Congregations prove to be good neighbours

I WAS delighted to hear about the Catholic parishioners in Carrigaline, Co Cork, who lent a church to the local Church of Ireland congregation after their own church was damaged

In November, 1940, the centre of Coventry was blitzed by the Luftwaffe. The main Catholic church, St Osburgs, was badly damaged by the bombing and was unsafe.

A few days later the vicar of St John's Church of England walked up Hill Street and asked to see the parish priest "I've got two churches would you like to borrow one of them?"

The repairs took about eight months. During that time the Catholics had to traipse down to Spon Street every Sunday to celebrate Mass in a small C of E church.

Many years later a local Anglican told me a story. One lady, let's call her Mrs Lynch, went by mistake to the main St John's church on the first Sunday. Being High Anglican, the service had both incense and singing.

Mrs Lynch was enjoying it so much the churchgoers hadn't the heart to tell her that she was actually in the wrong building.

Frank Conway,

Gortin,

Co Tyrone.