Scottish Catholic Observer

Catholics from across Glasgow are looking forward to joining their fellow residents in celebrating the life and work of their city’s patron saint.

The St Mungo Festival 2014 kicks off next Thursday, with Church leaders, parishioners and school children from across Glasgow very much coming to the fore during the ten-day celebration.

On the evening of St Mungo’s feast day, January 13, Faithful are invited to attend Glasgow’s St Mungo’s Church, Townhead, where Archbishop Philip Tartaglia will celebrate Mass.

On Saturday January 11, Rev Dr Laurence Whitley, minister for Glasgow Cathedral, will join Archbishop Tartaglia at the city’s Mitchell Library, where they will read Latin and English text from a copy of Vita St Kentigerni, the 12th century book commissioned by Bishop Jocelyn of Glasgow to promote the story of St Mungo. Glasgow Russian Children’s Choir and the St Mungo Singers, led by Mgr Gerry Fitzpatrick, will also perform, celebrating the story of the birth of Mungo at Culross, Fyfe.

Other highlights of the St Mungo Festival include Mungo’s Bairns, when children from selected primary schools will tell the story of the patron saint in song and dance at the City Chambers.

The Molendinar Awards will follow, with presentations being made by Gordon Matheson, leader of Glasgow City Council, to school pupils. The pupils have worked hard on a variety of projects relating to the history and archaeology of the city.

The 2014 festival will be launched at the City Chambers with the annual Molendinar Lecture, which is being delivered this year by Sir Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer of Health for Scotland, who will speak on the subject of Glasgow and Health.

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