Archbishop Emeritus Conti with Fr. David Wallace, Chair of GCT
This year’s ecumenical service organised by Glasgow Churches Together (GCT) was hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Cardonald, the new parish of GCT chairman Fr. David Wallace. The purpose of the service, as the leaflet for it reminded people, is to honour our national patron and to pray for the people of our country. Representatives of the member churches were joined by the St Mungo Singers, students from St. Andrew’s Secondary School with their Deputy Head Des McLean and members of local parishes.
Young piper Isla McLellan piped in the clergy to the tune of Highland Cathedral before the choir led the congregation in singing “God our Creator” to the same tune. Fr. David then warmly welcomed everyone to the service. There were scripture readings, beautiful singing and instrumental playing from the St. Andrew’s students and from Dr. Noel Donnelly on clarsach (making a welcome return from his operation). The congregation prayed for workers, the vulnerable, the church communities, our country and city, and finally for those who had been killed or injured in the Clutha Vaults tragedy four years before on this date and the Queen Street crash in December 2014.
Dr. Noel Donnelly on clarsach
The service ended with the congregational singing of the Lord’s prayer and the St Mungo Singers giving a sung blessing in the form of Chilcott’s lovely Irish Blessing, before Archbishop Emeritus Conti led the clergy in pronouncing the spoken blessing. The final hymn was one which is perhaps less well-known but very appropriate for the occasion “O Scotland Blest” sung to the tune of Finlandia.
The Lourdes parish community then treated everyone to generous hospitality in their parish hall, a lovely finish to an enjoyable celebration.
St Andrew’s Senior Secondary students
