IRISH NEWS BULLETIN

‘We Must Not Sacrifice Humanity’ –
Archbishop’s Sermon on RTE Sunday Service

The Service on Sunday on RTE One television yesterday morning (March 29) was led by Archbishop Michael Jackson with prayers by Margaret Healion and music by the Revd Jack Kinkead and Klaas de Vries. (Photo above)

Archbishop Jackson began, “Life as we have known it has changed radically and significantly for us all as a result of the onset of the coronavirus worldwide and in Ireland. We have been asked by those who carry out a duty of political and civic responsibility to act wisely and thoughtfully in the interests of everyone else, as a community, and of ourselves, as individuals. We are, however, asked to do this in a whole new understanding of community itself – with a diligence that demands avoidance; with a carefulness that averts contagion. We, and the whole of the world, are living at the heart of a global pandemic. As people of faith, we dare not turn our face away from our families or from our neighbours old and new. And we are discovering new neighbours all the time. We are called by the God who led his people out of Egypt and who taught his people to comfort one another through the life, death and resurrection of his Son – we are called to offer comfort.”

The text of the Archbishop’s sermon is at –
[[] https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2020/03/29/we-must-not-sacrifice-humanity ]

Cork Choristers unite online to sing remotely from their homes

In the midst of the fearfulness and isolation brought about by the CoronaVirus pandemic we all need to find ways to connect, to keep things going, and to lift our spirits. The choristers of Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork, were gathered remotely to sing Magnificat from their own homes by Director of Music, Peter Stobart.

Peter Stobart explains: As it was clear that the choristers of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral would not be returning to the Cathedral for some time, I decided to try and pull them together in their own home and create something a little different. I knew that the boys had always enjoyed singing Stanford’s Magnificat in B flat and indeed were quite capable of doing so from memory. I asked them to record a complete version of the piece and to sing along to a pre recorded organ track which Robbie Carroll (our Assistant Director of Music) played on the cathedral organ. This would ensure that the tempo would be the same throughout, but the individual recordings were made with the boys listening to the track through headphones.

I selected the best lines and put them together in the form of a collage, being mindful to give everyone a fair portion of video time, even some of the very youngest boys who did not know the piece so well. Not being technically minded, I was fearful that editing 37 snippets of video would take an age but a very handy phone app. came to my rescue and it was really quite straightforward in the end!

The boys are delighted with the results and the next project is to do the same with the girl choristers. The two groups tend to sing very different repertoire so it was never going to be possible to include them in the same video unfortunately.

Video at –
[[] https://churchofirelandcork.com/ ]

Derry & Raphoe magazine Easter issue goes online

The public health emergency over the Covid-19 coronavirus has prompted the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe to make the Easter edition of the diocesan magazine, n:vision, available online.

The decision was taken by the Bishop in light of guidance from the governments on non-essential travel. The magazine has been edited, as usual, by Rev’d Katie McAteer who hopes that readers will find n:vision a source of comfort and inspiration in the current climate.

You can read the magazine by clicking the link at –
[[] https://www.derryandraphoe.org/?p=3406 ]

Prayer requests

Please pray for the Church Army Mission Community

Pray for people who are more likely than others to become severely ill from Covid-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions. Protect them from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty. bit.ly/2cgVbSa

Let your outstretched arm, O Lord, be our defence; your mercy and loving kindness in Jesus Christ, our salvation and the grace of your life-giving Spirit, our strength; now and for ever.

 Supporting good mental health

The effects of mental health problems are huge, and given the challenging times we are living in with coronavirus, it’s more important than ever that we take steps to support good mental health.

The C of E has updated its mental health reflections booklet with new material to provide hope, reassurance and comfort, you can download it below:
[[] https://www.churchofengland.org/faith-action/mental-health-resources/supporting-good-mental-health/supporting-good-mental-health ]

Mothers’ Union invite

“As many have been asking about signing up to our monthly e-newsletter and also receiving our other email updates, we have made a simple online sign-up form.”-

Please feel free to share the following link:
[ https://bit.ly/mothersunionemails ]

Trocaire contact

In line with the latest Government announcement, all Trócaire offices in Ireland are closed. However, phone lines remain open. If you’d like to help communities respond to Covid-19 around the world:
Telephone receiver 1850 408 408 (RoI) or 1800 912 1200 (NI)
The quickest way for your generosity to be put into action around the world is to give online. Your generosity will respond to the COVID-19 crisis in some of the poorest countries in the world. Your support is needed more than ever.
[ https://trocaire.org/news/four-ways ]

God in creation

James Humbert Craig (1877-1944) In County Mayo (n.d.). This is one of many paintings executed by the Belfast native in the west of Ireland. Born to a tea merchant father and a Swiss mother – Marie Metzenin – Craig painted rural panoramas steeped in colour, light and shade