Irish news digest

Photo above – Identical twin sisters Suzanne Shepherd and Moyra Megarry have been baking cakes and biscuits for the staff of the Ulster Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. They aren’t allowed to leave home so a family member has been delivering their baking to the hospital. Each one’s a lockdownhero.

Each week over one million live streams of mass in Ireland

The 26 diocese of the Catholic Church north and south of the border
celebrated Easter Sunday online.

There are 1,360 parishes across the island of Ireland and over half of churches have webcams.

Each week there are over one million live streams of parishioners doing masses – News Talk reports

Journey of the Cross – Tradition continued in a Socially Distant Way

Photo above – Fr Joe Mullen and the Revd Ian Gallagher prepare to leave St Brigid’s Church, Stillorgan.

Good Friday 2020 was starkly different from any other in living memory. As mass gatherings were prohibited as part of measures to stem the spread of Covid–19, services and events have become virtual rather than actual.

However, the traditional Journey of the Cross between St Brigid’s Church in Stillorgan and the Church of St Thérèse in Mount Merrion took place on Good Friday evening, although in a very pared back way.

Usually members of both parishes join their clergy for the ecumenical walk of witness on Good Friday. But this year Fr Joe Mullen and the Revd Ian Gallagher kept up the tradition alone and socially distanced.

The Methodist President writes

Christ is Risen! Happy Easter!
J S Whale, a respected theologian, said of the resurrection, “Belief in the resurrection is not an appendage to the Christian Faith, it is the Christian faith.” He also said, “The Gospels do not explain the resurrection, the resurrection explains the Gospels.”

“Paint Christ not dead but risen!” was the heartfelt cry of the Christian philosopher Tommaso Campanella to the Italian painters of his day, who were emphasizing the crucifixion. “Paint Christ not dead but risen! Paint Christ, with his foot set in scorn on the split rock with which they sought to hold him down! Paint him the conqueror of death! Paint him the Lord of Life! Paint him as he is, the irresistible Victor who, tested to the uttermost, has proved himself in very deed mighty to save.”

Suppose you were going down the road and suddenly the road forked in two directions, and you didn’t know which way to go, and there at the fork in the road were two men, one dead and one alive! Which one would you ask directions from?

Christ is Risen! Happy Easter! Happy Life! Happy Death!

The President’s Diary:
The President is observing the current advice to restrict movements and social engagements to what is essential, but remains prayerfully at work in his study, attends meetings via Zoom etc, and values your prayers.

Church Army blog

Particularly poignant for a time when all of us are grieving the loss of something – our cancelled events, our freedom, even loved ones. Mike shares with us why Easter isn’t just about joy… it’s also about lament and mystery.
Link at [ ow.ly/ISVg50ySQ8F ]

CMSI Staff Update

Roger Thompson and Rachel Brittain are currently on ‘furlough’, as part of the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

This furlough arrangement will be reviewed on a month-by-month basis, but for now – Roger’s work responsibilities are being covered by Jenny Smyth and Gillian Maganda; Rachel’s responsibilities are being covered by Roger Cooke.

The staff team are all off for the long-weekend over Easter but most are back to work next Wednesday 15th.

Prayer points

Risen Christ, the story did not end on the cross, you triumphed over death and now we can say “Christ is risen indeed”. Help us to tell the world about you boldly, especially during these tough times.

Pray for many in the community who are anxious and fearful, especially those who fear for their loved ones in treatment. Pray for protection of the vulnerable, including those who live in nursing homes and other institutions

that our leaders would receive wisdom from God and that the necessary decisions they have to make would be good for everyone.

that our governments would have good advisers who will help them to navigate these troubling times

pray for those trapped in modern day slavery. They’re unlikely to seek the healthcare they need due to the threat of detention or deportation. Pray for their protection and that they are able to access safe accommodation and healthcare during this crisis.

As we pray for the suffering members of your Body throughout the world-by your Cross, give strength, bring hope, disarm our fears & hardness of heart. You, who are lifted up from the earth draw all people to yourself in your wide embrace, grant us healing and peace.

2020 Maundy

+Michael Burrows, instead of his usual Maundy Thursday address to the clergy composed the following

Blessed tactile things, commanded yet ignored?
No feet are washed; no common cup is shared,
No Upper Room made present at God’s Board-
It is as if his world no longer cared.
Yet care it does; mandated still to love
And storm heav’n’s gates with agonising prayer:
Let this cup pass. Thus he who pleads above
Once pierced Gethsemane’s nocturnal air.
God’s priests have not the luxury to pause,
To dwell on Vows or savour fragrant oil
Or know sweet fellowship. Their calling draws
Each one to lonely, empathetic toil.
They’ll stand tonight, vocation roughly hewn
Perplexed, yet Christ-like, ‘neath the Paschal moon.

God in creation