Our Church of Christ the King 1931-2006
In the mid 1920s, the South Parish of Cork City had grown in both population and area to a point where it could no longer function with a single church. In an effort to address the situation, the Bishop of Cork, Rev. Daniel Cohalan. designated Turner's Cross as the location for a second parish church to serve the ever growing congregation.
It was the result of reading an article by American architect Barry Byrne that the Bishop's attention was caught. By the late 20s Byrne, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright, had already designed three Catholic churches in the US, all of which received acclaim and criticism for their bold and innovative designs.
Looking back at the 1920s in Ireland, the society and Catholic Church would today be regarded as very traditional. The idea of a futuristic design by a foreign architect would alone have fuelled strong opposition toward Bishop Cohalan. This, as it turned out, was only the start of many problems to come.
The first model of the Turners Cross Church was based on a brick exterior/interior and featured a suspended wooden ceiling. It was a development on a previous Byrne design. However, this design was subject to an overall cost restriction of £30,000 with £20,000 allocated for the building and the remaining £10,000 kept for the inner furnishings.
After some investigation, site supervising Cork architect J. R. Boyd Barrett reported that a brick and wood building could not be accomplished on a £20,000 budget and suggested that a complete concrete construction with plaster ceiling would be more realistic.
The reissued model depicted a new departure in Byrnes style and the Church of Christ the King became the first Irish church ever built from concrete. The innovative design and its use of concrete was very likely the first large-scale application of re-enforced concrete construction in Ireland. We must remember that ready-mix cement was unheard of at the time. It was a complete shake-up of the building industry in Ireland.
Prior to construction, Barry Byrne and his wife, Annette Cremin Byrne visited Cork to view the site and meet with Bishop Cohalan to discuss the final details of the project. Work began in March 1929. (More of the history next week).
First drawing of church with inscription: "Sketched on Shipboard – En route to Ireland – 1st stage of Idea"
(click to enlarge)
Pope Benedict asks our prayers as he prepares to travels to Turkey during the coming week. Speaking in St. Perer's on Sunday he said. –
"With confidence, I wish to follow in the footsteps of my venerated predecessors, Paul VI and John XXIII, and I invoke the heavenly protection of Blessed John XXIII, who for 10 years was apostolic delegate in Turkey and felt great affection and esteem for that nation. I ask all of you to accompany me with prayer so that this pilgrimage may bring all the fruits willed by God."
Autumn Dues
Our thanks to the Area Collectors who collected the envelopes for the Autumn Dues in the Sacristy last weekend much appreciated.
Turners Cross Senior Citizens Christmas Party
in the new Nemo Rangers Complex, Trabeg, on Friday 8th Dec. at 7.30pm. Please hand in names to Parish Office or to members of the Committee.
Pariah Christmas Cards
Parish Christmas Cards and Triduum Cards are available in the Parish Office.
Turners Cross Gramophone Circle
Recital next Tuesday 28th Nov. at 7.30pm in the Parish Centre. Presenter: Tom Maher.
Cork Youth Orchestra Concert, Classics & Light
Soloist: Cara OSullivan. Venue: City Hall.
Thursday 30th Nov. at 8pm.
Tickets: Pro Musica, Oliver Plunkett Street.
Home Visitation
Fr. Kerry will visit Hollyville & Beauford Park during the week.
Ministers of the Word
can collect their Missal with the readings for the coming year (C) in the Sacristy after Mass today.
Next Friday is First Friday
Fr. Kerry and Fr. Charlie will visit the sick & housebound at the usual times on next Thursday & Friday.
The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed from 10.30am to 1pm on Friday.
Parents Evening at CIT
Thursday 30th Nov. 7 9pm in the Information Technology Centre at CIT Bishopstown.
An Information Session: concerning issues relevant to parents of Leaving Cert. students, CAO applications, etc.
Exhibition: of the Full-Time Courses and an opportunity for parents to discuss queries directly with staff of the various Departments.
Walk With Me
Next Sunday we begin our Advent journey Are we attentive to the Coming of the Lord?
An excellent little book: I Am Here is available after Mass this weekend (Cost 1). An Advent journey of prayer for Advent 2006.
Christmas Shopping with a Difference
As making the shopping lists draws near, its worth reflecting on shopping with a difference this year.
Life-saving Gifts
Food, shelter, health, education, a livelihood … What more precious gifts could we give? When you buy a special charity Christmas gift, a family or community overseas receives a life-giving gift. You get a card or certificate to give to the fried or relative in whose name you bough the present.
The variety and price range is huge: from 7 (two specially designed buckets from Oxfam to keep water safe and clean) to 5,000 (the farmyard challenge from Bóthar, which provides livestock for 17 families). The Farmyard could be purchased by a community group, family or work colleagues.
Here is a selection of gifts in between:
10 A birth certificate, vital to access health or education in Mozambique (Trócaire).
25 A homecoming pack to help Sudanese families displaced by the war (Trócaire).
30 Support an African woman to start her own small business (Oxfam).
50 Essential surgery for a child with leprosy (Leprosy Mission).
75 Share of a dairy goat for a destitute family in Africa or Eastern Europe (Bóthar).
100 A water pump to give a village all the safe, fresh water they need (Concern).
200 a home for a Burmese refugee family (Trócaire).
They can be bought in person, by phone, post or on line:
Bóthar: 1850 82 99 99; www.bothar.org
Concern: 1850 458 400; www.concernwithlove.org
Leprosy Mission: 1890 50 51 52; www.leprosymission.ie
Oxfam: Oxfam Fairtrade Shop, French Church Street;
1890 60 60 65; www,oxfamirelandunwrapped.com
Trócaire: Trócaire Centre, 9 Cook Street, or Veritas, Careys Lane; 1850 408 408; www.trocaire.org.
Gods Word
Readings for 1st Sunday of Advent 3rd Dec:
1st Reading: Jeremiah 33:14-16. Psalm 24. Second Reading: Paul to the Thessalonians 3:12 -4:2. Gospel: Luke 21:25-28.34-36.