The President attended Mass at St Andrew's Church in Dublin yesterday to mark the beginning of her term of office. The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, concelebrated Mass at the church in Westland Row, one of Dublin's oldest and best-known churches.
The administrator, Father Arthur O'Neill, welcomed Mrs McAleese and her husband and two daughters to the church, which was celebrating St Andrew's Day. Father O'Neill prayed that the period of Mrs McAleese's office of Presidency would be inspirational for herself and for everybody.
In his homily yesterday, the first Sunday in Advent, Dr Connell said the President's presence was a source of special joy. He wished to express delight at the opportunity they had to tell the President of their admiration and support.
"We thank her for the inspiring words of her address on the day of her inauguration, when she spoke with such eloquent conviction of the spirit of the people of Ireland. She is proud of us, of our history, or our achievements, of our ethos of generous sharing. She will be a builder of bridges in a spirit of reconciliation and love," Dr Connell said.
Mrs McAleese had evoked in their hearts a ready response to the unforgettable words in which she invited them to work in partnership with her "to dedicate ourselves to the task of creating a wonderful millennium gift to the child of Bethlehem, whose 2,000th birthday we will soon celebrate".
At the end of the Mass, the President received a brass vase which had been used in the church and was inscribed for her.