Reports include Rector’s criticism of House of Bishops; Donkey and new Select Vestry; Stained glass in Irish churches
C of I rector: bishops are failing us over gay row
Belfast Newsletter – A Church of Ireland parish has carried out a survey which its rector claims shows overwhelming opposition to clergy in same-sex civil partnerships. Amid continued controversy within Irish Anglicanism about same-sex relationships, the Rev Donard Collins …
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/coi-rector-bishops-are-failing-us-over-gay-row-1-3616940
Talks continue at Cathedral
Derry Journal – Christine, Lady Eames, wife of Lord Eames, the former Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland, will be the speaker this Thursday at 1 o’clock in the continuing series of Lenten lunchtime addresses in St Columb’s Cathedral,
http://www.derryjournal.com/community/talks-continue-at-cathedral-1-3618637
Religious Orders search for abuse records
BBC – A group representing survivors of clerical abuse is told that a number of religious orders have begun searching their archives for evidence linked to child abuse.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17341366
Catholic Church in the North apologises to abuse victims
Irish Times – The Roman Catholic Church in Northern Ireland has unreservedly apologised to victims of institutional abuse and given assurances it will co-operate fully with an official investigation. At a meeting between members of the Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse group and Cardinal Seán Brady in Armagh yesterday, the church promised to appoint a liaison officer to deal with allegations of abuse in homes run by religious orders.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0313/1224313204298.html
Palm Sunday donkey and vestry
There will be a Palm Sunday procession in St Mary’s Church, Macosquin (Derry diocese) with a donkey at the beginning of the 10.30am service. The children will then process with the Sunday Club leaders around Macosquin village. In the middle of the service the new wardens and Select Vestry will be commissioned at the beginning of their year in office.
Stained glass in Irish churches
Irish Times – An Irishwoman’s Diary – accustomed to the uniform cold grey of the ruined churches and castles scattered throughout the Irish countryside. They have their own evocative beauty, but if we could undo the destruction caused by history we would find a warm world of colour in our architecture, with bright murals decorating many medieval walls, and stained glass filling elegant lancet windows. All church windows in Ireland up to the late 18th century were lost to wars, time, the Reformation and above all Cromwell.
St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, is a well-documented case. It was once the proud possessor of The Great Eastern Window, of exquisite 14th-century stained glass, so highly regarded that the papal nuncio, Cardinal Rinuccini, tried to buy it in 1640 for £700, which was then an enormous sum. Bishop Roth of Kilkenny refused to sell, but 10 years later Cromwell’s troops arrived and gave it their usual treatment – smash and burn.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/0313/1224313202905.html
Keeping the Faith
Belfast Telegraph – It was set up in 1887 to protect the Anglican Church and it still insures around 95% of England’s Anglican churches. English Heritage is also a major client, as are schools and charities. It also has a lot of business in Northern Ireland,
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/keeping-the-faith-16130235.html