Dublin Synod supports Children’s Rights Referendum; Joint Irish and US team commissioned for Sudan; Dublin & Glendalough Councils report; Events at St Mark’s, Lisburn; Wexford Exhibition Of Paintings; Clogher Clergy Conference; Irish ties to Israel hurt by NGO funding; Media review
Dublin Synod supports Children’s Rights Referendum
A motion urging the Diocesan Synods of Dublin and Glendalough to call for a positive response to the forthcoming Children’s Rights Referendum and to encourage the electorate to vote on November 10 was proposed by Olive Good (Councils). She said that thousands of children each day were denied the right to a stable family life in Ireland because the Constitution does not allow for children in long term foster care who were unable to return to their birth families to be adopted. She added that the Constitution does not allow the State to intervene to support families until the situation reaches crisis point and they can prove parents have morally or physically failed their children.
“We have a unique and historic opportunity in three and half weeks time to change this situation by voting in the Children’s Rights Referendum,” Mrs Good stated. “I feel that we need to encourage people to inform themselves and go and vote on the 10th November… I would urge the Diocesan Synod to call for a positive response to this Referendum.”
The motion was seconded by Canon John McCullagh (Rathdrum) who said that it was quite likely that the referendum would go through, but if it went through on a very small turnout, what would that say about the nation, he asked.
The motion was passed by Synod.
Joint Irish and US team commissioned for Sudan
The team is a joint venture between the Dioceses of Down and Dromore and Albany Diocese in USA. Later this year it will visit Maridi in South Sudan.
Although it has taken months of preparation and training, including interviews and training via Skype for the Albany members, the team that make up the Maridi META 2013 met for the first time this week in Jackson’s Hotel, Ballybofey, County Donegal. Many of the team were attending the Down & Dromore Clergy Conference and so it made sense to have the act of commissioning for the team as part of the evening Communion service.
Albany Diocese had brought a special banner with them which was used as a back-drop to the service. They plan to present it to Bishop Justin when the team arrives in Maridi, South Sudan.
The banner encapsulates the concept of three cords – Albany Diocese, Down & Dromore Diocese and Maridi Diocese, quoting Ecclesiastes 4:12, ‘A threefold cord is not quickly broken’. It depicts three different coloured cords, connecting the 3 dioceses to the Holy Spirit (dove). This reflects an experience that Jane Corbett had while praying before the Albany Convention. Jane explains:
“While in prayer I saw a three stranded cord. Kevin Steckline found the verse and his wife Donna help make it into a banner and the rest is history.”
Before the Commissioning Alison Cadden and the impromptu Conference Choir sang a new song written by Alison and based on the Ecclesiastes verse. “There was an incredible sense of unity and togetherness as the congregation laid hands and prayed over the three groups, including the Maridi team, who were being commissioned”, comments David Gould.
The ten-strong Maridi team includes Bishop Miller, Bishop Love, Kevin and Donna Steckline, Rory and Jane Corbett, Annette McGrath, John Hamilton and Trevor Buchanan and is led by CMS Ireland’s David Gough. Half of the team have visited Maridi before (on nine occasions in Jane’s case!), but this will be the first visit for Bishop Love, Rory, Annette and John.
During their 10 days in South Sudan, the team will participate in a Youth Conference, provide medical support, lead a healing service and make ministry visits to two Archdeaconries that have been affected by Lord’s Resistance Army incursion.
Dublin & Glendalough Councils report
At the Dublin & Glendalough Synod this week the report of the Diocesan Councils was proposed by Revd Cliff Jeffers (Athy) who highlighted the activities of Councils over the year. He said 3Rock had helped to raise the profile of youth work in the dioceses in the last nine years. He said the focus of the organisation had changed to pre–confirmation preparation and post–confirmation follow–up. On the issue of third level chaplains he pointed out that only TCD had a full–time Church of Ireland chaplain at the moment.
Under Ministry to the International Community he thanked the Discovery committee, in particular Canon Horace McKinley, for their work. He noted that the committee was struggling to carry out its mission as members worked on an entirely voluntary basis. A review of their strategy is now underway, he said.
Mr Jeffers said a review had been undertaken of Diocesan Camps and explained that it had been decided to establish senior and junior camps and plans had been made for the holding of each for next summer.
He said that a review of the Diocesan Council for Social Action had been undertaken and the committee had been divided into two groups – one to continue to keep parishes informed of potential areas for social action and the other to focus on the inner city.
The report was seconded by Geoffrey Perrin (Hon Sec Dublin) who focussed on three areas linked by different expressions of worship and witness. He highlighted the very successful Diocesan Growth Forum which took place in the High School on October 6. Following on from the forum he said there was desire to share the experience more widely and to that end the Diocesan Growth Forum website had been set up – www.growthforum.net which provides access to the videos taken at the forum and the speakers’ addresses and slides. He said the Diocesan Growth Group of Revd Ted Woods, Andrew McNeile and himself were available to help parishes find fresh expressions of church.
Mr Perrin also highlighted the Good Friday Procession which saw Archbishop Michael Jackson and his Roman Catholic counterpart, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, carry a cross from Christ Church Cathedral to the Pro–Cathedral. He said he believed the peaceful happy procession had a significant impact and hoped that it would be the start of a much larger ecumenical expression in the capital city.
He spoke about the work of the Solas Project which is the focus of one arm of the Social Action Committee and said there was a plea for more people, particularly men, to get involved and volunteer for the various programmes run by the project. He also brought the Taney Employment Centre to the attention of Synod members.
He concluded by raising the matter of outstanding assessments from parishes and said that, while he realised that in the current climate parishes were finding it harder to meet assessments, interest charges may have to be applied in the future.
Speaking to the Ministry to Young People section of the report, Michael Webb (St Paul’s Glenageary) welcomed the work of 3Rock and the new focus on pre and post–confirmation. Suzie Keane (3Rock) said the dioceses had a tremendous opportunity to focus on the expression of faith of confirmation candidates. Archdeacon Ricky Rountree (Powerscourt with Kilbride) elaborated on the role of Diocesan Camps and said they would present a more holistic way for young people to explore their faith.
Revd Obinna Ulogwara (St George and St Thomas) said that the problems of the immigrant community in Ireland had not gone away and that deportation, name calling and racial abuse were still there. He urged the Dioceses to be inclusive of the immigrant community.
Speaking about the Care of the Elderly, David Williams (Kill o’ the Grange) praised the staff of Cowper Care in Kilternan for their excellent work. Revd John Tanner (Tullow) felt that the Government’s Fair Deal programme did not show care or respect for the dignity of older people.
On the issue of Lay Ministry Mr Tanner outlined the new system for Diocesan Lay Ministry training and said that a review of parish ministry training was currently underway.
Geoffrey McMaster of Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons gave details of the work of Bishops’ Appeal.
There was a discussion on clergy stipends and parish assessments and Mr Jeffers said that Diocesan Councils would take on board what had been said.
The report of Diocesan Councils was accepted by Synods.
Synods also approved changes to the boundaries of Rural Deaneries in the dioceses. Archdeacon David Pierpoint said that the changes were necessary to assist with diocesan administration.
Events at St Mark’s, Lisburn
St Mark’s Parish, Ballymacash, Lisburn (Connor) is holding a series of events early in November and an invitation is extended to all.
The first is a Family Fun Day and Sale on Saturday November 3 starting at 10am. There will be attractions and activities for all ages.
On Sunday November 4 at 3pm the church, situated in Ballymacash Road, Lisburn, will hold a ‘Scouts Own’ Service and get–together to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the registration of the first Scout Troop at Ballymacash. An invitation is extended to anyone and everyone associated with Scouting in Ballymacash down through the years. The Service will be followed by refreshments and viewing of an extensive Historical Exhibition tracing the history of Scouting in Ballymacash from 1911 to the present day.
Saturday November 10 sees Music at St Mark’s, with the evening’s entertainment getting underway at 7.45pm. Join Elizabeth Ross and friends – Debbie West and Karen Glass – for an evening of toe–tapping well–known and popular songs accompanied by the McAuley Trio: Loreto McAuley on piano; Hayley Howe on violin and Kerry Brady on the cello. Tickets cost £10. For further information please contact 028 92 628782.
Wexford Exhibition Of Paintings
‘Personal Insights’ will be shown in St Iberius’ Church, Wexford from 20th October – 5th November 2012. 10.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. each day. Official opening at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday, 20th October Wine & Cheese Reception. For information contact: Revd Arthur Minion, Tel: 053 91 40652 / Mobile: 086 8251065
Clogher Clergy Conference
Conference will be held from Tuesday 23rd – Thursday 25th October 2012 in Arnold’s Hotel, Dunfanaghy, Co. Donegal.
Irish ties to Israel hurt by NGO funding
Jerusalem Post – The Irish government is either oblivious to Trócaire’s extensive anti-peace activities, or knowingly carrying on a long tradition of anti-Israel bias.
This week, officials from Ireland are traveling to Israel for high-level talks. At the top of the agenda should be the damaging policies conducted by Trócaire, one of the major recipients of Irish taxpayer largesse.
Founded by the Bishops of Ireland, Trócaire is the official overseas development agency of the Catholic Church in Ireland and a major recipient of funds from Irish Aid with an annual budget of some ¤56 million.
In contrast to the humanitarian label, Trócaire is also a major contributor to and unwitting participant in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
Amid the organization’s materials showing impoverished African children and grateful aid recipients from the third world are political attacks in the form of calls to boycott Israeli products from the West Bank. In a recent op-ed in the Irish Times, Trócaire’s executive director, Justin Kilcullen, urged Ireland to adopt a total ban on “illegal settlement goods” and to “push European counterparts for similar action.”
More at :
http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-EdContributors/Article.aspx?id=288273
MEDIA REVIEW
Stormont to meet abortion centre management
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/stormont-call-to-abortion-clinic-managers-1-4388397
Europe Peace aid funds Derry Apprentice centre
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/over-2m-for-apprentice-boys-shared-centre-1-4388361
Care abuse inquiry remit extended to 1922
The Stormont inquiry into institutional abuse will now date from the creation of Northern Ireland in 1922.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20006400
NI Responses to Anti-trafficking Day
Local NI group to tackle trafficking
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/ni-group-to-tackle-human-trafficking-1-4384211
Article by Jim Nicholson MEP
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/community/letters/platform-people-trafficking-proves-slavery-still-exists-jim-nicholson-mep-1-4382127
Children’s referendum
State kowtoed to churches in past over children’s care –
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/state-kowtowed-to-churches-over-care-of-children-gilmore-211170.html
Barnardos forced to cut budget with redundancies
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/barnardos-seeks-to-cut-800k-off-budget-211322.html
Irish census
Significant increase in people with no religion.The Church of Ireland has seen a 6pc increase since 2006 and now has 129,036 members, the report from the Central Statistics Office shows. The number of Orthodox Christians has doubled since 2002 to 45,223.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/1018/cso-census-2011.html
http://www.thejournal.ie/regious-statistics-census-2011-640180-Oct2012/