May 08 2025

V.E. Day anniversary marked at Civic Service in St Columb’s Cathedral

A beacon was lit by His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for County Londonderry, Ian Crowe MBE, at the end of a Civic Service in St Columb’s Cathedral on Wednesday 8th May marking the 80th anniversary of V.E. (Victory in Europe) Day. Leaders from the city’s four main churches led the congregation in prayers remembering those who gave…

Apr 30 2025

Bishops call for an end to sectarian attacks

Bishop Andrew Forster has joined his Roman Catholic counterpart, Dr Donal McKeown, in calling for an end to a recent spate of sectarian attacks in Londonderry. The PSNI are investigating a series of incidents including an assault on three young men in the city’s Nelson Drive area, an organised fight in the Waterside, an attack…

Apr 30 2025

Maundy Thursday Service at St Columb’s Cathedral

Clergy, Diocesan Readers and Parish Readers from all across the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe attended a special Maundy Thursday Service of Holy Communion in St Columb’s Cathedral on Thursday 17th April 2025. It was led by Bishop Andrew Forster, who was assisted by the Pastoral Assistant at the Cathedral, Reverend Canon John Merrick, and…

Mar 03 2025

Surprise visitor for young people at Confirmation Day in Stranorlar

There was a surprise in store for teenagers attending the Diocese’s second Confirmation Day in Stranorlar Parish Hall on Saturday 1st March. Bishop Andrew Forster – who’ll be confirming them at services later this year – arrived to speak to them about the big day and to share memories of his own confirmation, which took…

Mar 03 2025

Bishops appeal for prayers to save the harvest in Kondoa

The Bishop of Kondoa, Most Rev Dr Given Gaula, has issued an urgent appeal for prayers for an end to a drought which is threatening crops in his diocese in north central Tanzania. Last October, Dr Given signed a 5-year partnership agreement with Bishop Andrew which committed our two dioceses to support one another through…

Feb 22 2025

Fun, games and scripture at Diocesan Confirmation Day in Limavady

Around 30 young people took part today in the first of this year’s Diocesan Confirmation Days, which was held in Christ Church Limavady’s parish hall. The event was led by our Diocesan Youth Ministry Officer, Claire Hinchliff, who was ably supported by our Children’s Ministry Officer, Kirsty McCartney, and by clergy and leaders from a…

Feb 19 2025

Almost £20,000 in new grants announced to support mission in parishes

Four of our parishes will be in celebratory mood today after learning that they’ve become the first to benefit from the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe’s new Mission Fund Grant Scheme which was launched at last year’s Diocesan Synod to explore “creative ways of financing mission in the Diocese”. Glendermott, Christ Church Derry and Termonamongan…

Dec 31 2024

Church leaders’ 2025 New Year Message

‘𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘰𝘳𝘥, 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦.’ 𝘑𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘢𝘩 29:11 The dawn of a new year gives us cause to reflect on the past twelve months and to look forward, with a little trepidation and…

Dec 24 2024

Bishop Andrew’s Christmas message

Advent is a joyful season, a time when we look forward to Christmas and prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth – the moment when, as John writes, “the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us”. In many of our homes and churches we put up cribs to remind ourselves of this extraordinary moment. These captivating…

Dec 17 2024

New rector appointed for Conwal

The parishioners of Conwal with Gartan have today been finding out the name of their new Rector. He’s the Rev Adrian Dorrian, currently Vicar of the Lecale Area Mission Partnership (LAMP parishes) in the Diocese of Down & Dromore and a former president of Church Mission Society Ireland. A date has yet to be arranged…