Following the great example of Drumalis Retreat Centre Larne, Kirkinriola Parish Ballymena joined ECI in Autumn 2019.
Recently they were awarded an ECI Award plaque to acknowledge all the work the parish has undertaken towards Care for Creation, both locally with new pollinator gardens and home grown vegetables on church and parish grounds, wildlife habitat, Laudato Si notice boards and zoom lectures etc as well as supporting social justice projects in southern hemisphere countries which have been greatly affected by the ongoing climate crisis.
Kirkinriola is the first Catholic parish in Northern Ireland to receive this award. On Sunday the 31st July, at the end of Mass, Paula McKeown from Living Church Belfast talked about the importance of being faithful and caring guardians of the world that God has given us, at St Patrick’s Church Crebilly, and presented the plaque to the parish, it was received by Donna McCormick on behalf of all the groups concerned, including the 2 garden clubs, the All Saints Scouts club, all the Laudatio Si groups and all who helped.
The the flowers were pretty in the bright sunshine and everyone was able to assemble on the new patio area of the church gardens.
