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Golden Jubilee 1956-2006
In 1879 the Parish of St. John, Clontarf, was constituted from Fairview Parish, with the Church of St. John the Baptist as its Parish Church. In 1966 the Parishes of St. Anthony and St. Gabriel were constituted from the mother Parish of St. John. By then St. Gabriel’s was ten years old, opened and consecrated by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid on 28th October 1956, situated on a site donated by the Sisters of the Daughters of Charity, whose Convent adjoined the Church grounds.
Fr. Michael Murphy was appointed the first Parish Priest, replaced in 1971 by Canon Joseph Newth, who was succeeded in 1983 by Canon Con O’Dowd, followed in 1994 by the present Parish Priest, Fr. Micheal Hastings.
The Golden Jubilee Celebration was highlighted by a wonderful Liturgy on 15th October 2006, presided over by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. The Church was closed for the first three months of 2007 to facilitate a half million euro refurbishment. Its completion was celebrated by another major and moving Liturgical Celebration on 15th April 2007.
Archbishop Diarmuid Martin was here again, this time consecrating the beautiful original marble Altar, which had not been used for ten years, and which was now moved forward to the front of a newly designed spacious Sanctuary, with the Blessed Sacrament restored to a central focal point in the Sanctuary. Other changes involved a wheelchair lift into the Sanctuary, electronic doors on the side entrance, wheelchair accessible toilet, as well as a whole new lighting and sound systems. The newly painted Church brightened and completed the refurbishment.
Our Jubilee Celebrations closed on June 17th, 2007, with a visit from President Mary McAleese and her family who came for the celebration of Fathers’ Day Family Mass. A great day was had by all.
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