The Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross will make a journey of spiritual significance to him this weekend; he is returning to the parish where he was baptised in 1960.  The Bishop will preach at the annual Harvest Thanksgiving in the Parish of  Fahan Upper and Fahan Lower on Sunday evening.  The rector of the parish, Canon Sam Barton, and the Bishop were in the same class during their years at the Church of Ireland Theological College and were ordained Deacon and Priest at the same ordination Services in 1984 and 1985 in the Diocese of Connor.

The Church of St Mura, Fahan, Co Donegal photographed from near the gateway of the house Bishop Colton lived in as a child.

Bishop Colton said:

The house our family lived in in Fahan until I was three, and before our move to Cork, is less than 200 metres from the Church – St Mura, Fahan – in which I will be preaching on Sunday night. As it happens I was baptised in the other Church in the parish – Christ Church, Buncrana and I am hoping to go to see again the font in which I was baptised.  Our baptism is of immense significance for Christians.  As the Book of Common Prayer says ‘Baptism marks the beginning of a journey with God which continues for the rest of our lives, the first step in response to God’s love.’  I’m looking forward to the weekend ahead.