Christ Church Cathedral will host a series of talks on same–sex issues and the Bible during Lent. Presented by the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, Dean of Christ Church, the series will be run in association with BACI (the Biblical Association for the Church of Ireland). The aim of the course is to bring the Church’s discussion and discernment process on these issues to everyday Christians in the Church of Ireland. Admission is free and all are warmly invited to attend.

The course has been carefully designed to incorporate recent biblical thinking in this area and to offer both traditionalist and more modern ways of considering the key texts. It demands no theological expertise of participants, but does invite groups to ponder the theological, biblical and sociological questions in a non–academic fashion. It is hoped that it will enable participants to think over the issues prayerfully with respect both for the biblical texts, for one another and for those whose lives are affected by the debate.

Topics will include:

 – The Teaching of Jesus – extracts from Matthew’s Gospel.

–  The Prohibitions of Leviticus.

– Implications from the Creation Narratives.

– Paul’s teaching on unnatural or depraved sexuality. (Romans 1)

– Sin lists, condemnation, exemption and redemption. (Other Pauline texts with Acts 10–11.)

A 36–page booklet can be downloaded from www.bibliahibernica.wordpress.com and copies can also be purchased from Best Sellers (The Bible Society) or Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, for €1.50 or €8 for six copies, and from The Book Well (postage included) and St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast for £1.60.The Bible Study series has been commended by both patrons of BACI, the Archbishop of Armagh and the Archbishop of Dublin.

The courses will run over four Thursdays in Lent  – February 26,  March 5, March  12, March 19 – from 7.00 pm to 8.30 pm.

Admission is free and all are warmly invited to attend. For further information or to book your place please call the office on 01 677 8099 or email welcome@christchurch.ie

A new collaborative study into small Irish primary schools will focus on their communities, cultures, benefits and challenges. The research programme, which is overseen by the Church of Ireland College of Education, is being funded collaboratively between the Church of Ireland General Synod Board of Education (RI), the Church of Ireland Primary Schools Association, the Governors of the Church of Ireland College of Education and Dublin City University. It will be carried out between January and July 2015 and published in the autumn.

The study was launched in Church of Ireland House, Rathmines, yesterday evening (January 27). Among those present were representatives of each of the funding bodies as well as INTO President, Sean McMahon.

Aimed at addressing the gaps in our understandings of small Irish primary schools, it will provide specific insights into the culture of small schools from a range of perspectives, including those of principals, teachers, members of Boards of Management, patrons, children, parents and education policy–makers. It will examine both the challenges and benefits of teaching and learning in a small school context. This will enable comparisons to be made between the Irish experience of teaching and learning in small schools and research published in Finland and the UK where similar studies have been conducted.

Speaking at last night’s launch, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, said that both the General Synod Board of Education and the Board of Governors of CICE were aware of the vital role small schools played in Church of Ireland communities across the country. However, he said less was known about the lives of small schools and it is this that the research will delve into enabling an understanding of the enormous contribution small schools made to society.

President of DCU, Professor Brian MacCraith, described the launch as a milestone event for DCU and CICE. He said small schools were an integral part of Irish education and formed an intrinsic part of their communities. He said the details emerging from the research would inform education policy.

Speaking on behalf of school patrons, the Bishop of Tuam, the Rt Revd Patrick Rooke, welcomed the initiative said that in the west of Ireland all Church of Ireland schools were small schools. “We don’t see them as a problem, we see them as a bonus and we see them providing for the whole community not just the Church of Ireland. We have got to look after them,” he stated.

Principal of CICE, Dr Anne Lodge, who is leading the research, thanked all the funding bodies for supporting the study and her research advisors on the project. The current study arises from a survey of 1,500 parents carried out by Dr Lodge, Dr Ken Fennelly and David Touhy SJ in 2011. The new research aims to add the views of principals, teachers members of Boards of Management, patrons and children to that work.

“Too often the rhetoric surrounding small schools is negative but the experience of learning in small schools is positive and enriching,” Dr Lodge commented. She said that 29 percent of Irish schools were small schools and well over half of Church of Ireland schools were small schools but little is known of life in small schools.

Initially the research team will contact the entire network of Protestant schools and later will engage on a deeper level with about 15 schools. They also plan to engage with the Department of Education and Skills. It is planned to complete the study by July and launch the report in the autumn. “The danger is that if we don’t tell our story we won’t have a story to tell,” Dr Lodge concluded.

Sean McMahon spoke of the increasing pressure on small schools. He criticised the focus on pupil numbers when deciding whether a school should lose a teacher and said that the department should look at the work which may have been carried out on a school building, the ethos of the school and its place in the community. He said currently 38 primary schools had been reduced to one teacher schools which was in conflict with the rest of Europe where the number of single teacher schools was falling. He predicted that there would be an explosion of one teacher schools on the western seaboard. He said the new research would be vitally important.

The study will be based in the Church of Ireland College of Education and will be overseen by the College Principal and guided by an expert advisory board which will include experienced practitioners and teacher educators as well as drawing on international expertise.

Photo captions:

Top – INTO President Sean McMahon; Chairman of the Church of Ireland Primary Schools Management Association, the Revd Brian O’Rourke; Principal of the Church of Ireland College of Education, Dr Anne Lodge; Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson; President of Dublin City University, Professor Brian MacCraith; Secretary to the General Synod Board of Education (RI), Dr Ken Fennelly at the launch of the research into small Irish primary schools in Church House, Rathmines.

Bottom – Dr Anne Lodge outlining the research to be carried out.

As part of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute’s and The Methodist Church’s Edgehill Theological College’s “Faith in Everyday Living” series 2015, Thursday February 12 will see Alan Lewis (pictured) speak about his life and experiences following many years at the top level of international sport.

Having captained and played cricket for Ireland on 122 occasions and having refereed 47 international rugby matches, Alan brings considerable life experience and insight that many will find both interesting and challenging!

“Faith in Sport”, will be held at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, Braemor Park, Dublin 14 from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm. Cost € 5.00 per person (including refreshments).

For more information, or simply to register attendance, please email David Brown, CITI Lay Training Co–ordinator at davidbrown@theologicalinstitute.ie

Christ Church Cathedral’s annual Retreat in the City takes place from February 20 to 22. Now in its third year, the retreat is part of the Open Door Spirituality Programme at the cathedral. 

The 2015 retreat will be led by Brother John SSF (pictured). John was born and raised in London. After gaining a degree in French he spent a couple of years on a church–planting team in Belgium before training for the Baptist ministry and serving in two pastorates in England. He has been Franciscan brother for 13 years.

Over the course of the weekend Br John will lead and inspire participants as they continue on their spiritual journeys. There will be six sessions over the weekend:

Hallowing time – about discipline/structure in prayer.

In my own skin – about solitude as opposed to loneliness, and becoming comfortable with ourselves.

The language of God – about silence.

Closer than a brother – about spiritual friendship/accompaniment.

Justice in the gate – about being outward–looking.

Beautiful vision – about openness to wonder.

Br John will also preach at the cathedral Eucharist on Sunday morning, which is part of the retreat programme. 

The retreat will begin on Friday evening with registration from 6.00 pm, finishing at 9.15 pm. The Saturday programme on Saturday will begin at 9.00 am and finish at 5.30 pm. Sunday’s programme will start at 9.00 am and continue until after lunch. 

The retreat is non residential and costs only €80 which includes all retreat sessions, tea/coffee and lunch on Saturday and Sunday. For those travelling into the city there are a number of reasonably priced hotels within easy walking distance from the cathedral.

To book and for further information email garth.bunting@cccdub.ie or phone +353 86 0386415

The RCB Library is once again collaborating with Mark Williams and the Anglican Record Project  by making the transcripts of another Church of Ireland parish available in digital format as this month’s Archive of the Month presentation. This time the parish is that of Kilternan in south county Dublin, and the online presentation features the complete run of baptisms, marriages and burials from 1817 (when register–keeping commenced) up to 1900.

For this project, two combined registers have been completely transcribed together with the first five years of baptismal register from 1895 to 1900 and the first 54 years of one marriage register – providing a continuous 83–year run of records. As is the norm with the Anglican Record Project, the transcripts are enhanced by a comprehensive alphabetical index of names. All may be accessed as pdf documents from this website, whilst the original volumes from which the information was transcribed are available in the RCB Library in the context of other original parish records such as vestry minute books, accounts, preachers’ books and a host of associated records.

Whilst known today as simply ‘Kilternan’, the geographical area it serves was originally covered by the two neighbouring parishes of Kilgobbin and Kilternan. In 1824 these two parishes were united as one and a new parish church (pictured) was constructed to designs by John Semple, which opened for worship in 1826.

Speaking from the RCB Library, Dr Susan Hood has again commended Mr Williams’ time–consuming efforts: “The work demonstrates what one person can contribute to the growing demand for evidence about lives lived in Church of Ireland parishes around Ireland, and through the Archive of the Month medium we can make this invaluable family information available to a worldwide audience.”

The rector of Kilternan, Canon David Moynan said: “The parish is most grateful to Mark for his painstaking work to make available the parish records in both hard and digital forms. The publication of this information by Dr Susan Hood at the RCB Library will prove invaluable to all who wish to access the registers. We commend this positive collaboration which brings this information to the wider public.”

As with all previous digital contributions from the Anglican Record Project, the work will be permanently available via the Church of Ireland website.  To view the transcripts and index see www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive

Tuesday February 17 will be the Church of Ireland Youth Department’s Day of Prayer for Young people. People in dioceses across the island will be gathering to pray for young people and for youth ministry.

In Dublin and Glendalough there will be a service in Christ Church Cathedral on February 17 from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm sponsored by the United Dioceses, the Dublin and Glendalough Youth Council and CIYD.

As well as prayer for the youth; the service, which will be set in the context of the Eucharist, will showcase some examples of alternative and creative ways of praying with and for young people.

Following on from the fruitful conversations with Rural Deaneries about Youth Ministry in the United Dioceses, this as an opportune moment to pray about the things discussed and for the future of Youth ministry within the dioceses.

This service is primarily aimed at clergy, however, youth ministers, leaders, volunteers, parents and young people are all encouraged to attend.

Information and resources for the CIYD Day of Prayer for Young People can be found here.

This south Dublin parish of Crumlin and Chapelizod is now vacant.

This parish of c.160 households seeks a Rector who will:

 – help parishioners grow as disciples,

 – have a vision for the Holy Spirit at work in their lives,

 – and build upon a ministry of welcome and outreach.

To apply for this position and obtain a parish profile: please write to:

The Archbishop of Dublin’s Personal Assistant,

Diocesan Office

Church of Ireland House

Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6

email: archdublinoffice@gmail.com

The Board of Nomination will not meet before 1st March 2015

Pictured – St Laurence’s Church, Chapelizod

Dublin and Glendalough is holding a diocesan training day on global poverty and the Church’s response to it. Hosted by Archbishop Michael Jackson, facilitated by Lydia Monds from Bishops’ Appeal (pictured) and funded by Irish Aid, the event will take place on Thursday February 26 from 9.30 am until lunchtime in the Church of Ireland College of Education in Rathmines.

We are called to ‘spend ourselves on behalf of the poor’ (Is 58:10). Our response to those in need is a response to Christ. It is turning away from indifference and inward looking and moving towards an intentional effort to connect with others in self–giving. But sometimes our best intentions can have negative effects. They can reinforce stereotypes of the powerful rich, saving the helpless poor. It can create dependency and actually achieve the opposite of what we set out to do, with increased disempowerment and voicelessness instead of life in all its fullness.

There are ways to engage with poverty issues both locally and globally that minimise hurt and damage in the process. Learning how to respond in this way allows us, and those we partner with, to glorify God together. So the course explores:

·            How we understand ourselves and others, particularly those who are culturally different and how this affects our response.

·            What is poverty? Our perspective, the poor’s perspective, and the Bible’s teaching.

·            How to respond to dire need in a way that is not undermining, but is effective, sustainable and interconnected.

·            How to bring this shift in perspective back to our parishes.

The day will get underway with tea, coffee and scones at 9.30 am, followed by the Eucharist celebrated by the Archbishop at 10.00 am ad the workshop at 10.30 am finishing with lunch.

Those planning to attend should let Bishops’ Appeal know by Thursday February 12 by emailing bishopsappeal@ireland.anglican.org.

Archivists have been exploring hidden paper trails to build up personal pictures of individuals involved in World War One. They presented their findings, which aim to make the events of the First World War more accessible to people 100 years later, to a large crowd which filled the Lady Chapel of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday evening (Tuesday February 3).

Entitled ‘Hidden Pages from World War One’, the seminar was a joint venture between St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Irish Society for Archives. The speakers from a number of projects and exhibitions revealed their explorations of previously unknown archive material of soldiers and civilians.

Proceedings were chaired by RTE news anchor, Bryan Dobson, who following a welcome by the cathedral’s Dean, the Very Revd Victor Stacey and the chairman of the Irish Association of Archivists, Dr Ray Refaussé, explained that the event aimed to put a human face on the lives of those in the First World War.

“This will enable us in 2015 to have some context and understanding of those who went through this cataclysmic experience 100 years ago,” he said, praising the archivists for their vital role in sharing the information they had uncovered.

The first speaker, Nicky Ralston, National Library of Ireland, Curator of the ‘Ireland and WW1’ exhibition, gave a talk entitled ‘Meeting Michael O’Leary’. While this was not the Michael O’Leary of budget airline fame who is so well known today, the Michael O’Leary who fought in World War One became very well known and was much featured in the press at the time. She focused on the way in which the National Library of Ireland uncovered the extraordinary story of Michael O’Leary’s award of the Victoria Cross through the library’s collection of newspapers and periodicals and used the narrative to put a personal face on the Cork man who became a symbol of Irish heroism. 

Noelle Dowling, of the Catholic Diocesan Archives Dublin highlighted the extensive work archivists in the Archdiocese have done with the papers and diaries of Fr Francis Gleeson who was a chaplain at the front in World War One. In her paper ‘From Templemore to the Rue de Bois: the Fr Francis Gleeson collection’, she outlined Fr Gleeson’s collection of diaries, brigade roll books and correspondence, which give an insight into life at the front, including letters he received from the families of soldiers and gritty accounts of the hardship of life at war.

Andrew Whites ide, Archivist with Kilkenny College gave an account of his research into the life of ‘Jack Salter of Skibbereen’. He explored the mystery of a past pupil reported to have been killed in action with the Royal Irish Rifles on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. However, within weeks of the official notification his parents received a chipper letter from their son, who was in a prisoner of war camp, requesting supplies and asking that his address be passed on to friends so that they could write to him.

Susan Hood of the Representative Church Body Library talked of ‘Finding letters from the Western Front: a Church of Ireland parish story’. She focused on the 10 letters written to the Revd Arthur Barton, Rector of Dundela parish in East Belfast. The letters were found in a tea chest in the former Bishop’s House in Kilmore where Barton was Bishop from 1930 to 1939 before becoming Archbishop of Dublin. She highlighted her subsequent efforts to find out more about the men who wrote the letters which were digitized as part of the RCB Library’s Archive of the Month series and the story was subsequently picked up on by BBC Northern Ireland. Eight of the 10 letter writers were traced with the help of local historians.

Andrew Smith, Education Officer of St Patrick’s Cathedral detailed the background of the ‘Lives Remembered at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral’. He spoke of the overwhelming response the exhibition had elicited from the public with over 10,000 messages being written by visitors from around the world in remembrance of those affected by war. He said they were now examining how to archive these messages as a social commentary for the future.

Closing the seminar Bryan Dobson thanked the speakers for sharing their insights into the lives of people who were gone but not forgotten.

Photo captions:

Top – Dean Victor Stacey, Dr Ray Refaussé, Andrew Smith, Nicky Ralston, Noelle Dowling, Susan Hood, Andrew Whiteside and Bryan Dobson. 

Bottom – Members of the audience were invited to make contributions at the end of the seminar.

The Revd Dr Maurice Elliott has been appointed to the Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. Dr Elliott (pictured), who is Director of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, has been appointed to the Canonry vacated by the Rt Revd Kenneth Kearon when he became Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe.

The appointment has been welcomed by both the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne.

Archbishop Jackson said he was delighted that Dr Elliott had accepted the appointment. “Maurice Elliott has served the Church of Ireland as Director of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute since 2008. He is known to a very wide range of Readers, ordinands and clergy through the life of the Institute and through his commitment and contribution to its work and development. Together with the Dean I welcome Maurice’s membership of the Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral and wish him all that is best in this further opportunity he now has to serve the church of God,” he stated.

Dean Dunne has also welcomed the announcement saying: “I think that it is timely that Dr Maurice Elliott is appointed to the Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral in keeping with the old tradition of the Principal of the Theological Institute being on that Chapter of the cathedral. I know that Dr Elliott will have a lot to bring to the Chapter and the life of the cathedral”.

Dr Elliott said he was looking forward to the new opportunity. “I am genuinely honoured to have received this appointment to the chapter of Christ Church and look forward to becoming more involved within the worship and witness of the cathedral community. Whereas the Theological Institute exists to serve all the dioceses of the Church of Ireland, its location continues to offer a particular association with the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough. In expressing my sincere gratitude, I am deeply aware that this new opportunity represents a recognition of all whose ministries are expressed through their faithful contributions within the life of CITI,” he commented.

Dr Elliott is married to Kirsten and the couple have three children, Alexandra, Timothy and Nicholas, who are all currently either working or studying in Wesley College. He commenced training in Dublin in 1989. He was ordained as deacon in 1993 for the curacy of Coleraine (Connor) and priested the following year.  In 1998 he was appointed as Rector in Greenisland (Connor) and in 2002 moved to Shankill, Lurgan (Down & Dromore).  The bishops of the Church of Ireland appointed him to the role of Director in the Theological Institute in 2008.  Within the Church of Ireland he is currently a member of the Standing Committee of the General Synod, the Covenant Council, the Bishops’ Advisory Commission on Doctrine, the Commission on Ministry and the Anglican Consultative Council. 

Christ Church Cathedral has been chosen as the Dublin location for a sculpture known as ‘Homeless Jesus’. The seven foot wide bronze by Canadian sculptor, Tim Schmalz, will be blessed at the cathedral by Dean Dermot Dunne on Good Friday, April 3.

‘Homeless Jesus’ depicts a faceless cloaked figure lying on a park bench. Those seeing it only realise it is a statue of Jesus when they notice the holes in his feet. It has been gifted to the city of Dublin by an anonymous North American Episcopalian benefactor who has given the sculptures to a number of other cities including New York, London and Vatican City in Rome.

Dean Dunne said he was delighted that Schmalz had chosen Christ Church as the location for the sculpture. Irish Times readers were asked to nominate locations for the statue last December and the sculptor visited a number of locations in Dublin in January. He chose Christ Church Cathedral because he said it was “the spiritual heart of Dublin”. 

An area of the park around the cathedral will be landscaped to accommodate the sculpture.

A Dublin student is looking for relatives of a soldier who died at the Somme in the First World War. Katharine Woods, who is a fourth year student at Wesley College, Dublin and parishioner of Taney, has been chosen to take part in the Adopt a Soldier 2015 project. As part of the project one student has been selected from each of the 32 counties in Ireland to travel to the Somme in the summer. Each student will research a soldier from their own county who died at the Somme. 

The group will travel to the Somme battlefield region in northern France in late June. During the trip they will either visit the grave or monument to honour the memory of his or her ‘adopted’ soldier. The trip will also include a visit to the European Parliament.

Katharine has passed the first stage of the process by writing a short essay stating why she should be chosen to represent her county in the project. She is now trying to find a soldier to research. She is looking for someone who has information about a family member who died at the Somme. The soldier must be from Dublin and must be buried in the Somme region. 

Anyone with information can contact Katharine by email at katharinewoods46@gmail.com.

Katharine Woods is pictured with Canon Bob Reed, Precentor of St Patrick’s Cathedral, following the ‘Hidden Pages from World War One’ seminar which took place in the cathedral earlier this week. 

Dublin’s Black Santa fulfilled the second part of his role yesterday (Sunday February 8) as €35,000 was handed out to charities at a service in St Ann’s, Dawson Street. The record sum was collected during the annual Black Santa Sit Out at St Ann’s in the 10 days before Christmas.

Representatives from the charities were present to receive their cheques along with members of some of the choirs who helped bring the spirit of Christmas to Dawson Street by joining the Vicar, Canon David Gillespie and his band of volunteers as they shook their collection buckets on the street.

Speaking at the service was a former Black Santa and Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd Houston McKelvey. The Dublin sit out, now in its 13th year, was started by Canon Tom Haskins and was inspired by the much larger sit out which takes place outside St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.

A veteran of 11 Black Santa Sit Outs in 10 years in Belfast, Dean McKelvey, who retired in 2011, joked that the subtitle for the sit out was ‘Frozen for God’. While Irish people liked to see a frozen priest of any denomination, he said, the sit out served two good causes – to encourage the generosity of the public and to affirm the good work of the charities and volunteers that the funds collected were donated to.

“The nice thing about a sit out is that it is owned by everyone. It might be happing outside a Church of Ireland place of worship but I noticed that people of all Christian traditions and non and people of all world faiths supported it,” he commented.

He added that the sit out also pointed to the good causes it supported. “It affirms the efforts of people who are working in the charitable sector of society. Neither the government in Belfast nor the government in Dublin could afford to pay for all that needs to be done and the tighter things are financially, the more responsibility falls on the voluntary sector. The sit out recognises the work that it done throughout the year by those volunteers,” he stated adding that they were the Good Samaritans of their day.

Speaking after the service, Canon Gillespie said it was a great pleasure to hand out the cheques to the charities. He also paid tribute to the choirs who supported the sit out and to all who contributed to the smooth running of the sit out.

On behalf of the charities who benefited from the sit out, Geoff Scargill of Protestant Aid thanked the Vicar and his team for the huge effort they had put in and said many people would benefit as a result of their efforts.

The funds were distributed as follows: Salvation Army – €5,000, Solas Project €5,000, Protestant Aid – €4,000, TRUST – €4,000, SVP – €3,000, Bishops’ Appeal –€3,000, McVerry Trust – €3,000, Dublin Simon – €2,000, Laura Lynn – €2,000, Samaritans – €2,000, Barnardos – €1,000, PACT – €1,000.

Photo captions:

Top – Representatives of the charities who benefited from the Black Santa Sit out at St Ann’s, Dawson Street, are pictured with the Vicar, Canon David Gillespie, the Revd Yvonne Ginnelly and Dean Houston McKelvey. 

Bottom – Black Santas Canon David Gillespie and Dean Houston McKelvey with a mini Black Santa baked specially for the occasion.

The Dublin & Glendalough Diocesan Committee of the Church’s Ministry of Healing Ireland has organised a Quiet Day on Saturday March 7. Led by the Ven Susan Watterson, this day of reflection entitled ‘Watching, Waiting & Walking’ will take place at the The Mageough, Cowper Road, Rathmines, from 10.00 am to 3.00 pm.

Soup, tea and coffee will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring a sandwich to complete their lunch. 

For further information or to register your attendance please contact the diocesan representative Felix Blennerhassett on mobile: 087–214 9400 or email felixblen@ eircom.net. There is no charge for admission.

The local contributors to Q Commons Dublin have now been announced. Q Commons is a conversation on how to advance good in Dublin through collaboration in our communities. On Friday February 27 people in over 70 cities around the world will be having similar conversations.

Q Commons Dublin will take place in Christ Church Cathedral. The boutique gathering for leaders will feature bespoke, virtual presentations by Malcolm Gladwell (New York Times Bestselling Author), Soledad O’Brien (Broadcast Journalist) and Mark Burnett (Producer of the Voice, The Apprentice and more) looking at the issues of Legitimacy, Ethnic Division and Virtue in Entertainment.

They will be joined locally by communicators looking at Tolerance, Media and the Economics of the Common Good on two panel discussions: 

The Media and Faith panel consists of: 

• Host: Greg Fromholz, Q Commons City Leader
• Roger Childs : RTE Religious Programming (Director and Producer of the “Meaning of Life”)
• Michael Kelly: Editor of The Irish Catholic

The Promoting Religious Tolerance in a Secular Culture: panel will consist of: 

• Host: Greg Fromholz, Q Commons City Leader
• The Very Revd Dermot Dunne: Dean, Christ Church Cathedral
• Dr Ali Alsaleh: Imam, Ahlul–Bait Islamic Center
• Sean Mullen: General Director, Evagelical Allinace Ireland
• Very Reverend Kieran McDermott: Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation & Ecumenism for Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin

Q Commons is taking place in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Friday February 27 from 7.00 to 9.00 pm. Tickets cost €20 per person.

For further information see:

http://www.qideas.org/qcommons/dublin/

Q Commons promo video: Introducing Q Commons

Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons began a new chapter last night (Thursday February 12) as parishioners welcomed their new Rector. The Revd Stephen Neill was instituted as Incumbent by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson in Christ Church, Celbridge.

Members of all three churches turned out in force to ensure a warm welcome for Mr Neill, his wife Nicola and their son Aaron. They were joined by many former parishioners from the Cloughjordan and Borrisokane Group. Many clergy from Dublin and Glendalough were in attendance along with Archbishop John Neill, former Archbishop of Dublin and his wife Betty, Stephen’s parents.

The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Cork, the Rt Revd Paul Colton, who told the parishioners that they had “got a good one”. Drawing on the words of the Gospel (John 4: 31–38) “But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting”, he said their new Rector was faithful in ministry and had his eyes open and was not afraid to say what he saw and respond to it.

The Bishop observed that the area around Celbridge had experienced a population explosion in recent years. What had once been a sleepy village on the border of Dublin and Kildare had grown by 50 percent between the years 1986 and 2002. He said all of this bewildering change had brought a change in affiliation to church and an explosion in spirituality, although not necessarily in the traditional ways adding “look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting”. 

Producing a magic wand which he proposed to leave in the parish, Bishop Colton said everyone knew that magic wands did not work. He said society suffered from magic wand syndrome and political parties thought they could wave a magic wand and produce change.

There was no magic wand for the Church either, the Bishop maintained. “Your new Rector is not a magic wand. He is a slow cooked and faithful priest” he said adding that the pattern of ministry was set out in the Order of Service for the Institution and was one of patient continuance. Bishop Colton said that the charge to serve the Lord was also one given to the parishioners.

After the service West Glendalough Rural Dean, the Revd Leonard Ruddock, brought greetings from the previous Rector, the Revd Sandra Hales and paid tribute to all who had helped out during the time when she was ill and in the subsequent vacancy.

Speaking on behalf of the parish, Jos Eversten said the institution marked a new beginning which the parish greeted with great optimism. Parishioners were prepared to work with their rector, Dr Eversten stated and they had put together a framework which would enable a collaborative approach to ministry. With a nod to Mr Neill’s connections, he quoted President Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek”.

The local Parish Priest, Fr Paul Taylor, welcomed Mr Neill to the parish. He said Celbridge was a multicultural and multidenominational community and looked forward to working with the new Rector to refresh and revitalise the community.

Eileen Armitage spoke on behalf of the parishioners of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane and said they were grateful and privileged to have had Mr Neill as their Rector. Over the last 16 years he had never let them down and had given up his time unstintingly, she said.

Mr Neill thanked his new parishioners for the welcome they had given the family. He also thanked the many people from Cloughjordan and Borrisokane for travelling to “complete the handover”. He thanked the parochial and diocesan nominators for taking a leap of faith in appointing him and Archbishop Jackson for accepting the nomination. He said was exited by the development work that was going on in the parish and looked forward to joining the ministry team.

Archbishop Jackson said he had known Mr Neill for a long time and knew he would lead his parishioners in fresh ways in the Gospel and in their community. He said that people had come to the church in friendship and hope but added that their thoughts were with the people of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane who had formed friendships with him and his family.

Photo captions:

Top – Archdeacon Ricky Rountree, Bishop Paul Colton, the Revd Stephen Neill and Archbishop Michael Jackson.

Middle – The Revd Stephen Neill with the church wardens from each of the parish churches.

Bottom – The Revd Stephen Neill receives gifts as symbols of ministry.

I should like to thank each and every one of you for the significant commitment to the advent Gaza initiative from Dublin and Glendalough which you and your friends have shown.

This initiative indeed had humble beginnings. Through the inventiveness and generosity of individuals, schools, parishes and communities it has realized a significant outcome and for this I wish to thank all of you.

Every contribution has enhanced the capacity to offer support and dignity of all of those who live in the hope of giving active support for the future to the lives of the people of Gaza. The outreach and the embrace of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital is non–political and is offered to everyone irrespective of faith or status in the society. 

I should like to thank you once again for the significant and generous way in which you have advanced this cause of human dignity through the recognition of the image and the likeness of God in the face of our neighbours.

Yours sincerely,  

+Michael

Dublin and Glendalough  

[Donations can still be made to Dublin and Glendalough’s ‘Prepare A Place’ Appeal for Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza via Bishops’ Appeal either by using envelopes which are available in all parish churches or by electronic transfer to IBAN: IE31BOFI90001749839499 BIC: BOFIIE2D. Cheques may be sent to Bishops’ Appeal, Church of Ireland House, Church Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6.

The funds raised will buy solar panels to ensure a constant electricity supply for the hospital and go towards improving on–call facilities for staff.]

Dublin and Glendalough has established a new role for the development of ministry in the dioceses. The Revd Ása Bjork Ólafsdottir, Vicar of Christ Church, Dun Laoghaire, (pictured) has taken up the position. 

When she was appointed to Dun Laoghaire, the Revd Ása was given this second role. As Ministry Development Officer she aims to encourage clergy and congregations in building up ministry within their churches as well as reaching out the wider community, trying out new ideas and amending old ones.

Initially Ása will visit all the Rural Deaneries in Dublin and Glendalough. She will examine what is being done in the parishes and what is needed in the area. Then they will brainstorm to find ideas and responses to local needs. 

“There is a need for parishes to work within their communities and there are fantastic ideas out there that can only come from the people in each area as they know the circumstances,” Ása explains.

“I am not saying all should open a soup kitchen (like The Dining Room in my Church Hall) or anything as big as that, but there is a need and longing amongst parishioners to reach out and make a difference. I also think that many ideas might be too big for one parish, but could be something two or three could work together,” she adds. 

As an example she highlights the many parents and grandparents who must wait for an hour between collecting younger and older children from primary school. “In many cases there is a Parochial Hall close by where parents and children could have a meaningful social time together and a cup of tea during that time. It takes some planning, but there are many people out there willing to take part in such an adventure,” she comments.

Among the resources that could be made available could be a homepage with a resource bank, accessible to clergy and perhaps Select Vestry members in Dublin and Glendalough. Ása suggests that it could be a venue for ideas and healthy discussions on what works and what could be done differently. 

The role of the Ministry Development Officer is not set in stone and will be formed according to need. Ása invites people to email their ideas and suggestions to: rector.asa.bjork@gmail.com

A moving and reflective service of prayer for young people in Ireland took place in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, yesterday evening (Tuesday February 17). The experimental service was the first of its kind and was part of an island–wide Day of Prayer for Young People which was organised by the Church of Ireland Youth Department.

The low key liturgy was put together by the Revd Jack Kinkead, curate of Taney Parish and the Revd Abigail Sines and the Revd Alan Breen, deacon interns in St Paul’s, Glenageary and St Patrick’s, Greystones, respectively. Innovative prayer stations which provided focal points for prayer including homelessness, suicide amongst young people and a reflection on the cross, were dotted around the cathedral and assembled with the assistance of Claire Haworth. The music was provided by a worship band.

The address was given by the Revd Alan Breen who drew upon the reading from 1 Samuel 3:1–10. He said everyone needed people in their lives to point them in the direction of God. He asked if we lived in a world where it was rare for God to speak or if it was the case that we were not tuned into what God was saying. He added that church leaders had a responsibility to role model listening to God’s voice and the best way to do this was by getting to know his voice by spending time with him.

“We want young people to spend time with us because we bring the light of God. We want to be part of a church where people have visions and dreams of God. I think God speaks to us but we just have to tune into the frequency…We are called to pray for this generation, to bring our young people to God. Samuel did not know God but Eli pointed him in the direction of God,” he said.

The congregation was given an hour to visit each of the prayer stations around the cathedral during which they could reflect, write prayer requests and write or paint on a prayer wall. The service concluded with Holy Communion. It was followed by pancakes in the Crypt.

Photo captions:

Top – The Revd Alan Breen, the Revd Jack Kinkead and the Revd Abigail Sines.

Bottom – Claire Haworth at one of the prayer stations in the cathedral.

On 27th January 2015 the Church of Ireland College of Education (CICE) and Dublin City University (DCU) signed an inter–institutional linkage agreement. Reflecting the growing partnership between the two institutions, this signing means that CICE becomes a college of the university and that DCU will become the sole accrediting body for all CICE’s undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes.   CICE and DCU welcome this agreement which arises against the background of the incorporation of the Church of Ireland College of Education, Mater Dei Institute of Education and St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra into Dublin City University. The incorporation will lead to the creation of an internationally–significant Institute of Education that will become the fifth faculty of the university.

Core Principles to underpin CICEs future

The Church of Ireland General Synod has endorsed unanimously four core principles of the Board of Governors of Church of Ireland College of Education regarding the College’s future in a university setting, namely:

·      Safeguarding and enhancing the holistic educational experience of all CICE students;

·      Protection of the rights of CICE staff;

·      Retention of CICE’s identity in terms of its ethos and culture, including its relationship with and responsibility to the Church of Ireland network of primary schools throughout the State;

·      Affirmation of, and formal positive acknowledgement of, and respect for, the values, origins and traditions of CICE.

In parallel to this, the President of DCU has written to CICE giving a clear commitment and assurance regarding the University’s respect for each and all of these four core principles. 

A Centre for Cherishing Educational Commitments & Heritage while Embracing Change

In order to ensure that the distinctive identity and values of teacher education in both the Church of Ireland / Reformed Christian and Roman Catholic traditions are structurally maintained, promoted and safeguarded on an ongoing basis, two Centres for Denominational Education will be established within the Institute (a Church of Ireland Centre for Education and a Centre for Catholic Education).   The core curriculum for teacher preparation will be denominationally neutral and common to all, but will, as required, allow for the delivery of modules to prepare teachers appropriately for employment in denominational schools. 

The Church of Ireland Centre within DCU

The Church of Ireland Centre (CIC) will maintain and promote the distinctive identity, values and learning of the Church of Ireland / Reformed Christian traditions. The Centre will be supported by an Advisory Council who will advise the Centre’s Director on the Centre’s specialist work. The CIC will organise, oversee, support and supervise School Placements in primary schools under Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and Society of Friends patronage for the Centre’s B.Ed students and provide related tutorials and School Placement Studies and related specialist research modules.   It will also ensure provision for these students of modules in Religious, Ethical and Moral Education and prepare them to teach the Follow Me programme. It will assure the provision of specialist modules to support these students to teach in small and multi–level schools, and to develop particular expertise in early childhood education and inclusive education. It will ensure that these students are given adequate support in developing their Irish language literacy.  In addition, Dublin City University has actively supported the continuation of the reserved places entry system for applications from the Church of Ireland and the other Reformed Christian communities.

A New Vision for Education

The document entitled A New Vision of Education for all the Children of Ireland launched in June 2014 set out the agreed proposals by the University and each of the incorporating institutions for the Denominational Centres, the care of students under the custodianship of each of the Centres, and the provision of worship space and chaplaincy in each tradition. This document also outlined the plans to promote and safeguard the archives and artefacts associated with each Centre. The University is fully committed to upholding the rights of staff from each of the incorporating institutions and is currently engaged in complex negotiations in this regard with staff and their representative bodies. 

CICE will take its place as part of an Internationally–recognised Institute of Education

All parties to the incorporation recognise that this development will create an internationally–significant, research–intensive Institute of Education. The Institute will engage with schools and the educational community across Ireland and beyond, and will be an authoritative source of influence on policy development. DCU is, and will continue to be, a secular university with a strong commitment to pluralism, social inclusion and diversity. The new Institute of Education will provide a place of mutual respect for the formation of teachers for denominational (Church of Ireland, reformed Christian traditions, Roman Catholics and others), non–denominational and multi–denominational schools. While the ethos and identity of each of the three incorporating institutions will be respected and safeguarded in the ‘new DCU’, these three institutions will cease to exist as autonomous, separate legal entities post incorporation.  

Joint Research Initiative on small Protestant Primary Schools

CICE and DCU look forward to deepening and strengthening the emerging synergies across their institutions. Reflecting their mutual respect and inter–institutional parity of esteem, CICE and DCU are delighted to announce a joint partnership in a key research project focusing on small Protestant primary schools in Ireland.   

“Ní neart go cur le chéile”

Professor Brian MacCraith                                                            Archbishop Michael Jackson

President                                                                                    Chairperson,

DCU                                                                                                 Board of Governors CICE

17th February 2015

The statement can be downloaded by clicking here. 

Photo shows Professor Brian MacCraith and Archbishop Michael Jackson signing the agreement.