and materials for more essential purposes such as housing and industry.”

The Bishop, who served until 1974 when he was replaced by Bishop Edward Daly, said he was deeply disappointed that, despite laying the foundation stone in 1947, the church had not yet been completed. He reassured parishioners that, while there was concern over the available funds, he had faith in their generosity to see the project through.

At the Confirmation ceremony, a letter from Stormont’s Finance Ministry was read, citing the need to conserve resources and stating that they hoped to issue the licence later in 1954. Bishop Farren described it as “extraordinary” that licences were granted for other buildings, but not a church.

Finally, construction began in early 1953, and by the summer of 1954, the new church was dedicated. A large part of the cost was covered by a bequest from Mr Jas McKernan, a parish native who had died in America. The architects were WJ O’Doherty of Derry, and the contractors were McCann Brothers of Omagh.

As parishioners gather this weekend to celebrate the 70th anniversary, they will be reminded of the obstacles overcome to build their beloved church. A special exhibition will display artefacts and articles from that era, shedding light on the little-known challenges behind the construction of Corpus Christi Church.