Church of Ireland notes in the Irish Times; Religious Programmes for Holy Week and Easter on RTE
Comments published this week about Ireland and the Irish - An Irish touch to farewell a legend; Southern Protestant community participates fully in modern Irish society; The Vatican sees Ireland as a disgraced and busted flush; Giving the people of Ireland a chance not chancers
Bishops must stay in the Lords; Quakers raise marriage equality issue in address to the Queen
New C of I school; Down Institution; Parish's 40th anniversary; TCD on Trinity Monday; Powerscourt Children Take Giant Leap into the Future; RTE claims State gave commitments to Roman Catholic Church on education; ‘Inappropriate’ for teachers to befriend pupils on Facebook – Minister Quinn;
Figurehead launched at world's largest Titanic museum; Ecclesiastical insurance group is hoping to spread the word here; Vatican report attempts mere excuse not explanation
Children, family and education issues in the news including - Paedophiles 'groom' children for sex online in just eight minutes; Middle class children 'are held back by childcare'; Vote on grammar school expansion; Fewer places in most universities
Leader columns from The Church of Ireland Gazette and The Church Times. Comment by Giles Fraser and a report by Ed Thornton of The Church Times
A review of education, social and political issues including Irish household charge, Mahon tribunal, Census 2011, abuse of elderly, and UK budget impact - Northern Ireland workers will be £600 worse off this year
Irish Council of Churches to appoint first Orthodox President; Festival Eucharist for Trinity Chapel Choir; Dedication of plaque in memory of the Very Rev Norman Barr; Easy to Play Hymns for Holy Week and Easter; Church’s Ministry of Healing Quiet Day
Bishops 'must stay in the Lords’; Liverpool parish to host exhibition of Titanic photos; BBC employee criticised after PR firm hand delivers Mormon documentary complaint; Flame Youth Congress: 'Dynamic, joyful, faith-filled’; Church of England faces £20m annual tax bill following Budget
Report on riots published; MPs back assisted suicide; Health and Social Care bill becomes law; Homelessness has increased; Education could be privatised - Unions; Fine schools for poor literacy; Two year olds to receive learning progress checks
Installation of Dean of St Patrick’s; Dublin Good Friday Procession; Connor’s Lent seminars conclude; Larne Churches team up for new Christianity Explored course; Journey with Jesus to Jerusalem in Lisburn parish; New Dawn – Easter Saturday worship for Connor’s youth; Priory Singers to perform in St Thomas’ Belfast; Education Grants available; Irish news media - response to C of I Bishops on education in Republic, and to Vatican report on abuse.
Muslim Cleric with Dublin links not welcome 'on French soil'; Organ donations hit record level; Thousands turn out for Stynes’ state funeral in Melbourne Anglican Cathedral; GAA club asks church to be 'guided by God' and reverse deal to sell land
Bishop attacks faith broadcasting; Abbey stones to honour former PMs; Is the Church of England extending its mission into higher education? ; Former Bishop of Winchester, The Rt Revd Michael Scott-Joynt; Rowan Williams on gay rights, welfare handouts and the break-up of Britain
MPs call for student visas action; Failing school inspection 'boosts results’; Parents 'have bigger impact on exam results than schools’; First grammar school in 50 years 'to get go ahead' ; A new era dawns for the grammar school; NHS ageism 'harming elderly care' ; Changing the law on assisted dying is fraught with danger
Church of Ireland Bishops Speak Out On Proposed Education Cuts In Republic Of Ireland; Quake survivor praises Ulster; Have eight provinces adopted the Covenant?; SVP told don’t feed destitute migrants so they’ll ‘go home’; Vatican sees Ireland as a disgraced and busted flush; C of I - Sober Reflections' Ulster Solemn League & Covenant Conference; Stainer’s Crucifixion in Enniskillen Cathedral
C of I Bishops warn on education cuts; Crime gangs ‘broke the soul’ of young woman; Two-thirds of benefit claimants fit for work; Teachers feel snubbed at lack of consultation on special needs changes; 23% have now paid Household Charge - Council staff to collect rest
Focus – Major C of E report sets direction for next decade for Church schools and RE for next decade
Church schools are at the heart of the nation and should robustly assert their Christian ethos and foundation, according to recommendations included in a groundbreaking report published by the Church of England. The Church, which is responsible for more than 4,800 schools across the country, educates more than a million pupils and schools are increasingly in the front line of its work in communities. The report, The Church School of the Future, has taken evidence from dioceses, school leaders, politicians and other stakeholders with an interest in education.
Impact of Budget 2012 on churches and faith groups; Comment on alcohol pricing and EU corruption; Three reports on the Anglican Covenant; Gafcon conference in London; Cathedrals financial difficulties; Falklands hero who was ordained; Little Gidding Pilgrimage
Health, education and family related news
Health, education and family related news
Hong Kong consecration; Connor seminar; Installation of canons;Celtic Hope; Magazine and media competition; Presbyterian minister hails Sinn Fein ‘sorry’ call; RC Archbishop: Secularism not all bad for Ireland
Reflections on the Vatican report on abuse. Three well-established Irish journalists gave their reaction to the Vatican report - James Downey: Church can't stem the tide of change; David Quinn: Bishops must pay heed to visitation's crucial conclusions; Eamonn McCann - Vatican's empty gesture is betrayal of abused children. There was criticism also of the Church's attitude to victims.
New Dean says there will be no gay blessings at St Paul’s; John Sentamu attacks 'aggressive atheism’; Concern over cathedrals funding; Jesuits on BBC throughout Holy Week
A proposed covenant to hold the worldwide Anglican Communion together amid divisions over homosexuality and same-sex unions appeared to be in major difficulties after several more Church of England dioceses, voted to reject it. On Saturday last the tip point was reached in the C of E when the “Noes” to an Anglican Covenant achieved the support of a majority of dioceses. The English dioceses’ decision effectively derails the adoption of the pact throughout the Communion, which is essentially a loose family of 38 national and regional churches, and once more raises questions about whether this Christian alliance could stay united.
Reports and links include - The Mahon Tribunal; Recession returns to Irish economy; Govt not entitled to cut school chaplain funding; New standards of child protection; Minister’s snub to education reform plan; No change to gay adoption law advocated in N Ireland; Priest in court; Bishop responds to abuse allegations; Holyland student housing report
Reports include - C of I Olympic torch carriers; Bangor church row over mobile phone mast; Ecumenical Canons appointed to Armagh; School refurbishment celebrated; US group visit Down; Music for a Spring Evening; Tyrone church to stage ‘miracle’ exhibition
The Chadwick report - C of E church school expansion; Archbishop’s retirement - Church Times report, Gay criticism of Archbishop
Association of Christian Financial Advisers on Budget; Christian Socialist Movement challenges churches on money; UK Coptic Orthodox Church to hold Memorial Service for Pope Shenouda III; Judge rules human rights don't apply to Christian Facebook case
Reports include : Limerick Changing Leadership Conference; Titanic people - New Irish Arts; World Harmony run stops off at Belfast Cathedral; Sober Reflections – Ulster Covenant Conference reminder; Drama - 1912: A Hundred Years On
Includes reports on Human Sexuality, Clergy discipline