Come and enjoy free Summer Lunchtimes in St Paul’s Glenageary; Masonic Charity Service at St Columb’s Cathedral; Children’s Ministry training events with Nick Harding; Irish priest being sued for alleged rape in USA; Irish columnist says Cardinal O’Malley broke a deal on Kenny commencement
Come and enjoy free Summer Lunchtimes in St Paul’s Glenageary
During Thursday lunchtimes in June and July, St Paul’s Glenageary is initiating a series of free arts events in their newly restored church.
Each week a local arts group will be invited to perform in the church – everything from local school choirs, Feis Ceoil winners, renowned jazz musician Ronan Guilfoyle, a dance group, a talk by internationally famous author Bruce Arnold, or a reading by a local writer will feature in the series. Something to please all tastes.
So whether you are a visitor, senior citizen, student or parishioner and are in the Dun Laoghaire area at lunchtime on a Thursday, why not come along and enjoy one of the free lunchtime events in St Paul’s Church, Glenageary at 1.15 – 1.45pm with tea/coffee available from 1pm.
While all events are free, there will be an opportunity to support the local St Vincent de Paul Society.
Further information: Derek Verso 086 8564762 versod@indigo.ie
Masonic Charity Service at St Columb’s Cathedral
Irish Freemasonry – As part of the celebrations of the Londonderry City of Culture this year, the Provincial Grand Master of Londonderry and Donegal decided to have the charity services throughout his Province combined, and invited all of the Brethren, their wives, families and friends to attend a service being held in St Columb’s Cathedral on Sunday the 19th May 2013.
The Brethren are asked to assemble in the Bishop’s Palace from 2,30PM onwards. They will then be formed up and will parade up to the main entrance in the Cathedral, before processing to their pews. Rt Wor Bro Noel Drain and his team are keen to have a good turn-out on the day, and the funds raised will be given to the building fund of the Cathedral.
St Columb’s Cathedral with its tower and tall graceful, late Georgian spire, is built in a pure Gothic style of great simplicity. Architecturally, this is now known as Planters Gothic. The building is the latest amongst many that trace their origins from the simple stone built and thatched cells that formed the monastery of St Colmcille founded in 546AD. This is a building packed with history, with monuments such as the Tomkins and Elvin monument surviving since 1676. Then of course there is the Kerr McClintock monument on the north wall, and a collection of magnificent stained glass, telling the history of the city and cathedral.
We, as a society are entering a further period of uncertainty, and it will be the membership of organisations such as The Grand Lodge of Ireland who will step up to the plate and provide the men who will play an important role in their church, their community, and their society. Men who are apart of Society, not apart from Society. These are the men who fill the churches every Sunday and serve as Ministers, Elders Choir Members, Attenders, who are the back-bone of so many organisations in the community. This is why it is important that we all make a special effort to attend these very worthwhile activities and play our part in the celebrations of The City of Culture. There will be a cup of tea and bun in the Bishop’s Palace afterwards for all in attendance.
irishfreemasonry.com will be in attendance on the 19th to record the highlights of the day and provide a commentary for all who are unable to attend. We are aware of visiting parties coming from the Masonic Provinces of Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone and Fermanagh and a small load coming up from the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Connaught. Some of these visitors will be travelling from as far afield as Ballina, and we look forward to having a few brief interviews with them all. And I hope Brethren, that those of you, who are based in the North of Ireland next Sunday, will consider making the effort and joining with your Brethren at St Columb’s on the day.
http://irishfreemasonry.com/blog/
Children’s Ministry training events with Nick Harding
Down and Dromore is bringing Nick Harding to the diocese to conduct 2 Children’s Ministry training events at the end of May.
Nick is Diocesan Advocate for Children’s ministry for the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham and the author of a range of practical books for those working in children’s ministry.
An evening for Sunday School teachers, children’s workers and clergy will be held
Thursday 30 May in Moira Parish Centre from 7.30 – 9.30 pm. Free
• How do children think? How do we connect with children?
• How to give a talk – practical hints and tips
• Resources available to browse or buy
A Clergy Training Morning (or anyone in a ministry role working with children) will be held on Friday 31 May in St Mark’s Dundela, Belfast from 10.00 am – 1.00 pm (lunch provided)
Cost: £5.00 (pay at the door)
• Connecting with children in their world today
• How do we communicate with children?
• Practical tips and talks for children and all age services
• Resources available to browse or buy
Please let the Diocesan Children’s Officer, Julie Currie, know if you are coming.
Email: julie@downanddromore.org
Irish priest being sued for alleged rape in USA
thejournal.ie – A Californian woman is to sue an Irish priest who allegedly raped her in 1970 when she was 16 years old, US court documents show.
The priest, who is believed to be about 80 years old and living in Dublin, was visiting the diocese of Fresno when the alleged incident occurred…
…The complaint contends that a total of 25 un-named defendants – including other people within the Catholic Church in Ireland and the US – “knew or should have known” that the priest may sexually assault minors “yet did nothing to prevent this from … More at
http://www.thejournal.ie/rape-lawsuit-irish-priest-fresno-904088-May2013/
Irish columnist says Cardinal O’Malley broke a deal on Kenny commencement …
Catholic Culture – Cardinal Sean O’Malley’s public statement denouncing Boston College for honoring Irish prime minister Enda Kenny was a violation of an informal agreement with the Irish government leader and the Jesuit university, according to an Irish columnist.
Niall O’Dowd charges that Cardinal O’Malley reneged on an agreement when he engaged in open criticism of the plan by Boston College to award Kenny an honorary degree. O’Dowd writes:
According to my sources O’Malley had indicated agreement with a plan that would see him absent on the day at Boston College but with a plausible reason not directly related to Kenny for not attending.
The columnist says that the agreement would have allowed the Cardinal to register disapproval for the honorary degree without causing a major public controversy. But last week, as pro-life activists announced plans to demonstrate at the Boston College commencement ceremonies, Cardinal O’Malley said that he would not attend the ceremonies. The cardinal’s public statement clearly indicated that his absence was due to the honor for Kenny, who has strongly supported legislation to allow for legal abortion in Ireland.
The liberal columnist adds that the incident has hurt the cardinal’s standing in Ireland: “O’Malley had been seen as by far the most reasonable voice in the American Catholic church in Ireland but that perception, given how he has dealt with this …
http://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=17854 –