ST. MANCHAN'S CHURCH, BOHER.

An entry by Canon Dardis in a parochial register at Ballinhowen runs as follows:-

"The chapel of Boher, parish of Lemonaghan, was dedicated to Almighty God, in honour of St. Monaghan, by the most Rev. Dr. Kilduff, Bishop of the Diocese, on the 18th July, 1861."
It replaced the old thatched chapel of Millane, that had been accidentally burned, and was a splendid effort in those far-off days. But it was never finished. There was no apse, no sacristy, no bell tower, no gallery, etc.
In 1930 the completion of this church was undertaken. Mr. T. F. McNamara was architect, and Messrs. Nolan, contractors. The entire cost of the works, including marble altars, stained glass, mosaic, gallery, seating, etc., was £3,076
The people of the district generously contributed, and His Lordship the Bishop added £100 to the funds, and generous help was given by the priests of the Diocese.
The work was completed in 1931, and the Solemn Dedication took place on 25th October, Feast of Christ the King. His Lordship the Most Rev. Dr McNamee performed the ceremoney of dedication and presided at the Solemn Mass which followed. The Very Rev. Canon Masterson, P.P., V.F., Mohill, preached. There was a large number of clergy from all parts of the Diocese present at the celebration. The occasion was one of great rejoicing in the district. The Ballinahowen Pipers' Band gave a selection of music after the ceremonies.

BOHER CHURCH DEDICATED

( From Westmeath Independent.)

St. Manchan's Church. Boher, Ballinhowen, was solemnly dedicated on Sunday, 24th October, 1931 by the Most Rev. Dr. MacNamee, Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, in the presence of a large gathering of the laity. A number of priests from various parts of diocese assisted in the ceremonies.
Following the blessing of the church, High Mass was celebrated by the Rev. J. Cosgrave, St. Mel's, Longford. His Lordship presided, and he was assisted at the throne by the Right Rev. Monsignor Dean Langan, P.P., V.G., Moate, and Rev. M. Kennedy, P.P., Cloghan.
The Rev. Father O'Donnell, Longford was deacon, and Rev. Father Donnellan, C.C., Ferbane, was sub-deacon ; Rev. Father McCormack, St. Mel's, was master of ceremonies.
There also assisted at the High Mass:-Very Rev. Canon Donohoe P.P.; Very Rev. Hugh Lynch P.P.; Very Rev. E. Brady P.P.; Very Rev. Canon Reynolds, P.P., Ballinhowen ; Rev. Father Higgins, P.P., Shannonbridge ; Rev. Father Doyle, P.P., Gowna ; Rev. Father Reynolds, C.C., Boher ; Rev. Father Columb, C.C.' Ballinhowen ; Rev. Father Quinn, C.C., St.Mary's Athlone ; Rev. Father Wall, C.C., do. ; Rev. Father McGoey, C.C., Moate ; Rev. Father J. Early, C.C., Longford ; Rev. T. Sheerin, D.C., Longford ; Rev. Father J. Plunkett, Columbeille ; Rev. T. Meehan, C.C. ; Rev. P. Flynn, C.C.
An eloquent sermon on St. Manchan, the patron saint of the parish, was delivered by Canon Masterson, P.P., V.F., Mohill.
At the conclusion of the High Mass a collection was held. Canon Reynolds thanked the people of the parish for their generous subscriptions towards the cost of the reconstruction of the church. He also thanked the clergy of the diocese for their support, and added that the Bishop and Canon Masterson were amongst the most generous of the subscribers.
His inspiring and moving address was then delivered by Rev. Dr. McNamee.
His Lordship was later escorted to the curate's residence by the Ballinhowen Pipers' Band.
Messrs. Nolan, contractors, Athlone, who carried out the reconstruction of the church, were amongst the general public that were present at the ceremonies.

REV. CANON MASTERSON

Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy House, and the place where Thy Glory dwelleth ( Ps. 25 ).
Taking the above as his text, the Rev. Canon Masterson said :-
These words of King David express the life-long yearning of his soul to erect in Sion a temple to Jehovah. He was not allowed to do because his reign was full of turmoil, and his hands were stained with innocent blood. To his son, King Solomon, was granted the coveted honour of building that mighty temple. The dedication thereof was not only the chief event of Solomon's reign, but became the outstanding triumph in the history of the Hebrew nation.
The temple itself remained to the end the Palace of the Eternal King, the home of priests and prophets, the source of inspired truth, the symbol and the citadel both of religion and patriotism. And so the Jews came each year for the festivals, to gaze proudly on the crowning glory of the nation, and to renew their faith at the Holy Temple, where God's Majesty presided.
We Christians, as well as the Jews, have ever "loved the beauty of His House, and the place where His Glory dwelleth." We, too, have had our joyful dedications, at all times, and in many places : for the Lord Jesus, God's Incarnate Son, comes to our churches with a reality of Presence, and with manifestations of love, which eve the holiest prophet of the older dispensation could never dream of. The Jewish temple enshrined the Voice and the Cloud, and crumbled away when God's adorable Son came to live and rule on earth as in heaven. In our temples we have not merely a Voice and a Cloud ; we have Jesus Christ, true God and true Man, repeating daily the tremendous sacrifice of Calvary, dispensing to us the countless and priceless treasures of the New Covenant. It is easy for us, with a feeling intensely deeper than King David's, and in a degree immeasurably higher "to love the beauty if His House, and the place where His Glory dwelleth" for ever more.

FONDEST DREAM REALISED

And, in fact, supernal joys of this kind are common to-day in every Catholic country. They are felt by the Irish people, here and in other countries, where they have emerged from a state of servitude, and are vigorously asserting their living faith in the Living God. In this very parish you gave loyal support to the late Canon Columb in erecting St. Columba's beautiful church at Ballinahowen, and the chapel at Pullagh. You have not been idle since the arrival of your zealous pastor, Canon Reynolds. You have acquired splendid Church property ; you have erected magnificent schools : and now in God's good time, after much sacrifice and labour for others, your fondest dream come true. At the call of your pastor and curates, you have with magical speed fashioned for God and St. Manchan this lovely edifice which crowns the verdant undulating landscape, and presents on all sides a vision of enduring beauty. Today is, therefore, the day of days in Boher. Nothing like it has been witnessed since the arrival of St. Manchan thirteen centuries ago. And in the ages to come many notable events are sure to happen ; but the dedication of St. Manchan's will stand apart. And my reason for this confident-perhaps boastful-prediction is two-fold. First, you seized on the chance of your lives, and erected this noble temple to your King which will bring delights and blessings to every true man and woman in Boher for many generations. Secondly, you have a cause of pride and delight peculiar to yourselves. Surely, in all Ireland, probably in all the world, no Catholic congregation enjoys a distinction like Boher's of sheltering in God's temple a Shrine of remote antiquity, whose intrinsic value no man, even the most expert, can estimate-so rare is it, so exquisite in design and finish : which you would not part with for all the wealth of this world ; and whose value in your eyes is enhanced beyond power of esteem or expression because it contains the authentic relics of the Patron Saint who came to your fathers 1,300 years ago with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.