New church being built at Culloden

It is nearly thirty years since Canon Duncan Stone, then parish priest at St Mary's in Inverness, identified a site and bought the land for a new church to meet the needs of the Catholic people who were moving into the new housing developments east of Inverness.

The site of the new church is not far from the historic battlefield at Culloden. The congregation is dedicated to St Columba, and for many years they have been worshipping at Duncan Forbes Primary School.

Mass is celebrated there every Sunday and Holy-day, by the priest in charge, Canon Peter Barry who is also parish priest of St Ninian's, Inverness.

At Culloden there are about 120 at Mass every Sunday. Over the years the congregation has raised over £250, 000 towards the new church.

It is faced with the prospect of raising twice that again, with the total cost of the whole project expected to be in region of £750,000.

The first turf will be cut on the building site by Bishop Peter Moran, and Don Williams, the Chairman of the Congregational Committee, on Thursday 20 December.

On Friday 4 January 2008, the people of St Columba, Culloden, will celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the congregation with Mass, which 90-year-old Canon Stone hopes to be able to con-celebrate. He also hopes to take part in the dedication of the newly completed church some time in September/October 2008.

Canon Peter Barry, architects 'Reynolds Architecture' and the Design team from UBC have put together plans for an innovative building which offers opportunities for imaginative community use, as well as its primary function of being a sacred space for the Catholic people of God gathering at St Columba's, Culloden.