Archbishop of Armagh’s Christmas message; Electoral College for Meath & Kildare; Irish women in ministry respond on leadership potential; Connor Seminar on innercity parishes; Hannukah in Cork; Nine Lessons and Carols at St Patrick’s Cathedral; Wicklow Parish Launches Church 21 Leaflet; Media review – seven reports including suicide prevention; post rape guidance; equality progress and challenge in NI; child care hits Irish women hardest
Archbishop of Armagh’s Christmas message
Most Rev Dr Richard Clarke in his first Christmas message as Primate of All Ireland, writes:
One of the ways of looking at Christmas – from an entirely secular perspective – is to see it as a time for connecting and re-connecting. We make the effort to connect (or re-connect) with family and friends, and even with some casual acquaintances. Hopefully we try to connect with people who would otherwise have no one with whom to connect – those who are alone and lonely, or who have no family or close friends to give them any comfort or companionship.
For some, it is a time to re-connect – however fleetingly – with the Christian faith they once espoused, but about which they have now become casual or careless. And this is never to be sneered at, or despised. Connecting and re-connecting with our faith is something every Christian disciple has to do, perhaps on a daily basis.
At the heart of Christmas, we connect in particular with the wonder that God has such a total love for the world that he connects with us in the most complete of ways, in the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It is our task to encourage others as well as ourselves to make this connection. And we are to make this connection easier to grasp for others, through our witness to the love of Christ, and in our unselfconscious care for the unloved and unwanted of this world.
There can be surely little doubt that when people stop connecting with their religious faith – their sense that they are in the hands of a God who loves them – they may easily then start to lose faith in themselves, and hence lose faith also in those around them, and so become angry, embittered and fearful. For some, connecting with the faith they have inherited is natural and straightforward, for others connecting with religious faith is far from easy; whereas for others it is something utterly contemptible. For Christian disciples there is at Christmas an eternal reminder that we are loved for ourselves, and that every other human person is loved equally by God.
In this Christmas season, we are each challenged to connect or reconnect with our family, friends and others who are without friends, but also to connect or re-connect our lives with a faith that tells us we are each loved in Jesus Christ, and that calls us to carry Christ’s love into the dark and lonely places of this world, near or far.
May the God of love fill you with the joy, peace and hope of Christmas.
+Richard Armagh
Electoral College for Meath & Kildare
The Electoral College to elect a new Bishop of Meath & Kildare to succeed The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke will take place on Monday 28 January 2013 in the Chapter Room of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.
A Eucharist will be held in the Cathedral at 11.00am and the meeting of the Electoral College will follow it at 12 noon.
Irish women in ministry respond on leadership potential
The Belfast Telegraph interviewed four women in ordained ministry in Ireland.
They included two C of I priests and the President of the Methodist Church.
Connor Seminar on inner-city parishes
The Rev Phil Potter, Director of Pioneer Ministry for The Diocese of Liverpool, visited Connor Diocese recently.
Approximately 20 people from some inner city parishes and also from the inner city planning group attended a lunchtime seminar given by Phil at Church of Ireland House. During this he shared some of his experiences of new ministries within Liverpool Diocese where his role is to develop new ways for churches to reach out into their local community.
Phil has been a leading figure developing Cell Church nationally and as Vicar for over 20 years he has developed many pioneer projects in the Parish of St Marks, Liverpool. The seminar was facilitated by Connor Parish Development Officer Trevor Douglas who said: “It is hoped that both dioceses can develop a link which will prove invaluable as we implement the strategic plan for Connor.”
Hannukah in Cork
A ceremony this moth recalls when there was a vibrant Jewish community in Cork
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/jewish-festival-celebrated-217158.html
Nine Lessons and Carols at St Patrick’s Cathedral
The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, will preside at a service of 9 Lessons and Carols in St Patrick’s Cathedral on Christmas Eve at 4.00 pm.
Wicklow Parish Launches Church 21 Leaflet
Wicklow Parish will launch its Church 21 Leaflet on Sunday December 23 following the Carol Service which takes place at 3.30 pm in Wicklow Parish Church on Church Hill. All are welcome to attend.
MEDIA REVIEW
Ulster taking lead in suicide prevention
A leading expert has stated that N Ireland has taken the lead in suicide preventionhttp://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/ulster-taking-lead-in-halting-suicide-says-world-expert-16241679.html
Politicians in Republic wring hands on suicide
Politicians have been criticised for not taking effective action.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/politicians-wring-hands-rather-than-act-on-suicide-217314.html
Irish women hit hardest by child care
International study shows Irish women are hardest hit in the EU by parenthood
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/irishwomen-hit-hardest-in-eu-by-parenthood-217299.html
Rape victims guide published
A guide provides assistance for victims in dealing with the various aspects post an offence happening.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1218/breaking24.html
Irish charities combine to help rough sleepers
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/charities-join-up-to-rent-to-rough-sleepers-217297.html
Equality probe into IRA park name
The Equality Commission for Northern Ireland has written to Newry and Mourne District Council about its decision to name a children’s playpark in the city after an IRA hungerstriker.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20767992
Protestant majority in workplace
An Equality Commission report finds that Protestants make up 53.7% of the workforce in Northern Ireland and Catholics account for 46.3%. MIchael Wardlow, head of the commission, states the situation reflects the workforce, and that improvements have been made in workplace composition.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-20756129