DAILY NEWS

Irish news – 4th May

Bishops’ Synod proposals on Human Sexuality; Standing Committee appointment; Chief Officer thanked; St John the Evangelist Patronal Festival; St Bart’s on Radio 4; Censures highlight divisions in Catholic Ireland; Second round of Choral Training Bursaries Scheme
Bishops’ Synod proposals on Human Sexuality


It was reported to the recent Standing Committee meeting that the Archbishops and Bishops had prepared three draft resolutions which they will present to the General Synod in May for members’ consideration. 

These three resolutions relate to the doctrinal stance of the Church of Ireland, to pastoral attitudes and to developing a projected way forward on these matters. After a period of discussion, the Standing Committee resolved to note the intended motions from the Archbishops and Bishops and also resolved that in order to enable members of General Synod to consider them as much as possible beforehand, the Honorary Secretaries circulate the motions to the members of General Synod in advance as well as to add them to the Agenda paper for discussion after the report of the Standing Committee on the first day of General Synod.

CNI comment – The motions which are in the names of the Archbishop of Dublin and the Bishop of Down & Dromore, 1. restate the C of I’s current position; 2. Appeals for charity in understanding and practice and 3 advocates a working party be appointed to explore the issues further and to report back to the General Synod.

Standing Committee appointment
The Revd Elaine Murray was appointed to the Board for Social Theology in Action with special responsibility to address ecological concerns, an area in which she has special interest and expertise.

Chief Officer thanked
At the Archbishop of Armagh’s request, the Standing Committee of General Synod agreed that the Honorary Secretaries convey gratitude to the Chief Officer of the RCB, Mr Denis Reardon, for his 10 years of service as he prepares to retire later this year, and also to welcome formally Mr Adrian Clements, currently Head of Finance, to the role of Chief Officer which he will assume upon Mr Reardon’s retirement.

St John the Evangelist Patronal Festival
The Church of St John the Evangelist, Park Avenue, Dublin 4, will hold its Patronal Festival on Sunday May 6 at 6.00 pm with a Solemn Mass of the Patron. The preacher will be the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson. A reception will be held in Pembroke Cricket Club following the service. All are welcome.

St Bart’s on Radio 4
At fairly short notice St Bartholomew’s, Belfast, are presenting a morning service on Sunday May 13 to be broadcast on Radio Ulster (1015) AND on Radio 4 (0810)

Censures highlight divisions in Catholic Ireland
Catholic San Francisco –  – A series of censures has brought to the fore the divisions within the Irish church between those who seek a leaner and smaller church that adheres more strictly to the magisterium and those who seek space to discuss church issues.
Up to 250 nuns, priests and laypeople held a silent protest outside the Vatican Embassy April 29 to protest the doctrinal congregation’s censure of five Irish priests over their stance on issues such as the ordination of women, the ban on artificial birth control, mandatory clerical celibacy and homosexuality.

A spokesman for the Irish bishops’ conference declined to comment on the situation of the five priests, saying it was a matter for their congregations.

However, Auxiliary Bishop Donal McKeown of Belfast, Northern Ireland, has recognized that a “real gulf” now exists within the Irish church. In an article submitted to the Sunday Independent newspaper for publication April 29, he wrote: “On the one hand there are those who champion the assumed optimism, creativity and relational vision of the Second Vatican Council. These look askance as the smaller number of very active and more conservative young members who, for their part, blame that very lack of clarity for the current problems that afflict most churches. Truth and love risk being depicted as alternatives rather than as two complementary principles, dedicated to journey in an inseparable covenant, whatever the tensions.”

Father Kevin Hegarty, former editor of the Irish bishops’ magazine, Intercom, wrote in March that the Vatican is increasingly seen “as a cold place for liberals.” Father Hegarty was removed as Intercom editor in 1994 after assigning articles on subjects like clerical sexual abuse, women priests and compulsory celibacy.

John Murray, a lecturer in moral theology at Mater Dei Institute in Dublin, said in an interview with BBC Ulster that he was “bitterly disappointed in these priests who are trying to make things difficult for the church.” He added that he expected priests of the Catholic Church “to be people who will promote the teachings of the Catholic Church” because there was already “plenty of criticism of the church and no shortage of critics.”More at:
http://www.catholic-sf.org/ns.php?newsid=2&id=59866

Second round of Choral Training Bursaries Scheme
AOIC – A second round of The Arts Council funded Choral Training Bursaries scheme has an 11th May deadline.  The aim of the programme is to assist established amateur choirs in accessing high quality training programmes for their singers in the areas of sight-singing, ensemble singing, musicianship and vocal production.  The scheme is open to children and youth choirs that operate outside of the formal education system.

Independent, community-based choirs, choral societies or singing groups which are more than one year in existence, are eligible to apply, provided they have a core committed membership and a regular programme of activity.   Priority will be given to applicants who were unsuccessful in the past or who did not apply in the first round of applications.    Applicant choirs must also have a committee or governance structure and up-to-date public liability insurance. Joint applications from a number of choirs are to be encouraged.

Under the new choral bursaries scheme, outlined above, interested choirs will need to identify and recruit experienced and excellent trainers to undertake this training for them.  As the bursary fund manager, AOIC is precluded from giving advice about or recommending people for this training.    However, we can provide contact details for expert tutors who live in your area and /or who have made it known to us that they are available and interested in tutoring choirs.   Under the terms of the bursaries, choirs are encouraged to engage with expert and highly skilled tutors either from within or out of their own local areas.

http://www.aoic.ie/news/latest_news/full_article/?tx_ttnews[tt_news]=590&tx_ttnews[backPid]=219&cHash=6e90f4d13a79abed40e410c681c95602