The saying, something old, something borrowed, something new, can in many ways be applied to the new Lurgan parish implemented by the Most Rev Dr Gerard Brooks, for the development and rearrangement of the Diocese of Dromore to meet the spiritual challenges for the "cure of the souls" in the third Christian millennium.

At first it was hard to evaluate the reception to the new parish as the constancy of the people's faith centered around the life of St Peter's - the mother church of Shankill - St Paul's being a new church erected in 1966 as a chapel-of-ease.  This was planned to accommodate the extensive urban housing development in the districts of Shankill and Taghnevan. However, in 1992, the confirming of the status of a parish church on St Paul's, and the appointment of the Very Rev Francis Molloy as P.P. engendered a feeling of achievement that developed into a sense of pride among the Catholic families in the greater Edward Street, Francis Street, Shankill Street districts of the town.  

DEDICATED PASTOR 

While many people, both clergy and laity have contributed to the foundation of a second parish, the main thrust for the foundation of a new church began in the 195Os under the influence of the late Very Rev Monsignor Edward Campbell.  A figure of importance in diocesan ecclesiastical affairs, and efficient parish management, Monsignor Edward Campbell, was appointed P.P. Shankill on the 20th March 1955.  During the early period of his assignment to Lurgan, the pattern of education changed considerably under several government proposals.  Since Lurgan was a major growth area with a large rural population, the newly-appointed parish priest was faced with the necessary, but enormous financial task of implementing a major school-building programme. 

In October 1955, a site for a new Girls Intermediate School at Kitchen Hill was acquired from the Sisters of Mercy. On the 12th January 1959 Most Rev Dr Eugene O'Doherty, the Bishop of Dromore, at a ceremony attended by the Mayor and Town Clerk of Lurgan, with representatives of the Ministry of Education, blessed the complex and formally named St Mary's.  As this project was being completed, plans were being formulated for the purchase of an eight-acre field in Francis Street as the site for the St Paul's Intermediate School complex. Work began here in 1959.  However, at the early stages of construction, veins of "running sand" caused major problems, resulting in excavations to a depth of 20ft to find solid footings. Building work progressed until mid-1962.  The school received its first pupils in September 1962, with Mr Thomas Keville as principal, and Mr Gerard McCrory as vice-principal. 

The building of a new church to meet the needs of a rapidly increasing population became a priority of Monsignor Edward Campbell.  However, from his appointment as pastor of Shankill, Monsignor Campbell, had worked so very hard to accomplish the educational needs of the parish, including relocation St Peter's Primary School to William Street, and build three new schools - St Teresa's Halftown, St Mary's, and St Paul's - the worry of this huge and costly undertaking seriously affected his health.  This situation was compounded when major structural complications arose during the construction of St Paul's Church.  The mental stress sustained at this period by the now-ailing parish priest in no small way contributed to his untimely death on the January 9th 1964.  

CONSECRATION CEREMONY 

The very Reverend James Haughey, a native of Aghaderg, succeeded Monsignor Campbell as P.P. Shankill on 1st April 1964 and arriving in Lurgan found that he had been appointed Vicar General.  He later received a Papal elevation as a Domestic Prelate by Pope Paul in December 1976.  Arriving in Lurgan he immediately became involved in negotiations to get a new contractor for the completion of the new church of St Paul’s.  In May 1964 Gilbert-Ash of Warrenpoint were appointed main contractors and work progressed steadily until the scheme was completed. 

The first Mass was said in St Paul’s on the Fourth Sunday of Advent 1965, and was officially consecrated amid great celebrations some months later. 

The official opening of St Paul’s Church was carried out amid splendour and dignity on Low Sunday 1966.  Arriving in Lurgan, the Primate, His Eminence Cardinal Conway, Archbishop of Armagh, was accorded a Liturgical reception at St Peter’s, North Street, after which he was taken in a cavalcade of cars decorated with Papal flags, bunting and banners.  Arriving at Francis Street, the Cardinal was received at the entrance to the new church by the parish parties, Right Reverend Monsignor Haughey. 

The dedication centered on the Solemn Mass, with the Cardinal Archbishop Conway, presiding.  The celebrant of the liturgy was the Very Rev J P Burke P.P. Clonduff, assisted by the deacon, Rev Rory McKee, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and sub-deacon, Rev Gerard McCrory, St Patrick's College, Carlow, - all three being natives of Lurgan.  The Master of Ceremonies was Rev P. Smyth C.C. Shankill.  In addition to Most Rev Dr. O'Doherty, Bishop of Dromore, two other bishops were in attendance, the Most Rev Dr. McFeely, Bishop of Raphoe, who preached an emotive sermon dwelling on the poignancy of the occasion, and Most Rev Dr Philbin Bishop of Down and Connor.  Assisting the Cardinal were the Right Rev Monsignor Haughey P.P. V.G. Shankill and the Right Rev Dean Mooney P.P. Seagoe.  Among the large number of clergy in the sanctuary were the Right Rev Monsignor P J Mullally V.G. Down and Connor; Right Rev Monsignor J Quinn P.P. V.G. Dungannon, Very Reverend Monsignor T Boyle P.P. Kilbroney; Very Reverend T Canon Pettit P.P. Tullylish; Very Reverend A Canon McMullan P.P. Dromara, Very Reverend E Canon Rice P.P. Portadown; Very Reverend R Wall O.P. Prior of St Catherine’s Newry; and the Reverend John McAnuff President of St Colman’s College Newry. 

St Paul's was one of the first of the new generation of Catholic churches, with a non-traditional grey plasterwork exterior finish and a distinctive copper roof and slim tower.  At either side of the atrium or entrance were added two hexagonal rooms, each with a separate entrance; the room to the right was to be the baptistry, that to the left, the mortuary.  However, the middle of the 1960s was to witness great changes in the approach to public worship in Catholicism; the mortuary was seldom used as the then recent practice of bringing the remains of the deceased to church on the evening before the Requiem Mass disappeared almost as quickly as it had been introduced.  The new guidelines for the Rite of Baptism which emerged during and after the second Vatican Council decreed that those seeking Baptism were no longer to be regarded or treated as catechumens and restricted to the very rear of the church, the traditional location of the baptism font. Instead, all baptisms were to be administered at the front of the church adjacent to the sanctuary, thus, a new and almost unique feature of St Paul's Church, viz a special room for baptisms, was in practice seldom used. 

In comparison with older urban Catholic churches, the interior of St Paul's Church is quite plain; decorative mosaic was not used except in facing the many slender pillars and then only in monocolour pattern.  The long broad mahogany seats were carved locally.  The large carved crucifix which hangs above the altar was a present from the parish priest, Monsignor James Haughey.  The local Sisters of Mercy donated the ornate altar to the parish and the large black and white plaster tabloid depicting the motto of Saint Paul, IMITATORES MEI ESTOTE, which is located above the church entrance door, was a present from the architect. 

Many other items of liturgical and furnishing importance were gifts from individuals and associations within the large and populous parish of Shankill. It may well be that St Paul's was the first if not the only Catholic church within the region at the time of its construction to have only one altar; it was traditional for all Catholic churches, large and small, to have three altars at the front of the church, viz the High Altar for the day's main worship, and two 'side altars', for additional worship, one dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the other dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Since its opening, St Paul's Church has helped many to attend Mass often with little inconvenience and the steady stream of the faithful who make frequent daily visits emphasises the correctness of the siting of the new church.  The site was donated to the Parish by Miss Emma Donnelly, a lady whose life was full of good Christian deeds.  The parish's clerk-of-works, Eddie Hamill, who gave great service during the building of the church and local schools, died shortly after St Paul's was opened.  The choir associated with St Paul's, under the direction of Mrs E McLaughlin (organist) is surely one of the riches of the parish.  

PARISH CHURCH 

Over the next sixteen years St Paul's remained a chapel-of-ease.  However, on Friday 4th September 1982, the sacred structure was raised to the dignity of a Parish Church, and the ancient parish of Shankill was divided into two separate parishes.  The parochial administration encompasses Annaloiste, Boconnell, Knockramer, Silverwood, Shankill, Taghnevan, Tannaghmore South, Toberhewey Aughnacloy, Tiersogue, part of Lurgan, Drumnakelly, Ballyblagh, Dougher, Knocknashane, Derry, Turmoyra, and part of Ballinamoney and Moyraverty.  The parish was sub-divided by drawing a straight line through Lurgan town from 'Blough to Lough Neagh' rather than circumscribing several townlands to denote the boundary between the two new parish entities.  However, there is no diversity in the alliance of each church to identify with Shankill's ancient past.  In fact the adjustments in the subdivision of the parish has meant that St Paul's, has acquired - within its allotted proportions of townlands - the early foundations of the medieval church of Shankill and the still earlier lough-side Termon lands of Kilwilke, at Oxford Island.  

SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE 

The affirmation of Bishop Brooks installing the Very Rev Francis Molloy as the incumbent of the newly-founded Lurgan parish proved to be most effective, for not only did the new parish priest conspicuously exhibit spiritual guidance in the "cure of souls," but proved to be an exemplary parish administrator.  A native of Ardara, County Donegal, he was educated in St Peter's College, Wexford, and ordained 3rd June 1956, for the Diocese of Paisley in Scotland. His clerical career in Dromore began 1st February, 1960, with his appointment as curate in Loughbrickland.  Four years later he was appointed to the Craigavon area.  He was a curate in Shankill from 1964.  Sixteen years later he moved to Moyraverty, in January 1980, where he remained as curate until his appointment as the new P.P. of St Paul's, Shankill, in September,1992.  Fr. Molloy retired in April, 2001. 

Very Rev Gerald Powell, P.P. Drumgath, succeeded to St Paul's Shankill, in September 2001.  A native of Newry, he was educated at St Colman's College, and then in the Irish College, Rome.  He was ordained in Newry Cathedral by Most Rev Dr E O'Doherty, on 9th April 1972, after which he returned to Rome to complete his studies.  Like his predecessor, Rev Powell was no stranger to the area having been being appointed C.C. Moyraverty, 13th September 1972.  His first contact with St Paul's came when he was appointed C.C. Shankill, 18th November 1977, and went to live in the newly-purchased residence in Taghnevan, for curates attached to St Paul's.  In August 1989, he was transferred to Warrenpoint as C.C. Clonallon. On 17th September 1998, he was appointed P.P. Drumgath, and in the following year, was appointed Chancellor of Dromore.  Very Rev Powell was appointed P.P. St Paul's, 14th September 2001, and Financial Administrator of the Dromore Diocese, 21st July 2003. 

The assistant priests in the new parish of St Paul's, Shankill, have provided great spiritual leadership for the heavily-populated district. Fr Brian Brown and Fr Colom Wright worked as a most effective team until 1996, when they were replaced by two Newry-born priests, Fr Ian Coulter and Fr Tom McAteer.  They in turn moved on, and the present curate is Newry-born Fr Desmond Mooney.