St Aengus’s celebrate 40 years of community spirit
By Mary Dennehy
MORE than 2,000 homes in the parish of St Aengus will receive a special souvenir booklet to mark the Tallaght parish’s 40th anniversary this December.
Blessed and opened on the December 14, 1975, by the Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Ryan, St Aengus Parish is this year celebrating four decades of community spirit, leadership and belonging.
Before the church was built, residents, many of whom had just moved into the new estates of Balrothery, Glenview, Castle Park and Castle Lawns, celebrated Mass in the canteen of Tallaght Community School – which, just opened, was the first community school in the country.
Over the years, the parish of St Aengus has grown to include Tymon North, St Aongus, Tymonville, Brookmount, Hazelbrook and Castletymon – with many of these new residents engaging with the church, which encouraged lay ministry.
A key focus of the 40-year anniversary is “a sense of belonging”, with all parishioners encouraged to be part of the celebration – which not only marks 40 years of St Aengus, but also of the thriving, growing community surrounding it.
Father Ben Moran, who was in 1975 the Tallaght Community School chaplain and was at the official opening of the church, told The Echo: “There is a sense of appreciation and gratitude to the 40th anniversary, gratitude to all of the people who have given so much to the parish and the community.
“There have been, and still are, so many community leaders over the years and we want to remember those who have passed on and thank those who are still with us. “The anniversary is about creating a sense of belonging and reaching out.”
He added: “There’s a very unique community spirit here in St Aengus and over the years the whole place has grown into the community it is today.
“While numbers attending Mass are not as big as in the earlier days, there are lots of community events, groups and services that show us every day how people are there for each other.”
Last Friday, a parish social event was held in the Spawell, with a special Mass to mark the 40 years also planned for Sunday, December 13 – with a special anniversary booklet also being hand-delivered to the 2,000 homes in the parish.
A parish retreat will also be running from December 7 to December 11 at 7.30pm each evening.
For further details call 4513757, drop into the church or visit www.staengusparishtallaght.ie.
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