Chai Brady
Local artist John Doolan, with his artwork on display at the Church of the Way of The Cross in Togher along with Fr Ben Hodnett. Photo: David Keane, Echo News An art display in Togher honouring Cork’s “unofficial patron saint” Little Nellie of Holy God serves to “remind us of our baptismal calling”, parishioners were told at the unveiling.
Fr Ben Hodnett of Togher parish asked artist John Doolan to create 11 pictures of Little Nellie to celebrate the anniversary of her 118th birthday.
He praised Mr Doolan, who is deaf and autistic, saying he has talents nobody else in the world has and that he created the artwork with a few pencils based on old photographs.
Speaking about Little Nellie, Fr Hodnett said she “calls us to remember our baptismal calling. At Baptism Jesus calls us to love and serve him in our own capacity be that as a priest, a parent, a grandparent, a sibling, or in Nellie’s case, as a little child who joyfully shared her knowledge of Jesus in Holy Communion with others”.
There is significant devotion to Little Nellie in Cork, who’s story is said to have moved Pope Pius X to lower the age of First Communion to seven. She suffered from several medical afflictions throughout her life, including curvature of the spine and died aged four.
After her mother died and her father could not look after her, Little Nellie was taken in by the Good Shepherd Sisters in Cork City.
Little Nellie expressed a great faith and understanding of the Eucharist according to historical records, and received her First Communion just two months before she died on February 2, 1908. She was born on August 24, 1903.