Archbishop’s concern for Iraq camp; Clergyman says post office robbers were ‘vermin’ who should be flogged; St Werburgh’s Church Restored & Reopened; Music; Shatter ‘prejudiced’ against Catholics; Research highlights alcohol link to suicide; Proposals for cemetery beside Children’s Hospice spark fury; C of I falcon
Archbishop’s concern for Iraq camp
The Archbishop of Armagh, The Most Revd Alan Harper, joined by a number of bishops and clergy from across the UK, has written to His Excellency Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, expressing deepening concern for the welfare of the residents of Camp Ashraf/Liberty in Iraq.
In particular, the letter condemns any threat of force against the people in the camp, whose status as refugees is recognised by the UN. The Archbishop and signatories call for the Secretary General and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene, saying: ‘We believe that the international community, the United Nations and the people of the United States of America are at one in desiring morally acceptable humanitarian standards for all people. Therefore, we strongly urge the United Nations and the Government of the United States to press the Government of Iraq to implement such policies for the benefit of the Iranian refugees in Ashraf and Liberty.’
Clergyman says post office robbers were ‘vermin’ who should be flogged
Irish Times – A Church of Ireland clergyman has said those responsible for last week’s armed robbery of a post office in Co Donegal should be flogged with a stick and made do hard labour. In a letter to the Donegal News, Canon David Crooks described the masked men armed with baseball bats who robbed St Johnston Post Office last Thursday as “vermin”. Canon Crooks said the time has come to end the “softly, softly” approach to dealing with criminals, suggesting, among others, corporal punishment by stick. Those who terrorised the young woman behind the counter in the post office were nothing but “violent thugs” who needed to be taught a lesson.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0717/1224320253549.html
http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/local/clergyman-says-raiders-should-be-flogged-1-4064058
St Werburgh’s Church Restored & Reopened
St Werburgh’s parish church, close by Dublin Castle and Christ Church cathedral, is now open to the public on a regular basis following a major restoration programme which began in 2010. The walls have been re–pointed and the entire structure made watertight, conservation work has been carried out on the windows and much of the original glass retained, and the vaulted ceiling has been restored.
St Werburgh’s was among the earliest Anglo–Norman parish churches to be created inside the city walls and is first mentioned in a letter of Pope Alexander III in 1179. Nothing of the original church, which was destroyed by fire in 1301, remains but a sense of the vibrancy of the late medieval parish and the richness of its liturgical life can be gained from Canon Adrian Empey’s edition of the proctors’ accounts of St Werburgh’s which was published by Four Courts Press in 2009. A new church was built in 1716, to the designs of Thomas Burgh but this was largely destroyed by fire in 1754. The present interior dates from 1759 and St Werburgh’s is considered the finest classical church in Dublin, although the loss of its tower and spire, taken down in 1810, has greatly diminished the impact of the west elevation.
The church has many historic associations. It was for a time the Chapel Royal and the place of worship of the Lord Lieutenant, Jonathan Swift was baptised in St Werburgh’s and Lord Edward Fitzgerald is buried in the crypt. The parish registers have been digitized and are available on the free government website www.irishgenealogy.ie while the Revd S.C. Hughes’ history of St Werburgh’s, published in 1889, is a fund of information on the parish and its people.
The parish is now part of the Christ Church cathedral group of parishes and is served by the vicar, the Ven. David Pierpoint, and his curate the Revd David McDonnell.
St Werburgh’s is now open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 5pm, and with St Michan’s, St Audoen’s and St Ann’s, together with Christ Church and St Patrick’s cathedrals, offers the prospect of a richly informative city centre experience of the history and development of the Church of Ireland in Dublin. – C of I notes, Irish Times
Music
Today’s lunchtime recital in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, will be given by Daniel Battle who will play organ music by Sibelius and Rossini and in the evening in Calary parish church, Co. Wicklow, the last in the current ‘Music in Calary’ series will be a concert with Finghin (piano), Elizabeth Cooney (violin) and Carol Mc Gonnell (clarinet). The Choir of St Polycarp’s church, Finaghy, Belfast, will sing the services in St Patrick’s cathedral on Thursday and Friday and on the following Sunday.
Shatter ‘prejudiced’ against Catholics
Examiner – Defence minister Alan Shatter has been accused of being prejudiced against the Catholic Church over his refusal to allow the army to provide a guard of honour for a procession during the International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin recently.Members of the Defence Forces have regularly taken part in religious events throughout the State. A spokesperson for the Department of Defence confirmed that a request had been submitted by the congress seeking Defence Forces’ participation in a street procession. Limerick TD Willie O’Dea, a former defence minister, accused Mr Shatter of “blind prejudice” in blocking the army from taking part.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/shatter-prejudiced-against-catholics-201057.html
Research highlights alcohol link to suicide
Examiner – Over two thirds of people who took their own lives in the past three years knew a family member or friend who had taken their own life or tried to. The research by the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) also found the vast majority of suicides happened within 12 months of experiencing a friend or family member taking their own lives.
The foundation’s Suicide Support and Information System, aunched by Kathleen Lynch, the minister for mental health, looked at 190 suicides in Cork between Sept 2008 and 2009.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/research-highlights-alcohol-link-to-suicide-201050.html
Proposals for cemetery beside Children’s Hospice spark fury
Befast Telegraph – Newtownabbey Borough Council is under fire after hundreds of people signed a petition to block a planned cemetery beside the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice. Signatories have branded the proposed 18-acre cemetery, which will be located within Valley Park, beside the hospice, as heartless. Newtownabbey Borough Council, which is bringing forward the plans, said space at the existing Carnmoney Cemetery is so tight that it will not be able to accommodate burials within 18 months, leaving space at only two, more rural, cemeteries in the borough.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/proposals-for-cemetery-beside-childrenrsquos-hospice-spark-fury-16185650.html
C of I falcon
Irish Independent – A falcon has become known as a ‘bird of pray’ since it took up residence in a church rooftop. Amused locals in Carlow town have noticed a peregrine falcon is now regularly perched on the rooftop of St Mary’s church. The falcon, who has been nicknamed ‘Mary’, is lodging in the Church of Ireland building.