Archbishop Of Dublin seeks meeting with the Taoiseach On Bethany Home; New departure for Kilkenny College on fees; Bilingual Services Book Launched; Ugandan orphans choir thrills; 180 attend Bishop’s first Lent Talk; Limerick Lent Hunger Lunch; Youth post vacated; Media review
Archbishop Of Dublin seeks meeting with the Taoiseach On Bethany Home
The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, has welcomed the news that the Government has indicated that it is going to consider the case of the former residents of the Bethany Home in Dublin.
A letter has been sent to the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter TD asking him to establish an inquiry into the home.
The Archbishop met members of the Bethany Survivors Group on Monday evening. During the meeting the group detailed their efforts over the 18 months since they last spoke to the Archbishop and spoke of their frustration with the State’s failure to recognise their plight to date. They also outlined their plans to establish a memorial in Mount Jerome cemetery to commemorate the children buried there.
The Archbishop undertook to write to the government on the issue once again and to seek a meeting with the Taoiseach to discuss Bethany. He also told the former residents of measures he had undertaken to provide for their pastoral care.
Archbishop Jackson said: “I warmly welcome the Taoiseach’s statement in the Dáil and the undertaking to look again at the issue of the Bethany Home. Having spoken again in recent days with the former residents I am conscious of their feeling of injustice that the State has not examined the home in a similar way to other institutions.”
New departure for Kilkenny College
Kilkenny College announced today that it will stop charging tuition fees from September.
The College made the decision following lengthy talks with the Department of Education and Skills.From September, the College will cease to charge fees for tuition although it will continue to charge students for the cost of boarding.
The agreement between the College and the Department of Education recognises the distinctive Church of Ireland ethos of Kilkenny College which is under the patronage of the Incorporated Society for Promoting Protestant Schools in Ireland.
The governance and management structure of the school will remain the same. This agreement secures the long term future and traditions of our College as it works towards its quincentenary.
Headmaster Mr. Ian Coombes said today. “Most significantly our staff are retained to continue developing the broad curricular and extra-curricular range while access for pupils will be greatly enhanced by the reduction in charges.”
The new understanding with the Department of Education and Skills is one of the most significant and positive developments in the long history of Kilkenny College.
“It enables us to press ahead with curricular developments and our building development plans. It allows us to maintain the team of people whose skill, experience and dedication contribute so much to the success and happiness of our pupils,” Mr. Coombes added.
Background:
Protestant fee-charging schools have been excluded from the benefits of the free education scheme since 2008. That resulted in a withdrawal of support and building grants and an ever reducing allocation of teachers. Kilkenny College set up a strategy group to plan for the future in 2010. Although fees have been maintained at 2008 levels, falling incomes and rising taxes has made it increasingly difficult for families to send their children to the only Church of Ireland secondary school in Kilkenny and the South-East.
The school’s priority has always been to provide affordable access to a high quality education to Protestant and other families who choose our ethos and approach. To do this, we have striven to maintain a broad curriculum to the highest academic standards along with a high level of pastoral care and a vibrant extra-curricular programme delivered by our experienced staff. The agreement reached after very detailed negotiations over many months, enables the College to fulfil these objectives.
A message from Bishop Burrows states – “Kilkenny College has had a long and close association with the diocese of Cashel Ossory and Ferns whose young people it largely exists to serve. As Bishop of the diocese I welcome the imaginative and careful work which has led to this announcement. The future of the college as an accessible place offering a broad curriculum which permits every student to realise their full potential has been safeguarded. I would want to pay tribute to Minister Ruairi Quinn and his officials who have worked tirelessly with representatives of the college to bring us to this point. Kilkenny College will enter a new chapter strengthened in its commitment to excellence in the education of Christian citizens” Bishop Michael Burrows.
Bilingual Services Book Launched
A new Bilingual Services book will allow the Irish and English languages to stand side by side in harmony and enrichment, according to Bishop Michael Burrows.
Speaking at the book’s launch in Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday, the Bishop, who is patron of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise, said it offered a parallel text which would enable those leading worship to slide from one language into the other and people would realise that they had more Irish than they previously thought.
The book features Irish and English language versions of Holy Communion and other frequently used services. It was compiled by Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise and is aimed at facilitating bilingual worship and opening up the possibilities of new theological insights in the experience of worship. A CD is also available.
The launch was preceded by a seminar in the cathedral which was attended by a delegation from the Church in Wales who talked about measures under consideration to give the Welsh language an enhanced place in the life of the life of the church there. Texts developed by the Church in Wales inspired Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise to produce the book.
The Welsh delegation was led by the Bishop of Bangor, the Rt Revd Andrew John and included Cynog Davis, former MP and AM for Ceredigion; the Revd Canon Idris Thomas of the Diocese of Bangor; and the Revd Gwynn ap Gwilym, Bishops’ Adviser for Church Affairs. The Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, Archdeacon Gary Hastings and Dáithí Ó Maolchoille, chairperson of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise addressed the issues in an Irish context.
Bishop Burrows told the gathering in the Crypt of the cathedral that the Irish language was often seen as inaccessible to many. But he added: “This book offers an new opportunity for the two languages to stand side by side in harmony and enrichment.” He paid tribute to Archdeacon Gary Hastings who he described as “probably the most significant Irish liturgical translator in this generation”. He thanked Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise and its chairman for making sure that the Church was resourced with Biblical materials in Irish. He said that Caroline Nolan, the Cumann’s development officer, had brought confidence back to ordinary people enabling them to say “Is feidir linn”.
He also paid tribute to Archdeacon Ricky Rountree for his help in making the necessary copyright arrangements. He complimented Columba Press for their continuing production of high quality books for the Church of Ireland. The Bishop reserved special praise for the general public for articulating the need for the book.
Bishop Andrew John congratulated the Cumann on the book and its work and hoped that it would be a source of blessing to the Church of Ireland. He presented Bishop Burrows with some Welsh texts and said: “All of this is a simple expression of how you can change a Liturgical culture.” Bishop Burrows in return presented him with the Church of Ireland’s new bilingual book.
On behalf of the Liturgical Advisory Committee, Canon Gerald Field, said the new book would be a real asset to the Church of Ireland. He said he had seen similar texts in use in churches in Wales and New Zealand. He commended the book and the work of Caroline Nolan and Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise, on behalf of the LAC.
The formal launch of the new services book was followed by trilingual Evensong in Irish, Welsh and English.
Ugandan orphans choir thrills
Passengers at George Best Belfast City Airport were treated to a free concert from the world famous African Watoto Children’s Choir.
The choir, who is visiting Northern Ireland for the first time, is made up of children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, war, poverty and disease in Uganda.
The choir presented Watotos vision through stories, music and dance. Photos and videos from their performance at the airport can be viewed on the George Best Belfast City Airport Facebook page.
180 attend Bishop’s first Lent Talk
More than 180 people attended the Bishop of Connor’s first Lenten Talk for 2013, held in Dunluce Parish Centre, Bushmills, on February 12.
Bishop Alan Abernethy’s topic for this Lent series is the Ministry of Healing, and the Bishop looked at contrasting attitudes within the church to this ministry and highlighted some Biblical reflections, looked at healing and the Kingdom of God, suggested some ways we can seek help in this area, and shared his own thoughts on the Ministry of Healing.
There was time for refreshment and fellowship as members of different parishes in the north of the diocese enjoyed this opportunity to get together. The Good Book Shop stall proved as popular as ever.
Limerick Lent Hunger Lunch
Hunger Lunch, not that film and book. It is in aid of Simon Community and takes place:
Saturdays in Lent in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick, from 1pm to 2pm
The Cathedral congregation invites everyone to “join us for a Hunger Lunch of soup and bread”.
Lunch is free, but donations for the Simon Community will be much appreciated.
Youth post vacated
The Church of Ireland Youth Department has announced that Ms Jude Trenier has decided to leave her position as Youth Ministry Development Officer (Republic of Ireland) with the Department (CIYD) at the end of February 2013.
CIYD thanked Jude for her contribution towards the development of Youth Ministry in the Church and to offered her best wishes for the future.
MEDIA REVIEW
NI Abuse Inquiry to launch poster campaign
The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry in Northern Ireland is to launch a promotional campaign later in an attempt to get more victims to come forward.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21510278
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/child-abuse-inquiry-to-focus-on-35-sites-in-ni-1-4813948