‘Greatly struck’ at a book launch in Whitechurch

Patrick Comerford and Horace McKinley at Whitechurch Parish Church recently

Patrick Comerford

Last night, I was at the launch of a new book by my colleague, the Revd Canon Horace McKinley, in the Old Schools, Whitechurch, where Horace has been Rector since 1976.

Horace’s new book, As I said … An Ordinary Priest Reflects, was launched last night by Archbishop Michael Jackson and Dr Harold Hislop.

I was Horace’s NSM curate for the first few years after my ordination, Harold is a former principal of Whitechurch National School, and Archbishop Jackson, did his placement as a student reader and ordinand in Whitechurch immediately before his ordination.

The book is published by Ashfield Press, and there was an impressive turnout last night of Whitechurch parishioners and clerical colleague with connections with Whitechurch Parish and with Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. Don Tidey, formerly of Quinnsworth was also there, recalling memories of his kidnapping and Horace’s role at the end of that appalling incident.

One of the many sermons reproduced in the new book was preached in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in 2003 and begins:

“I was greatly struck in last week’s issue of the Church of Ireland Gazette by Rev Patrick Comerford’s article on the story of the Church in Iraq, the Christian minority in that ancient land.”

Impressive too was the discussion last night of the difference between call and vocation on the one hand and career and professionalism on the other hand when it comes to ordained ministry and other walks of life, including teaching and medicine.