Remembering Vatican II: Some Anglican Perspectives; Confirmation Weekend packs out Castlewellan Castle; Children’s Storyteller Day at the Good Book Shop; Dublin Council of Churches Service Celebrates Legacy of St Patrick; March 2013 Standing Committee News; Stormont department rapped over PMS crisis; Primary school closures in NI revealed; NI Protestant man’s encounter with the Pope
Remembering Vatican II: Some Anglican Perspectives
SEARCH: A Church of Ireland Journal and the Church of Ireland Chaplaincy at TCD have joined forces to organise a colloquium to mark the 50th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council.
The event, entitled Remembering Vatican II: Some Anglican Perspectives, will take place on Saturday 13 April in Trinity College Dublin. A number of distinguished speakers will look at the impact of the Council on the Church of Ireland in particular and world-wide Anglicanism in general. Through an examination of some of the key Vatican II documents the fruits of the Council will be analysed and assessed.
Speakers on the day will be: Dr. Andrew Pierce, Assistant Professor and Programme Coordinator in Intercultural Theology and Interreligious Studies at the Irish School of Ecumenics, TCD; The Rt Revd Dr Michael Ipgrave, Bishop of Woolwich (Church of England); The Revd Dr. Kevin Moroney, Rector of Christ Church, Ithan, Pennsylvania and Adjunct Professor at the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia; and Dr. Clare Amos, Programme Executive for Inter-Religious Dialogue and Cooperation at the World Council of Churches, Geneva. Both Archbishops of Dublin (The Most Revd Dr. Michael Jackson and The Most Revd Dr. Diarmuid Martin) will also be in attendance and will give opening and closing remarks respectively. The colloquium will begin at 10.00am and finish at 4.30pm.
The attendance fee (including lunch and tea/coffee) is €30. The fee can be paid by cash or cheque on the day but those wishing to attend should register in advance with the Revd Darren McCallig by email mccalld@tcd.ie or by telephone (+3531) 896 1402.
The Colloquium will be held in the Neill/Hoey Lecture Theatre, the Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin. Pedestrian access is via the Nassau Street gate or the College Green entrance. Please note that there is no visitor parking on TCD campus.
Confirmation Weekend packs out Castlewellan Castle
The 12th Down and Dromore Confirmation residential has just finished with 165 young people and leaders gathered in Castlewellan Castle over St. Patrick’s weekend.
The participants, from 15 parishes, spent the weekend looking at what it means to follow Jesus and how to pray and study the Bible. They did this helped by our speaker, Jonny Harper (from Saintfield Parish) and by over 30 leaders who ran small groups for the young people.
There were also plenty of activities to keep people occupied such as laser quest, climbing wall, archery, laser clay pigeon shooting, crafts, cakes and a maze to get lost in! The evenings involved scary walks, movies, ‘Saturday Night Live’ (the girls won –again!) and the traditional disco! Feedback from the weekend has been overwhelmingly positive and much of this is due to the hard work of many leaders who helped out over the weekend in worship, facilitating groups and organising the 101 things that needed to be done.
While the Confirmation weekend is now over it is not a stand–alone event. It is all part of a programme of support for and partnership with parishes to encourage the preparation and celebration of candidates going forward for Confirmation.
Children’s Storyteller Day at the Good Book Shop
On Saturday 30 March, the Good Book Shop will be buzzing with a Children’s Storyteller event. It’s a great opportunity for children to come and hear stories told in different styles from among the many books and resources they sell.
The 2 hour event also includes face painting, a mini Easter–Egg hunt around the bookshelves, plus a very special guest!
The event is open to children of all ages, and parents are invited to stay and join in too.
The Children’s Storyteller Day is part of a wide variety of events taking place this year to mark the 10th anniversary of trade as The Good Book Shop. It all starts at 10:30, so don’t miss out on this Easter treat!
Dublin Council of Churches Service Celebrates Legacy of St Patrick
St Patrick in His Own Words was organized by the Dublin Council of Churches to commemorate the gift of Christianity for Ireland and St Patrick’s contribution to it.
The ecumenical service was attended by leaders of the broad spectrum of Christian churches represented by the Dublin Council of Churches including the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson; the chairperson of the Irish Council of Churches, the Revd Fr Godfrey O’Donnell; and the chairperson of the Dublin Council of Churches, the Revd Mary Hunter.
The service was also attended by Elder Fu Xianwei, the Chairperson of National Committee of Three–Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China. Elder Fu leads 25 million Christians in China and was on a four–day visit to Ireland arranged by the Dublin University’s Far Eastern Mission and the Archbishop.
Traditional and modern music composed for St Patrick’s words was performed under the directorship of renowned harpist Claire O’Donnell, who was young musician of the year 2011.
The large congregation was welcomed by Revd Mary Hunter who reserved special mention for Elder Fu. She said the churches in China had faced difficulties which churches here could only imagine. To enthusiastic applause she assured Elder Fu of their prayers for all his endeavours.
Speaking through an interpreter, Elder Fu said he brought the greetings of 25 million Christians in China. He asked the congregation to keep the Church, especially the Church in China in their prayers and said they would work together for God’s Kingdom.
In her address, Ms Hunter said that the St Patrick’s Day service was becoming an annual event in the Dublin Council of Churches calendar. She thanked the Dean for the use of the historic cathedral and the musicians for their contribution to the service.
March 2013 Standing Committee News
The Standing Committee of the General Synod met on Tuesday 12 March 2013 in Church House, Dublin. The March meeting deals with a considerable body of material for consideration at the General Synod which will meet in Armagh from 9–11 May 2013, beginning at 10.00a.m.
The Priorities Committee report is an annual highlight at the March meeting of Standing Committee. Priorities Committee Chairperson, Mr Roy Totten, proposed and the Standing Committee agreed that diocesan targets should not be raised for 2014. This year, the Priorities Fund will disburse €498,149 in 48 grants.
Charities legislation in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is currently the subject of consultation by the two Governments. In the Republic of Ireland, an initial consultation has been launched to consider how the Regulatory Authority may be set up and begin its work to establish a Register of Charities and reporting. The Standing Committee’s response to this consultation can be found on the Church of Ireland website (www.ireland.anglican.org) under Information/Charities Resources and parishes and dioceses are encouraged to read it and to use it to assist their own responses. The consultation document can be found at: http://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/CharitiesConsult
In Northern Ireland, the Charities Commission is now consulting on Public Benefit Guidance and Registration Guidance. The following people were appointed to a Working Group to respond to the two consultations: Ms June Butler, Mr David Cromie, the Revd George Davison, Ms Cynthia Cherry. Further details on the consultation in Northern Ireland can be found at: http://www.charitycommissionni.org.uk/About_us/Currentconsulations.aspx
The Charity Commission for Northern Ireland will be conducting a number of public consultation events throughout Northern Ireland during March and April. Parishes are encouraged to attend.
The Honorary Secretaries reported that they have written to the Taoiseach welcoming the Irish Government’s decision to re–open bi–lateral meetings with faith groups and have requested a meeting on behalf of the Church of Ireland. The Standing Committee requested the Primate to sign the account of the Standing Committee General Purposes Fund for the year ended 31 December 2012 and the Standing Committee Receipts and Disbursements Account.
Select Committee on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief
Responding to the Resolution passed by the General Synod in 2012, the Standing Committee considered a proposal for the creation of a Select Committee on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief. The proposal, which is to be brought before to General Synod in May, envisages a body that will enable the Church to continue its listening, dialogue and learning process on all issues concerning human sexuality in the context of Christian belief.
The Select Committee would have a two year term of office.
The Representative Body later considered a request to issue a report under Standing Order 52 of General Synod to give General Synod assurance that the funds are in place before the Committee is established. Progress was made towards a list of members to serve on the Select Committee for consideration at General Synod, with any additional names to be forwarded by members to the Honorary Secretaries by 22 March to help them bring a completed list to the Standing Committee in April.
Appointments, resignations & invitations
The Most Revd Michael Jackson and the Revd Niall Sloane to attend the Four Nations Anglican Faith and Order Meeting in Woking, Surrey in October 2013
The Revd Andrew Orr to be the Church of Ireland Representative on Eco–Congregations Ireland. The Revd Elaine Murray was thanked for her service in this position.
The Moravian Church will be invited to send a representative to General Synod in Armagh.
Mrs Ethne Harkness and Ven Robin Bantry White to serve as the two Honorary Secretaries on the Executive Committee of the Board of Education
Mr Andrew McNeile has resigned from the Budget Sub–Committee. Mr McNeile was thanked for his service.
Fees amended
The Standing Committee agreed to increase the fees in the Republic of Ireland for searches in parish registers to correspond to similar price increases with the General Registry Office (RI) as follows: – A fee of €20 for each additional copy of an entry in register of baptisms or burials; – A fee of €2 for a search of a five year span of marriage registers; – A fee of €20 for a general search of marriage registers; – A fee of €20 for a certified copy of an entry in the registers.
Child Protection Officer (NI) and Child Protection Officer (RI) Review
The Honorary Secretaries noted that since the last review of these positions in 2010, it has become apparent that the role of Child Protection Officers has become vitally important and should be regarded as permanent. Standing Committee supported this view and agreed that in future, reviews should focus on the role descriptions in the light of changing legislation and procedures, in particular the development of policy in respect of vulnerable adults.
Royalties Fund
The following grants were recommended:
• €4000 towards the commissioning, drafting, designing and printing of two new leaflets (on episcopacy and liturgy) for the APCK;
• €37,500 to the Allocations Committee to contribute to the cost of activities relevant to the fund;
• €16,000 to facilitate purchase of stock relevant to parishes (parish registers etc) from the Sunday School Society following the closure of their shop in Holy Trinity Church, Rathmines.
General Synod 2013 – Reports
Committees reporting to the Standing Committee presented their reports which will be considered at General Synod in May.
Synod Motion on Amendments to Constitution of the Standing Committee
The Standing Committee will propose two amendments to the Constitution of the Standing Committee of the General Synod to enable nominations to be made by e–mail (Section 5) and expanding the definition of the phrase ‘in writing’ to include communications by e–mail (Section 1).
Bills recommended to General Synod
Standing Committee agreed to recommend four Bills to General Synod: Bill to clarify status of Deacon–Interns; Bill to allow for the Amendment of Forms; Bill to Prevent Automatic Re–nomination to General Synod; Bill to Provide for Record Keeping.
MEDIA REVIEW
Stormont department rapped over PMS crisis
News Letter – A Stormont department failed to properly scrutinise the activities of the ill-fated Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS) before it collapsed in the midst of the financial crisis, a watchdog has found.
Northern Ireland Ombudsman Tom Frawley said “maladministration” in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) meant it did not establish that the PMS was engaging in activities that it was not regulated to do.
Around 10,000 people with money in the PMS were affected when it went under in 2008 after it emerged that it was not covered by a UK government guarantee for savings deposits.
The controversial issue was finally addressed in 2011 when ministers at Westminster and Stormont agreed a multimillion-pound rescue package which meant shareholders with less than £20,000 in the society got all their money back, while those with more funds invested got the majority back.
When it collapsed, the PMS was not subject to regulation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), yet it was investing in a manner that required the authorisation of the FSA.
If the society had been FSA-regulated, shareholders would have been protected by the statutory Financial Services Compensation Scheme after it was placed into administration.
Mr Frawley, acting on a complaint brought on behalf of some of those caught up in the society’s fall, focused on DETI’s legal responsibility to scrutinise the activities of the PMS.
He found “maladministration” in DETI’s examination of the PMS’s annual return and said a “very limited administrative check” was “wholly inadequate”.
Mr Frawley said the consequence of this was that the department failed to identify that the PMS was acting outside of its legislated activities and was working in a way that required FSA regulation.
He said those failings contributed to the “injustice experienced by members of the PMS preventing them of availing of the compensation scheme”.
But the ombudsman stressed that DETI’s actions were not the sole cause of the PMS’s troubles and said society members did not require additional compensation above the package agreed in 2011.
The ombudsman outlined details of the investigation in the latest Case Digest publication from his office. The digest outlines the benchmarked Principles of Good Administration which Mr Frawley tests government departments against.
“Whilst no further financial remedy was appropriate in this case, I recommended that DETI revisit the administration around its registration functions to ensure these meet the Principles of Good Administration, and inform me of all measures introduced to prevent a recurrence of this maladministration,” said Mr Frawley.
“I’m pleased to record that DETI accepted my findings and recommendations and have undertaken to address the areas of concern.
Primary school closures in NI revealed
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/primary-school-closures-in-ni-revealed-1-4912672
NI schools earmarked for closure
Scores of primary schools in Northern Ireland are facing closure after the publication of plans for local educational provision.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21836731
NI Protestant man’s encounter with the Pope
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/ni-protestant-man-s-encounter-with-the-pope-1-4912781