A special mass was held on Slieve Patrick at Saul to celebrate the 1400th anniversary of the death of Saint Columbanus.
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Bishop Noel Trainor delivers his sermon on Slieve Patrick at Saul in a special commemoration on the death of St Columbanus 1400 years ago.[/caption]
It was a glorious day as the sun shone and by mid-afternoon, several hundred worshipers had ascended the slopes of the holy mountain to prepare for mass. It was a family occasion as young children laughed and played on the slopes and parents relaxed.
The Most Reverend Noel Trainor, Bishop of Down and Connor Dioscese, explained in his sermon that the Catholic Church is looking for a new vision for the young people of today, the future members of the Church, and that it may be necessary to consider different forms of religious training and instruction as the world creeps towards a growing secularism.
At the high point in the mass, as Bishop Trainor was blessing the holy sacraments, a young buzzard hovered over the worshipers, and alighted on a fir tree nearby to look on at the proceedings.
PHOTOS FROM THE COMMEMORATION ON SLIEVE PATRICK
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St Patrick looks down from the top of Slieve Patrick at Saul.[/caption]
Attending the mass were members of the Knights of Columbanus, from Area 2, one of the ten areas in Ireland. Columbanus lived from 543-615 AD and had a huge influence on the early Christian development of the Church in Europe, mainly in France and northern Italy.
After mass, the families had an easier walk downhill, and it was no surprise on this hot day that there was a long queue at Brennan’s ice cream van parked at the front gate.
It was a day that many will remember over the months and years ahead. Fr Glavin who was in attendance remembered mass being said several decades ago at Slieve Patrick  when thousands attended mass.
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