DUNGANNON
Drumglass Killyman Tullyniskin

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Dear Parishioners,
On this 4th Sunday of Lent St Luke presents a story that is familiar to most - the story of the Prodigal Son.  It would be a pity if familiarity prevented us from reflecting on the powerful message Jesus intended in this parable.  Maybe the following version of the parable might engage our interest and remind us of its importance:

The Prodigal Son - in the Key of F
“Francis the Foolish felt little filial fondness for his flawless fastidious father, Ferdinand.  Feeling footloose and frisky, Francis forced his fond father to fork over his share of the farm’s finances, then fled his father’s fertile fief.  In foreign fields, Francis philandered away his fortune on fancy fashion, fickle fun-loving friends and ferocious feasting.  Finally fleeced, Francis found himself flinging foul feed to filthy swine in a farmyard as a forlorn farmhand.  Famished by famine, he feign would have filled his flaccid frame with this food.  Fortunately the frazzled fugitive finally faced the facts.  Forging forthwith, he fell fatigued at his father’s feet and feebly phrased his feelings: “Father,” he fumbled, “I fruitlessly forfeited family favour…forgive me”.
The far-sighted father kissed Francis’ forehead and forestalling future family fissures a four fold feast with fatlings he arranged. 

The first born (Frederick) frowned upon his father’s forgiveness.  “That fathead free-wheeled away our family finances”, he fulminated and fumed.  The faithful father felt that Francis’s former foibles should be freely forgiven. “Filial fidelity is what fathers are for, Frederick”, said Ferdinand with feelings flowing.  “Forsooth the fugitive is found, so what forbids festivity?  Fling a feast!”

Moral: the Father is forever seeking those who flounder, and freely forgives.  The Father is a real friend, taking us at face value as he did our friend, the Prodigal Son.

Today is also Mother’s Day
God of grace and love, in thankfulness for all that you have given us through the loving care and hard work of our own mothers, we pray your richest blessings upon all mothers:
For those with difficult homes, whose children are more of a problem than a blessing.
For those whose children are far away and for those who are lonely.  For those who find it hard to make ends meet or go short themselves for the sake of their children.  For those who do not know Christ as their Saviour nor how to cast their cares on him.  For each one according to her need, hear our prayer and draw all mothers, living and dead, closer to you this day.

With every Blessing,
Colum Curry PP

When the parishes of Ireland came to be marked out from the twelfth century on, three parishes emerged which would one day be united to form the present day parish of Dungannon – Drumglass, North of the modern town, Tullyniskin to the North East, and Killyman to the South –East. The following town lands were appointed for the support of these three parish churches and their clergy: Rossbeg, Rossmore, Ranaghan, Derraghadoan, Tullygun and Tullycullion and Creenagh for the support of Drumglass and Tullyniskin, and Kinnego, Moyroe and Laghey for the support of Killyman.
At the end of the 15th century a Friary for the Franciscan Order was built at Washingford and endowed with the townlands of Ballysaggart, Killymaddy, Mullaghannagh and Mulboy. That was the beginning of the Franciscan connection with Dungannon and they continued to minister in the Dungannon area until the early 19th century.
St Oliver Plunkett visited Dungannon often and mentions it in his letters to Rome. In 1673 he ordained Roger Phelan for the parish of Killyman –as the three united parishes were then being called –and throughout the worst period of the Penal Laws this heroic figure served for over sixty years as parish priest of this parish. He lived in Creenagh and after his death in 1735 he was buried under a tombstone which is still decipherable in the old graveyard at Mullinakill. His successor, Fr John Rogers, was parish priest for another forty years. The life span of these two parish priests covered more than a century.
The growth of religious tolerance enabled the first Catholic Mass-house to be erected in the town in the late 18th century and this was succeeded in the early 19th century by the first church on the present site in the town. In the 1860’s it was decided that a larger building was required and the present St. Patrick’s Church was built. It was dedicated on Trinity Sunday, 11th June 1876. These are some of the roots of our faith today.

Go dtuga Dia duinn an creideamh a mhuin Naomh Padraig, patrun an pharoiste seo, dar sinsir i dtus ama, a choinneail ar lasadh inar gcroi fein agus e a thabhairt do na gluinte a thiocfas inar ndiaidh.

Church of St. Patrick's (1876)

Church of St. Malachy, Edendork (1814)

Church of St. Brigid, Killyman, (1786)

Church of Sacred Heart, Clonmore, (1837)

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