- 1st December 2018
Our very worthy recipient, Michael Murphy, succeeded his father Pat as sacristan at St Mary’s Church in 1986. Pat had been sacristan from 1963. Over the years, Mickey has continued the great tradition of faithful service to the church which his father passed to him. In 2010 he was also appointed to take charge of St Patrick’ Church in Oram, as Parish Sacristan. But Mickey’s contribution has been about much more than the role of sacristan. He goes way beyond the call of duty in his care for and love of the priests and people of the parish and the wider com-munity. His devotion to duty is a great witness to the joy of the Gospel in our midst. The award of the Benemerenti medal is a recognition by Pope Francis of the outstanding contribution that Mickey and his family have made, and continue to make, to our parish and to the wider church. We congratulate him and wish him many more years of faithful and fruitful service among us in this part of the Lord’s vineyard.
Mickey becomes only the second person in the long history of the Parish of Muckno to receive this Papal Award, the other being our late Organist, Sr Ursula Traynor who was awarded the medal in the Jubilee Year 2000.
