Following a very successful mission, the people of Pobal parish (Tempo and Cradien) last Friday celebrated the rededication by Bishop Joseph Duffy of the £500,000 refurbishment of their church on the Main Street.

The works, for which the main contractor was local firm, Andy and Stephen Farry, included the re-ordering of the sanctuary as recommended under the Second Vatican Council, with, in Tempo's case, one main altar where the celebrant faces the people.

In his homily, Dr Duffy suggested that the two readings for the special Mass (from the Book of Nehemiah and the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians) shared a concern for the work of the Lord, for what goes on in church.

"They sum up the marvellous reconstruction and renewal which have been effected here, in this beautiful and historic church of the Immaculate Conception in Tempo".

He then went on to speak on the central reason and purpose 'of this wonderful work, on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass'.

"I have three points to make', he said. " The first is about power, about the power of the Mass to change our lives. The second is about beauty, about the inherent beauty of the Mass which explains its never-ending attraction, the simple fact that millions of people continue to go to Mass after 2000 years.

" And, the third point is what I call the humanity of it all, that the Mass is for all of us, who call ourselves children of God, no matter what our condition or station".

He referred, under 'beauty', to 'the meticulous crafting and creation of a prayerful atmosphere, such as we have witnessed here in Tempo in this renovation and refurbishment', and he went on:

"There is, however, another level of beauty which is more relevant here. This is the beauty that is within, beneath the surface. I am thinking of the simple honesty and sincerity of any given group of Massgoers which never fails to be impressive. I am thinking of their generosity and humility, of how this adds to the sacred character of the celebration. And to the beauty of it".

The congregation, Bishop Duffy and the special guests were welcomed by the parish priest of Pobal, Fr John Halton. In addition to the main contractor, he thanked Bishop Duffy for his encouragement and complimented, among others, the architects, Karl Pedersen and Kieran Mularkey of the Derry-based firm of that name.

The 'team of experts", he described as a working example of what the church was about: "It was obvious that, for this team, their work was no ordinary work, but a work done with and for God".

Mr Pedersen, in his foreword to the special rededication booklet, said those who were involved in the work were very conscious of the work of those who had established the church at a much earlier date.

"Old churches are steeped in history and, by their very existence, link us to the past. However, it is necessary from time to time to make changes that involve the repair and reordering of the church'.

He then explained the nature of the work, insulation and ventilation on the one hand and, on the other, the focus on the sanctuary ('where the central action of the liturgy takes place'), encompassing the altar, the presidential chair and the ambo.

Other members of the team included - Noel James, Clerk of Works; Eugene Coyle/Kevin Doherty, quantity surveyor; Niall O'Kane,mechanical/electrical consultant; John McNamee, mechanical contractor; Alan Leeper, Omagh, electrical contractor. The sanctuary furniture manufactured by Declan McCallan, Rocks Joinery, and Barry Feely, and the statues supplied by Kevin Kearney.