The first Sunday in September this year is a special day for the parishioners of Mullingar and for the Cathedral of Christ the King, as it marks the 75th anniversary of the consecration of the Cathedral with a special Pontifical High Mass in the Cathedral at 11am.
The Mass in the Cathedral on 7 September will be followed by an outdoor street party (weather permitting) from 12 noon to 3pm to celebrate the big occasion. For this, Mary Street – which leads to the Cathedral – will be closed to traffic.
The foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid in 1933 and the new Cathedral was opened for Mass in summer 1936, and on 30 August, 1939, the solemn consecration ceremony took place, but the ceremonies concluded four days later. On Sunday, 3 September, 1939, they ended with solemn High Mass at 12 noon, at which Bishop James McNamee of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise was principal celebrant, and Archbishop John Glennon the homilist.
Cardinal Dolan’s visit
Cardinal Dolan of New York has been invited by Bishop Michael Smith to be guest of honour for the special Jubilee day in the parish. The visit by Cardinal Dolan, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, helps to maintain links between Mullingar Cathedral and the US Archbishop who was a key figure when the Cathedral was built and opened. Archbishop John Glennon of St. Louis, Missouri, a native of Kinnegad, invited to America to serve as a priest, was ordained there for the new Kansas City diocese 130 years ago, in 1884. He became a bishop 13 years later aged 34, one of the youngest in the world, and became Archbishop of St. Louis in 1903. He showed great support for Mullingar Cathedral in the 1930s, and preached at the inauguration in 1936, and again at the solemn consecration ceremonies three years later, and in 1946, after his death in Dublin, his solemn funeral was from Mullingar Cathedral, before his body was returned to St. Louis for burial.
The Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, a native of New York, will also attend the Mass, having visited Mullingar earlier this year during Holy Week.
Outdoor Street Party
After the 11am Mass all are invited to be part of a large outdoor group photograph in the shape of the number ‘75’. Then, weather permitting, an outdoor street party follows on Mary Street with tables and chairs lining the decorated street. The street party is aimed at building community, through sharing food together in celebration. People are asked to bring their own food such as sandwiches, salads, fruit, cakes, buns, etc. to be shared with those at the table with them. The organisers hope people will buy into the idea of bringing and sharing food with neighbours and friends on the day. The get-together is not about the food – more about the interaction among those present – so the organisers would like people to put thought and effort into making the party a success.
Fiona Kiernan, one of the organisers, hopes “there will be many picnic baskets and picnic lunches on Sunday week”. Altogether it is hoped that 400 people can sit at the tables along Mary Street. People attending the Mass can drop their food off beforehand if they wish, for collection afterwards. The Mary Street party is scheduled to last an hour with table entertainment and music. Tea and coffee making facilities will be provided for the occasion.
Fr Michael Kilmartin, CC, Mullingar, said there has been fantastic support for the idea, from local businesses, Westmeath County Council, the Gardaí, Civil Defence and local organisations, with voluntary commitment from many parishioners. He invites people to ask neighbours, friends and family out onto the streets around the Cathedral to share food with each other on Jubilee day.
“It is a simple concept but the idea is much deeper. It’s about putting the heart back into community”. Fr Michael highlights what can be done when people take a lead and work together to bring a festive occasion to Mullingar. “Many Westmeath people at home and abroad are proud of the Cathedral – the first church in the world dedicated to Christ the King. The Cathedral is one of the main focal points in Mullingar and dominates the town skyline as a reminder that Mullingar is an ecclesiastical capital of the Midlands.”
Linda Cunnane, parish secretary, said they are very happy the way things are shaping up and hope that Mullingar people will have an enjoyable day. This is believed to be Westmeath’s first street party and is set to be one of the largest ever to take place in Ireland.
