It’s a promising sign when extra chairs have to be brought in to accommodate the interested parties at any meeting and that was certainly true of a gathering of educationalists in Letterkenny’s Mount Errigal Hotel on Wednesday 27th May 2025 which celebrated the achievements of schools in Donegal run under Church of Ireland and Presbyterian…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
‘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…
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…
