Dean to move; Developments at St Patrick’s; First diocesan eco award to Cashel and Ossory; Derry gospel plan; Dublin institution
Dean to move
The Very Reverend Stephen Lowry has been appointed as Incumbent of the Grouped Parishes of Killaney and Carryduff in the Diocese of Down. Stephen is currently rector and Dean of Dromore Cathedral in the Diocese of Dromore.
Developments at St Patrick’s
The current issue of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Close News has an interesting account of the restoration of several unique stained glass windows, and more besides. It can be found at
http://www.stpatrickscathedral.ie/media/file/4_Close%20News%20-April%20’13.pdf
First diocesan eco award to Cashel and Ossory
The Diocese of Cashel and Ossory will receive a diocesan award from Eco–Congregation Ireland (ECI) in recognition of its environmental endeavours.
It will be the first Church of Ireland diocese to receive such an award. The only other diocesan award that has been made was to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry in May 2012.
Cashel and Ossory adopted a green charter five years ago, which all parishes have signed up to and display on their premises. Many parishes have undertaken eco projects, including installing solar panels, organising talks with environmental speakers, holidng confirmation classes outdoors and maintaining church grounds in such a way to increase wildlife and biodiversity.
The award will be presented during an ECI Roadshow that will be held in the River Court Hotel, Kilkenny from 2–5pm on Saturday 20th April. Eco theologian and author, Fr Seán McDonagh, and environmentalist, Gavin Harte, will address the theme ’Live Simply, Live Well ~ why Christians should care about the environment’.
Members of Cashel and Ossory’s eco committee and the Oblate parishes of Inchicore, Dublin, will give powerpoint presentations on their eco initiatives and it is hoped that local green schools will also showcase their work.
ECI is an ecumenical project that encourages churches to adopt an eco approach to worship, lifestyle, property and finance management, community outreach and contact with the developing world. It awards parishes and dioceses that have taken environmental steps in four areas – practical, spiritual, community and global awareness.
Seven parishes have received awards since ECI was set up in 2005 by the Irish Inter–Church Meeting’s Church in Society Forum, two of them Church of Ireland – Whitechurch and Rathfarnham in Dublin. Prior to ECI’s inception, St Molua’s in Belfast received an award from Eco–Congregation Scotland in 2002.
The Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic, Methodist and Presbyterian churches and the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) support ECI. Rev Andrew Orr, Rector of Tullow, has recently succeeded Rev Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline, as the Church of Ireland representative. A member of Cashel and Ossory’s eco committee, Rev Orr is delighted that the diocese is to receive an award.
“Many parishes in the diocese have worked hard on environmental awareness and it will be good for them to have this recognised,” he says. “Environmental initiatives are hugely enjoyable: there’s a great positive energy and all ages can get involved. We would encourage other dioceses and parishes to undertake eco projects and, if you’re not sure how to do this, come along to the roadshow to find out!
“It is all too easy to feel overwhelmed by the reality of climate change and by its devastating effects both here and overseas. The roadshow is designed to encourage and empower people to make changes in their own lives, churches and communities.”
The new Church of Ireland representative on Eco–Congregation Ireland is the Revd Andrew Orr, Rector of Tullow, Co. Carlow, who succeeds the Revd Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline, Co. Cork.
For further information, see www.ecocongregationireland.com.
Derry gospel plan
A plan to give out 40,000 free commemorative copies of St Luke’s Gospel across the Maiden City took a significant step forward this week.
On Monday afternoon local church leaders and the organising team took delivery of the gospels from the printer. The initiative, entitled ‘A Free Gift For All’ involves churches from across all parts of the community.
The four church leaders, Monsignor Eamon Martin, Bishop Ken Good, the Reverend Dr Robert Buick and the Reverend Peter Murray, along with the project organisers received the delivery on Monday (8th April) at Altnagelvin Industrial Estate.
Under the scheme – entitled ‘A Free Gift for All’ – the specially illustrated gospels will be hand–delivered to every home in the city. The team behind the initiative hope to recruit up to 1000 volunteers to help with the distribution. To that end a special Training Evening for volunteers was held in Kilfennan Presbyterian Hall, also on Monday 8th April.
‘A Free Gift for All’ was officially launched at a public event in the Foyleside Shopping Centre in January. The organisers have planned for distribution to begin as the weather improves and the evenings lengthen.
A spokesperson for the organisers said “The church leaders want to emphasise their support for the UK City of Culture 2013. They feel it is important to remind the city that its roots and origins were in Christian culture”. He continued, “They have chosen the Gospel of Saint Luke because it brings a message of good news for the poor, the marginalised and those who felt cut off from society. The fact that this initiative comes from all parts of our community simply adds to the good news”.
Dublin institution
On Friday evening the Archbishop of Dublin will institute the Revd Bruce Hayes as incumbent of the parish of Dalkey. Mr Hayes, who was ordained in 2001, has been Rector of the Abbeystrewry union of parishes, based on Skibbereen, since 2004. He succeeds Canon Ben Neill who has retired from the stipendiary ministry.