All Saints Church welcomes Revd Ian Horner to parish
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Members of the clergy, including Most Revd Patricia L Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare welcome guests to All Saints Church for the Institution of the Revd Ian Horner, last Thursday.Image 2 of 9
Revd Ian Horner.Image 3 of 9
Charlie Caton welcoming Revd Ian Horner on Thursday evening.Image 4 of 9
Fern Prendergast, Carolyn Horner, Valerie Horner and Cynthia El-Moselmany with Revd Ian at his institution last week.Image 5 of 9
Cllr Mick Dollard, cathaoirleach, Mullingar District of Mullingar Kinnegad, welcomes Revd Horner to the town.Image 6 of 9
Revd Ian with his family, Jenny, Sam and Leo.Image 7 of 9
Bishop Tom Deenihan and Fr Barry White with Revd Ian Horner.Image 8 of 9
Des Walsh gave Revd Ian a copy of Seamus O’Brien’s book on the history of the Famine Graveyard in Mullingar.Image 9 of 9
Civil Defence members, Imelda Bardon, Catriona Williams, Brian Gillen, Ray McMahon, Liam Bardon and Martin Moffatt, with Ian.Revd Ian Horner was officially instituted as rector of the Mullingar Union of Parishes by Most Revd Patricia L Storey, Bishop of Meath and Kildare, in a packed All Saints Church last Thursday evening. Revd Horner succeeds Canon Alastair Graham, who retired in March 2024, having served as rector since June 2009.
Revd Canon Craig McCauley, who preached the sermon, said that Ian and his family “are top notch”, adding that the new rector loves sport and music, especially U2.
Canon McCauley said that Ian and his family are committed to building on what Canon Graham began: “Ian, you lead with such grace, you serve with such compassion, keep being who you are,” he told the new rector.
The readings were read by Revd Horner’s wife Jenny and by Harry Haskins. The choir master was Bill McConnell and organist was Bláithín Cotter.
Canon McCauley paid tribute to Jenny’s quiet strength, unwavering grace, faith, wisdom and generosity. He acknowledged that moving to a new place was not easy for Sam and Leo, Ian and Jenny’s sons, and praised them for their bravery.
After Revd Horner’s institution, he mingled with the congregation. Then members of the congregation brought forth symbols of the teaching, pastoral and sacramental ministry of an incumbent.
David Gibson-Brabazon brought up a bible, Violet Medforth a container of water, Kundai Manzela the Book of Common Prayer, Sophia Forbes and Joshua Williamson brought up bread and wine, Sophie Doran presented oil, churchwarden Anna Roulston brought forward the key to the church, and Jessica Webster presented a towel.
Revd Horner thanked everyone for their warm welcome and asked for their prayers as he and his family settle in to their new life.
He thanked Canon Patrick Lawrence for his hard work since the vacancy at All Saints arose, and Canon Alastair Graham for leaving such a tremendous legacy behind, and promised to do his best “to pick that legacy up and to run with it”.
He prayed for peace on earth, for the communities of Mullingar, Killucan, Kilbixy and Almorita, for those who work in the emergency services, those who work in hospitals and care homes, for teachers and politicians, for those who are sick, and for those who have sought refuge here.
He also prayed for Canon Alastair and his wife Olive.
Revd Horner thanked the parish nominators Christopher Manzira, Mark Potterton, Catherine Gibson-Brabazon and John Hales for nominating him. He announced that he would be holding services in All Saints, Killucan, Kilbixy and Almorita on Sunday.
John Hales from Mullingar thanked “members of the Select Vestry, past and present, and members of the community who worked so hard during the vacancy to keep the parish community spirit alive and well, and to always ensure that things happened”.
He thanked Bishop Storey and Archdeacon Leslie Stephenson and everyone else who supported this parish since the retirement of Canon Graham. “A person said to me, ‘I’d be happy for Revd Ian to do my funeral’, so if that is not a good reference, I don’t know what is,” Mr Hales concluded.
Joshua Pringle from Bailieborough, where Revd Horner served for the last 11 years, said that the new rector had many great attributes and only one failing – he’s an Aston Villa fan.
He said Bailieborough was sad to lose Ian and his family, but he was confident that they would flourish in their new role.
The newly elected major of Mullingar, Cllr Mick Dollard, the Catholic Bishop of Meath, Dr Tom Deenihan, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Deputy Robert Troy, representatives of An Garda Síochána and the Civil Defence, and historian Ruth Illingworth, were among those in attendance.