Vision in Limerick diocese; Cork Healthcare Chaplain presents research; Festival of Preaching; ‘Justice gap’ for Northern Ireland Magdalene Laundry victims; Vacancy; Media review
Vision in Limerick diocese
Bishop Trevor Williams spoke at the 2012 Diocesan Synod about the themes of Confidence, Community, Caring and Celebration. Salters Sterling deliberately referred to these themes at the diocesan Clergy Conference in October and thus, by “Grace and Gift”, a process of developing a vision for the diocese was born.
Bishop Trevor now writes about that process, reflecting on consultations held in Tralee, Limerick, and Cloughjordan, with the intention that it will now widen and become more firmly established.
Inspiring vision for our future
When I elaborated the significance of Confidence, Community, Caring and Celebration for our Diocese at the Synod meeting in Aghancon in June, I had no idea that the parishes of the diocese would be at the starting line of a shared journey just six months later. Yet that is what has happened. Energised by our time together as clergy in Dingle in early October, we agreed to divide the diocese into three – north, middle and south – in order to avoid excessive travel and to meet in manageable numbers for discussion not later than the beginning of Advent, and so it happened.
The southern end met first on Sunday 18th November in Tralee. Second was the middle region on Sunday 26th November in Limerick followed by the northern region on Sunday 2nd December. On each occasion, the clergy of each parish attended, accompanied by three or four non-clerical parishioners, most of whom played some leadership role in their local church. Over the three meetings, some eighty persons were present. In each place both genders were well represented and it was a great joy to see young people in conversation with the middle aged and elderly. Out of the whole diocese, only one parish was totally unrepresented and only one other had no lay representation. It is therefore not too fanciful to claim that together, the three meetings were significantly representative of the people of God called Anglicans in the Church of Ireland united Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert. That such should be the case lends great authority to the conclusions of these meetings which neither I as Bishop nor my colleague clergy, nor yet again our select vestries and our diocesan committee organization can ignore.
What is of fundamental significance for all of us is the common shared understanding of where we want to be as the Body of Christ by 2025. That was the first question we asked ourselves and the answer which was forthcoming from the discussion groups was so strikingly similar that the similarity is itself a manifestation of the Holy Spirit at work amongst us.
Without hesitation we can affirm that we want our Church and our churches, by 2025, to be inclusive, welcoming, open, friendly, without walls, caring, outgoing, Christ-, cross-, bible- and sacrament-centred, united and community minded. Even after a period of sustained reflection, it is exceedingly difficult to come up with other words and phrases of description which would give further enhancement to that vision. It is a vision of confidence about the nature of community, about the centrality of caring which, because it flows from the heart of God in Christ, gives us everything we need to celebrate. In a very real sense, we could finish this report at this point with the challenge – what do we need to be doing in each parish to realize and actualize this vision. However, to do that would be to seriously devalue the other work that our meetings did, so I share that with you under four headings.
1. What are our strengths in moving to become this church of 2025?
Here again there was very great similarity of response within and between the groups.
• The core of our parishes comprises people of very great loyalty
• Many of our parishes have young people of great ability and enterprise
• Clearly we can articulate a shared common vision
• We have a history to give meaning to the present for the sake of the future
• We have a strong sense of the importance of worship and liturgy in various forms
• We are committed to and engaged in ecumenical relationships and activities
• In some areas we have an enriching mix of cultures and nationalities
• We are in town and country
• We have buildings and these can be used more
• We are trying to be a people open to others and to the future
2. What are our weaknesses which might prevent us from becoming the church of 2025 which we want to be?
Again, great similarity between meetings at which it was clearly recognized and understood that strengths could have companion weakness which can be clearly seen in comparing 1 and 2:
• There was a sense that apathy could well prevail among the less committed in our parishes
• There was a sense that exclusivity arising from the need for identity could torpedo inclusivity
• Limited resources caught up in maintaining buildings
• Smallness which is so small that it ceases to be beautiful
• In some places a sense of irrelevance
• A strongly reported resistance to change, particularly to meet the needs of young people and the wider community
• Parochialism, heads down and negativity
• In some ways the burden of history, including the times and days of worship
• The neglect of pastoral care.
3. What are the opportunities to assist us in moving towards the vision of church 2025?
• Our young people and our schools
• Ecumenical opportunities
• Much greater role for vestries
• Much greater awareness and use of gifts and talents
• Interest in spirituality
• Greater role for lay people
• New forms of communication
• Love of and ability to offer hospitality
• Visitors and fluid population
• Variety in forms of worship
4. What are the threats that may prevent us from becoming the church of 2025 as we have envisioned it?
Under this heading, a number of matters were mentioned, very similar to those itemized under weaknesses in 2 above:
• Sending children to boarding school
• Ignorance of the substance of our faith
• Modern living – demands, pace, counter attractions, popular culture, materialism, self-centredness
• Incoherent worship – especially lessons that are not given context and unknown hymns.
• Internal divisions and feuds
• Dilution of spirituality
• The general economy and lack of institutional resource
• Alternative churches.
It had been intended to conclude each meeting with two further items for discussion – what have we learnt? And what have we left unsaid? Only the Tralee meeting completed the agenda in the time available. It is worthwhile recording what that meeting thought we have learnt.
• We have a lot in common
• We have differences due to geography
• We have to adapt to survive and grow
• Not everything can be measured by numbers
• It is good to share our stories and events
• We need more times together.
On that final item I can report that already a diocesan get together is being planned for Sunday 29th September with Leslie Robinson presiding over the planning. So please everyone get that date in your diary and await further information about the stages of our common journey between now and then, and by the way, if you noticed, confidence, community, caring and celebration coming through in the sermons and prayers of Advent, we need all to thank Stephen Neill for his elegant commentary on these themes relating them to the Sunday readings on our approach to Christmas.
My sincere thanks to Rev Michael Cavanagh (Kenmare) and Salters Sterling (Birr) for their collaboration in planning the meetings and compiling this report.
Cork Healthcare Chaplain presents research
Daniel Nuzum, who works as a Chaplain at Cork University Hospital and Marymount University Hospice presented an Oral Presentation ‘The personal and professional impact of stillbirth on Consultant Obstetricians’ at the Annual Education and Research Seminar of the Irish Association for Palliative Care in Dublin on 08 February.
Festival of Preaching
On Saturday the 2nd of March 2013, Lisburn Cathedral (Connor) will be hosting its first ever Festival of Preaching at Lisburn Cathedral and is inviting church leaders, preachers, youth leaders, and anyone with an interest in communicating God’s timeless Word in timely ways, to a masterclass of preaching.
The keynote speaker for the day will be Rev Charlie Cleverly – “a dynamic communicator who is rector in St.Aldate’s Oxford.
“The festival will begin at 9.30am in the Cathedral with coffee on arrival, followed by worship and Charlie’s keynote address. Following this, we will attend one of four seminars – all delivered by gifted communicators focussing on a particular aspect of preaching – for example “Preaching with Imagination” and “Teaching Christian Living in a Secular Age.”
“We will then enjoy lunch together, followed by a second choice of our four seminar options, and the day will end with an act of worship from 3 – 3.30pm.”
The cost of £25 includes coffee, scones and lunch. For further info email enquiries@lisburncathedral.org or call 02892676499.
Justice gap’ for Northern Ireland Magdalene Laundry victims, says Amnesty
Amnesty International has issued a call for former residents of Magdalene Laundry-type institutions in Northern Ireland to come forward to report their experiences to the Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry.
But the human rights group warned that there was now a clear “justice gap” emerging for women who experienced abuse in such institutions in Northern Ireland.
On the day that the Irish Government published a review showing state involvement in the operation of ten Magdalene Laundries in the Republic of Ireland, Amnesty called for women who had been resident in similar institutions in Northern Ireland to consider giving evidence to the Historic Institutional Abuse Inquiry recently established by the Stormont government.
Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International, said: “The truth must now also emerge about the experiences of abuse suffered by girls and women in Magdalene Laundry-type institutions in Northern Ireland, which operated until 1977. Those who suffered abuse as children are now eligible to come forward to the Inquiry, recently established by the Northern Ireland Executive, and we would encourage them to consider doing so. 165 people have now registered with the Inquiry, and 61 of them have already described their experiences to the Acknowledgement Forum.
“However, there is no recourse within the remit of the Northern Ireland Inquiry for cases of abuse which took place after the age of 18. A clear ‘justice gap’ is emerging for these women survivors, with no inquiry in place – north or south – into their suffering. Every victim of abuse should have the same recourse to justice – regardless of where they were, or if they were over the age cut off.
“Any allegations of criminal wrongdoing – such as arbitrary detention, forced labour or ill-treatment – should be brought to the attention of the PSNI. If there is evidence that the Northern Ireland state was complicit in any such offences, then the Executive must consider a separate inquiry mechanism for these cases which could also lead to a state apology and reparation.”
Vacancy
All Saint’s Anglican Church, Algarve, Portugal
* We are seeking an experienced pastor and Bible teacher to give oversight of our two congregations and also encourage us to reach out into the wider English-speaking community.
* At this time we can provide for the person appointed as a “house for duty priest” and would expect the person to be in agreement with the Jerusalem Declaration and Statement.
For further information and copies of the church profile and application forms, please contact: Bishop John Ellison – jyjellison@btinternet.com
MEDIA REVIEW
NI should teach ‘respect, not tolerance’
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has prepared a video message on educating young people to respect different faiths and cultures, to be shown at a Queen’s University, Belfast conference.
http://www.u.tv/news/NI-should-teach-respect-not-tolerance/6f0fec97-1f21-4808-b84c-e7480f6161bc
Irish Charities concern over cuts in EU support
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/food-parcel-charities-concerned-over-eu-plans-to-cut-supports-222505.html
Couples getting hitched later in life as marriage rates fall
Figures from the CSO show Saturday 31 July was the most popular date for marriage in 2010.
http://www.thejournal.ie/marriage-rates-age-788094-Feb2013/
New iconic sites to go green for St Patrick’s Day
For the first time ever, Christ the Redeemer, the Pyramids of Giza, the ‘Welcome’ sign in Las Vegas and the Little Mermaid statue will all go green on 17 March.
http://www.thejournal.ie/new-iconic-sites-to-go-green-for-st-patricks-day-793894-Feb2013/