NEWS BRIEFS

Blessing of Shankill pets

St Matthew’s Parish Church, Belfast, held a special service for pets on September 1, with 15 dogs coming along for praise and blessing.

The congregation at St Matthew’s is joined every week by Buzz, Rex, Bracken, Rio and new puppy Millie, and this special service was an opportunity for more parishioners to bring their pets along.

The service also attracted some new people of the two legged variety, accompanied by their pets. Among the attendees was a serving Guide Dog for the Blind.

The rector, the Rev Tracey McRoberts, said: “A service of the blessing of pets is a wonderful opportunity to thank God for the gift of animals, and for us to ask God’s blessing on all that He has made.

“Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts for the beauty of the earth and the wonder of His creation, in earth and sky and sea. For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women. For all creatures that breathe, and move, and have life. For the trust you have shown in giving into our care these, our pets.

“For the work of Guide Dogs for the Blind and all organisations which protect animals, that each pet here may be treasured with care. We thank you Lord.”

At the end of the service, all the pets received an individual blessing.

Annual Sheep’s Head Hike for Christian Aid Ireland

Nearly 200 walkers took part in Christian Aid Ireland’s annual Sheep’s Head Hike in sunny west Cork earlier this month. These wonderful supporters raised €5,000 for our work to relieve poverty and suffering overseas. Great work everyone!

Blue Plaque honour for Armagh temperance minister Patterson

An Armagh clergyman behind the 20th-century ‘Catch-My-Pal’ temperance movement is set to be honoured with a commemorative Blue Plaque. Rev Robert James Patterson was ordained at The Mall Presbyterian Church, Armagh in 1892, serving as minister until 1910.

It was during his time at the church that Robert James Patterson began his ‘Catch-My-Pal’ movement to combat what he saw as the growing trend of heavy drinking in the town, by encouraging friends to sign a temperance pledge together.

Growing from a small movement of what is originally believed to be “six drunk men” who signed the pledge in 1909, by 1910 the Armagh Protestant Total Abstinence Union had over 130,000 members.

Rev Patterson or ‘RJ’, as he later became known, died in Belfast in 1930. Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Rt Rev Dr William Henry, is set to unveil the plaque outside The Mall church on Friday morning.

He said: “Friday’s Blue Plaque unveiling not only links the work of Rev RJ Patterson in his time and his generation, it brings to the forefront of our thoughts the work of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in our day and in our context.”

Holywood taster session for RSCM’s Voice for Life

An event taking place in Holywood Parish on September 28, run by the Royal School of Church Music (RSCM Ireland), will give a taste of the ‘Voice for Life’ Choral training Scheme. This scheme is currently in use by young choristers at St Philip & St James and several Church of Ireland Cathedrals.

The scheme is suitable for all ages and abilities. It runs from 2-4pm in Holywood Parish Hall and costs £5. Blanaid Murphy from St Mary’s Pro Cathedral, Dublin, will be leading this event.

Friends to the fore enabling St Patrick’s Cathedral roof restoration

The Friends of St Patrick’s Cathedral presented the Dean with a cheque for the roof restoration fund. Present were Cathedral administrator Gavan Woods, George Good, Dean William Morton, Albert Fenton and Derek Seymour.

Fr Donegan hails words of support after holy oil theft

A priest best known for his work in Ardoyne has thanked supporters after holy oil he has used for 28 years was stolen in Dublin. Fr Gary Donegan had been at the All-Ireland GAA football final at Croke Park when his car was broken into.

“It’s just very upsetting, this little item is just a tube of about five inches but for the last 28 years it has been there at these very intimate and sacred moments,” he said.

“I’ve been at the scene of accidents, in neo-natal units with little babies, climbing the Holy Cross Church tower after a young man took his life and with a young man who died during rioting.

“I used it to anoint my own grandparents and my baby nephew Michael as well.

“I’ve been threatened before but losing the oils has hit me so hard,” added Fr Donegan.

He said ministers from the Church of Ireland and the Presbyterian Church were among those who offered their support.

“Even a man I anointed who is about to undergo chemotherapy treatment rang this morning to tell me how much it meant to him and asked if there was anything he could do for me,” he said.

“If there’s anything that has come out of this it’s that the goodness of people rises above everything.”

Food for thought