An order of nuns is to take up residence in a vacant parochial house in the east of the county.
The large century-old structure, St Joseph’s, contains two semi-detached houses, and is adjacent to St Patrick’s Church, Crossroads, Killygordon.
The last of the houses was vacated earlier this year after another priest retired.
The local Parish Priest, Fr Patsy Arkinson, made the announcement to parishioners at the end of Mass on Holy Thursday.
Fr Arkinson, who lives in another parochial house in a different part of the parish, said the issue was raised with him earlier in the day by the Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown.
“The Bishop, Donal McKeown, talked about the two parochial houses that are lying idle across the way here,” Fr Arkinson explained.
“He mentioned the possibility of a religious order taking up residency there. That order is The Order of Poor Clares.”
He said it was the same order that a young nun from Derry City, Sister Clare Crockett (32), belonged to when she lost her life in an earthquake in Peru in 2016.
“Bishop McKeown’s suggestion was that, maybe, they could take up residency here later this year. So, it would be great to have the presence of that order in our parish that Sr Clare Crockett also belonged to. Hopefully all that will come to pass for our parish,” he concluded.
Picture of St Joseph’s Parochial House courtesy of www.buildingsofireland.ie
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