The Church of Ireland Primary Schools patrons have made the following statement today:

‘We note with great interest the confirmation by the Minister for Education and Skills of the publication of the Value for Money (VFM) Report on Small Schools (Primary) and will give it our close consideration.

‘We welcome the invitation by the Minister for Education to enter into a dialogue regarding the future sustainability of smaller rural schools. As Church of Ireland patrons we look forward to engaging with the Minister in further discussions on this matter in due course and in particular on the detail of a proposed voluntary amalgamation protocol for small primary schools within a certain radial proximity’.

‘In particular, we are encouraged by the indication of alleviations in teacher appointment and retention thresholds for one teacher schools in isolated locations’.

The Church of Ireland bishops of the Dioceses with schools in the Republic of Ireland are the Church of Ireland school patrons. There are ten such patrons within the Republic of Ireland.

The Church of Ireland Evangelical Fellowship is organising a Day Conference entitled ‘On the front line, Mission and the Local Church’.  

Taking place in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh and surrounding venues, on March 14 (9.30am – 5.30pm), the event will focus on the opportunities of mission locally and highlight how best to respond. A wide range of speakers will contribute to participants’ collective thoughts including the Revd Dr Mike Ovey (Principal of Oak Hill College, London) and the Revd Dr Heather Morris (Home Mission Secretary to the Irish Methodist Church).  

This is a special day for anyone who has a heart for mission in a local context. The organisers hope it will provide encouragement to local churches as they seek to reach out with the message of the Gospel. Everyone is invited to attend to hear of good news stories and be more inspired for service.

Further details and booking information can be found on the CIEF Website (www.cief.net) or by contacting Patricia Halliday on Tel 028 9266 5310 or 07713 257 691 or ciefmembmail@cief.net. 

Full details of the conference and other speakers in the brochure which can be downloaded here.

The church is made up of millions of people, who share in a rich tradition of giving, practice a rhythm of generosity and say YES to a life lived generously. fleshandblood is a campaign to mobilise the Church to help increase the number of blood and organ donors, a call to recognise a need and respond with an act of generosity. The campaign aims to raise the profile of donation within the Church and encourage donation as a personal gift. It seeks to equip individuals and churches as advocates for donation helping them talk about it and engage with their family, friends and communities.

At the General Synod held in Dublin in May 2014 the Motion was unanimously carried that the Church of Ireland would become an associate of the Flesh and Blood (FAB) campaign. 

Clergy and Parish representatives are invited to attend the Dublin launch of the Flesh and Blood (Ireland) campaign on Friday March 6 at 4.00 pm in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin. This will be followed by Choral Evensong at 5.30 pm.

Parishioners who have been personally affected by blood and organ donation are particularly encouraged to attend.

Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin attended a special Mass of thanksgiving with members of the Jesuit community on Saturday February 21 to celebrate Pope Francis’s elevation of Dublin–born Fr John Sullivan (1861–1933) as a Venerable of the church, which is two steps below sainthood. 

The Mass took place in St Francis Xavier Church on Gardiner Street, Dublin, brought together members of the Irish Catholic Church and the Church of Ireland. Fr John Sullivan (1861–1933) was baptised into the Church of Ireland at in St Georges’ Church in Dublin. The son of a Lord Chancellor of Ireland, his father was Protestant and his mother was Catholic. Archbishop Jackson’s presence at Saturday’s Mass recalled Fr Sullivan’s earlier life within the Anglican Christian community in Ireland.

Referring to ecumenical nature of the congregation which also included some of Fr Sullivan’s relatives who had travelled from England, Archbishop Martin said it was a reminder that “holiness knows no denominational boundaries”.

In his Homily he added: “Indeed in our ecumenical reflection and activity we pay too little attention to the fact that Saints can be a bridge between what is deepest and common in all our traditions.” He stated that ecumenism was not the possession of theologians or activists. 

“There is an important ecumenical transformation which comes through personal encounters with authentic Christians of other traditions. There is an important ecumenical transformation which comes through entering into the prayer traditions and the piety of other traditions. John Sullivan’s faith was the product of two traditions and always remained so and was enriched by that fact,” he said.

During the service, Archbishop Jackson said it was a joy for him to reflect as an Anglican on the person and holiness of John Sullivan SJ.

“His lifetime was evenly and equally divided – but not separated – between the Anglican and the Roman Catholic traditions; equally divided – but again not separated – between being lay and being ordained. His invitation to all of us gathered here today and to all who will know more of this wonderful man over the following year is to divide equally and not to separate the people and the things which matter most to us; and to do this within a living ecumenism in a modern world which needs the witness of saints on earth and saints on heaven,” he stated.

Archbishop Martin’s Homily notes can be read by clicking here. 

Photo caption: Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin at the Mass in Gardiner Street on Saturday (Photo courtesy of John McElroy).

This Sunday (March 1) – St David’s Day – Gay Byrne’s guest on The Meaning of Life is, appropriately enough, a Welshman – the former Archbishop of Canterbury and now Master of Magdalene College, Cambridge, Dr Rowan Williams (pictured).

Recorded in the home of the satirist and former Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, Jonathan Swift, it’s a very wide–ranging, candid, thoughtful and, at times, funny interview with the former leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

The programme airs at 10.30pm on Sunday March 1, on RTÉ One. The programme will be accessible on the RTÉ Player outside the island of Ireland for just three days after transmission, so people overseas can view it at http://www.rte.ie/player/ie/live/7/ or afterwards on www.rte.ie/player<http://www.rte.ie/player>

To get an advance taste of the interview, there are a series of YouTube clips available:

Archbishop Rowan Williams on agreeing to differ at the Lambeth Conference – http://youtu.be/xXQrkGaB34k

Archbishop Rowan Williams on his arrest – http://youtu.be/CvH71RZn2S8

Archbishop Rowan Williams on married priests – http://youtu.be/Qew45J6c1Y8

Archbishop Rowan Williams on Sharia Law – http://youtu.be/33Nax-sRnPs

Archbishop Rowan Williams on God – http://youtu.be/9YAOfER0d-M

The Dining Room is officially one year old today – February 24. The outreach project of Christ Church, Dun Laoghaire is celebrating its first anniversary all this week with many visitors coming to the parish hall to see what developments have taken place over the past 12 months.

The project is supported by teams of volunteers from all walks of life who provide a hot home cooked lunch to homeless people, the elderly and those experiencing food poverty and loneliness.

The Dining Room was the brainchild of the Vicar of Christ Church, Dun Laoghaire, the Revd Ása Bjork Ólafsdottir who is delighted with the way the first year has gone. “What a year it has been, lots of new friends, lots of interesting food, healthier patrons, and a true sense of the community working together,” she commented.

She paid tribute to all the volunteers and all who donate food to the project. They have seen people blossom in the Dining Room and some people who had been patrons have become volunteers.

Yesterday, as the celebrations got underway, Archbishop Michael Jackson dropped in for lunch. Also present were local public representatives including Cllrs Patricia Stewart and Mary Fayne and Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor.

Cllr Stewart outlined plans for a new premises for a community café in Dun Laoghaire which would be open daily and for longer hours. The parish hall can only accommodate the Dining Room for three lunchtimes each week.

The need for such a fa cility was identified by the local policing forum some time ago, the councillor stated. Ása, who is now a member of the policing forum, also saw the need for somewhere for people to go and set about establishing the Dining Room. She plans to retain a presence with the new venture and ensure that the ethos that has been nutured at the Dining Room is maintained.

The Dining Room is open for lunch between 12.00 noon and 2.00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. All are welcome to drop in.

Photo captions:

Top – The Revd Ása Bjork Ólafsdottir, Cllr Patricia Steward, Tony McCarthy (volunteer) and Deputy Mary Mitchell O’Connor.

Bottom – Cllr Mary Fayne and volunteer Terry Merry.

The launch service for ICON Community which was due to take place this Saturday, February 28) has been postponed due to a bereavement. The service has been rescheduled and will now take place on Saturday March 28 at 4.00 pm in Centenary Methodist Church on Leeson Park.

Internationally renowned concert organist, David Briggs, will give an organ recital in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, on Friday March 13 at 6.30 pm.

David is an internationally renowned organist whose performances are acclaimed for their musicality, virtuosity, and ability to excite and engage audiences of all ages. He is Artist–in–Residence at St James Cathedral, Toronto and Organist Emeritus of Gloucester Cathedral, UK.

The programme included Bach and Mahler as well as David’s own arrangements of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloe and a Symphonic Improvisation on Irish Themes.

The recital will be preceded by a service of Choral Evensong sung by the Boys and Gentlemen of the Cathedral Choir including the setting written for Saint Patrick’s by David Briggs at 5.30 pm. The concert will be followed by a wine reception in the Lady Chapel.

Admission is free and more details are available on www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

Culture, context and building relationships are the key ingredients to any response to poverty, global or local. While these things take time, participants in a Dublin and Glendalough training day facilitated by Bishops’ Appeal heard that without these considerations, projects aimed at alleviating poverty could do more harm than good.

The seminar was hosted by Archbishop Michael Jackson in the Church of Ireland College of Education yesterday (Thursday February 26 2015). It was facilitated by Lydia Monds, education officer with Bishops’ Appeal with Emma Lynch of Tearfund and Linda Chambers of the United Society.

ENGAGING WITH CULTURE

In engaging with people in different cultures, Lydia explained that it is important to understand the different concepts and different understandings and to be aware of our own cultural bias which leads us to believe our world view is normal. Our world view is central to us but we have to be open to new perspectives and change, she said. She suggested that a good model to adopt is one of journeying together rather than standing at the end and shouting ‘we’ve arrived’.

POVERTY

Talking about the theory of poverty, Emma Lynch said that the major poverty was the poverty of spiritual intimacy. “Poverty is incredibly complex. Poverty is relational. Any approaches to alleviate poverty must start with us looking at our own poverty,” she said.

Lydia added that often descriptions of poverty focused on material lack and said it was necessary to broaden that definition. When poor people speak of poverty they talk about much more than material lack. They refer to deprivation, exclusion and powerlessness. “If we don’t observe that, we can exacerbate the powerlessness. We can be so solution based that we can forget about the relationship that needs to happen. We want to bring people to where we are rather than to go with people – this can make things worse,” she commented. The building of confidence and self worth is more important than the material issues, she stated.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

If the person’s experience of poverty has been exclusion, then inclusion must be part of the solution, Lydia explained. Simply identifying a solution and providing it has been the cause of project failure all over the world, she said. For example sending clothes to a disaster hit region may result in damaging the local market when clothes are handed out to people for free. The better solution would be to identify a local source for the clothes.

A broken water pump is a familiar sight, Lydia said but asked if that meant that we should ignore the fact that 173 million people were reliant on stagnant surface water. Often a project fails because the community was not consulted – was there a sense of ownership of the pump? Who owned the land the pump was on? Was there access to it? Would people coming to the pump cause conflict? Was someone trained to fix it?

“You have to talk to people and that takes time”, she said. “If you get a mosquito net and you don’t know the value of it, you may sell it to feed your family today because tomorrow may not come.” She highlighted a project organised by Derry and Raphoe in which the nets were sourced locally, there was a huge amount of awareness raising locally and now the number of repeat malaria cases was falling. But she said the relationship had to be formed first.

Lydia stated that when we disconnect from relationships injustice occurs: transnational companies have more power than governments; there are more slaves in the world now than at the time of abolition of slavery, we want low cost food; we want cheap high fashion; we want the latest gadgets. We are part of that chain, she said. 

WHO TO SUPPORT

Linda Chambers said it is important to acknowledge that the State has the primary responsibility for its people. After that it is important to conduct a needs assessment. “How do you assess need?” she asked. “It’s very hard from the outside. Who better to assess the need than the people who live there? I am a one person fan club for the Anglican Communion… I think it’s brilliant to be part of something that covers 165 countries – feel part of it and use it. That’s what it’s there for. If your partner is the local Anglican church then they will know the context, the local things that we don’t know.”

PREPARE A PLACE

Linda also spoke of Dublin and Glendalough’s ‘Prepare a Place’ campaign for Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. She explained that the Diocesan Council for Mission was looking for a link and spoke to the Archbishop who suggested his existing friendship with Archbishop Suheil in Jerusalem. The council, in partnership with Bishops’ Appeal, the United Society and Friends of Sabeel, made contact with the programme development officer in the Diocese of Jerusalem and within 48 hours she had identified two projects at the Anglican hospital in Gaza – the refurbishment of the on call staff facilities and the installation of solar panels.

ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Emma Lynch explained the different stages of poverty alleviation which include relief – the urgent and temporary provision of emergency aid as a result of crisis; rehabilitation – seeking to bring people back to where they were before the crisis hit; and development – building resilience into the community to lessen the impact of future crises. Development is not done to people or for people but with people, she said.

Tearfund’s approach is church and community mobilisation or asset based community development, she said. They look at the community, its people and assets and build on that. She said the key things to remember are: world view change is critical and takes time; community resources are better than external resources, leadership buy in and quality facilitators are vital; and it’s all about God.

Photo captions:

Top – Lydia Monds (Bishops’ Appeal), Archbishop Michael Jackson and Emma Lynch (Tearfund) at the Dublin and Glendalough training day on responding to global poverty.

Middle – Participants in the training day learned about engaging with different cultures by trying out some greetings used in other cultures.

Bottom – Linda Chambers (United Society) addressing the training day.

More photographs are available on the Dublin and Glendalough Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/DublinandGlendalough or simply click on the Facebook button (F) at the top of this page.

The March edition of The Church Review is out now. This month’s Dublin and Glendalough diocesan magazine contains everything you need to know about the goings on in the United Dioceses over the past month and news of things to come.

Canon Patrick Comerford writes about visiting Lisbon and rediscovering the land of the discoverers in his regular column. There is a report from the Armenian Church Community in Ireland, who use Taney Church. And the Revd Abigail Sines reports on the Clergy Conference which took place in Kilkenny.

This month there is also a full listing of Church of Ireland Chaplains to Hospitals in the dioceses.

There are photographs and articles on the launch of the Ardilaun Music Project in Raheny, the handing over of the funds raised by the 2014 Black Santa Sit Out in St Ann’s, the Presidential visit to Killiney for the opening of the Carry Centre, archivists’ work in bringing stories of people involved in World War One to life and the institution of the Revd Stephen Neill in Celbridge.

There is also full coverage of the launch of research into small Irish primary schools.

As always one of the most important sections is the notes from Christ Church and St Patrick’s Cathedrals and a full round up of news from parishes all over the dioceses.

A further set of lantern slides depicting the early Irish church and aspects of mission in the wider world is the focus for March’s Archive of the Month online from the RCB Library. The collection was recently recovered from St Patrick’s Deanery in Dublin. As a relatively easy apparatus to use, the ‘magic lantern’ (forerunner of the modern slide projector) provided an important medium used by religious bodies and individuals, enabling clergy, educators and clergy to spread their message for a variety of charitable and educational purposes and the St Patrick’s collection fits this genre.

The magic lanterns in this collection were originally used during the Church of Ireland’s commemoration of the 1500th anniversary of St Patrick’s coming to Ireland, in 1932 – a topic covered in a previous online presentation available here: http://ireland.anglican.org/about/165 – to accompany three ‘lantern lectures’ as part of the official commemoration programme. These lectures (prepared by the Revd W. E. Vandaleur, Warden of the Divinity Hostel, and Mr G.A. Ruth of the Irish Guild of the Church) aimed to visually connect members of the Church with its Celtic past and origins in the early Irish Church, but also to remind audiences of the spirit in which St Patrick had come to Ireland in the 5th century, to celebrate the ‘missionary tradition of the Irish Church’, thus promoting links with the wider world through mission in the early 20th century. In various promotional literature produced for the commemorative year, it was advertised that interested parishes and church groups could hire one or all three of the relevant slide sets, at a cost 10s.6d each, which were posted out free, together with the typed copy of each lecture.

The materials uncovered in St Patrick’s Deanery appear to be some of the boxed slide sets, together with the relevant texts of each of the three lectures themselves, as they were distributed for use in parishes around the country. Just like a modern day Powerpoint, numbers or references in the text indicate where different slides were to be shown. Judging from the number of stamps and other distribution marks on the boxes in which they were contained (and stamps on the lecture texts themselves) the slide and lecture sets were widely posted, indicating how popular the St Patrick’s series became during and presumably after the commemoration year. 

For whatever reason, the complete collection ended up in St Patrick’s after 1932. As the national cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint, it was probably not the most unlikely location for such a collection. From here they were transferred to the safe–keeping of the Church of Ireland record office in the RCB Library, where they have been listed and catalogued. A selection of images, together with the digitized texts of the three commemorative lectures, are now available to view at this link www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive

The first Q Commons Dublin took place in Christ Church Cathedral on Friday evening, February 27. Dublin was more than 60 cities around the world to host Q Commons this year and the event was facilitated by, Greg Fromholz of Dublin and Glendalough’s Young Adults’ Ministry.

Hosted by a partnership of Dublin and Glendalough Young Adults Ministry, Rubicon, the Young Adults Leadership Programme and Innovista, Q Commons involved people in cities all over the world gathering to consider how to advance good in their local communities.

During the evening three video interviews were played in venues around the world. But there were also panels of local speakers and opportunities for participants to discuss what they had heard.

The first international speaker was New York Times best selling author Malcolm Gladwell, Addressing the subject of legitimacy, he talked about what it meant to be an effective leader of society. “True leadership begins not with leaders imposing their will but through them understanding that people join and obey because of legitimacy… the core notion of legitimacy is that how you carry out those ideas are more important that the ideas themselves,” he said.

The first of the local panel discussions featured the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, Dean, Christ Church Cathedral, Dr Ali Alsaleh: Imam, Ahlul–Bait Islamic Center, Nick Park, Executive Director, Evangelical Alliance Ireland; and the Very Reverend Kieran McDermott: Episcopal Vicar for Evangelisation & Ecumenism for Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin. The discussion was based on a quote from Archbishop Richard Clarke and asked ‘Have we as faith communities lost our legitimacy in the public square and how can we regain our voice? It was chaired by Greg Fromholz.

Fr McDermott suggested that the Christian voice clamoured among other voices and would only really be heard if it was legitimate. He added that the word ‘church’ was difficult for young people today but the message was still fresh and valid. Nick Park said the Church had lost its privileged voice which was a good thing meaning that it had become more authentic. Dean Dunne felt that the Church had a club mentality and suggested the Church must constantly express the Gospel in different ways to avoid becoming stagnant. Dr Alsaleh said that the needs of people were the same and that mankind needed religion but he added that if that religion did not respond to mankind’s need that he would leave.

In the next video presentation award winning journalist Soledad O’Brien spoke about race in America. She said conversations about race were difficult but stated “You cannot advance good if you do not confront bad. What will bring about renewal is digging into those tougher moments in our own story”.

The final video instalment was from television producter Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Dragons Den). He spoke about how his Christian faith influenced the programmes he produced. He said that Christians tended to hold back but he stated that it was important that the Christian community work together in unity, as one Church and one set of brothers and sisters in Christ speaking with one voice against Christian persecution.

The final local panel discussion was on faith in the media and featured Roger Childs of RTE Religious Programming (Director and Producer of the “Meaning of Life”) and Michael Kelly, Editor of The Irish Catholic. Asked by Greg how much people of faith should engage with the media Roger Childs said religion had a place in the national conversation but broadcasters should aspire to be guided by morality but not be a source of morality. In answer to a question from the audience about the source of morality in the media, Michael Kelly suggested that society had been cut from its moorings and a lot of the things that bound Irish people together were no longer present. He said as a society we were struggling to find a relationship with faith.

Bringing the evening to a close Greg thanked all involved in the Dublin event. He encouraged people to keep in touch with each other and to continue the conversation.

Photo captions:

Top – The Q Commons Dublin team – The Revd Rob Jones, Sam Moore, Paul Keegan, Orla Reynolds, Greg Fromholz (city leader) and Gerard Gallagher. 

Middle –Greg Fromholz with the faith panel: the Very Reverend Kieran
McDermott, Nick Park, Dr Ali Alsaleh and the Very Revd Dermot Dunne.

Bottom – Greg Fromholz with the media panel: Michael Kelly and Roger Childs.

Mothers’ Union members from every corner of Dublin and Glendalough converged in Leixlip on Saturday morning (February 28) for a diocesan Mothers’ Union women’s breakfast. Old friendships were renewed and new ones were made, which was appropriate as the theme of the gathering was friendship.

Members were welcomed by diocesan MU President, Joy Gordan, who was delighted with the large numbers of women who had turned out for the breakfast. She welcomed their guests Sylvia Quinn of GFS and Major Gillian Dicker of the Salvation Army.

The guest speaker was Jacqui Armstrong from Donegal spoke on the theme: ‘Friendship – How full is your bucket’. Following a game of signature bingo, Jacqui talked about the qualities of friendship and the importance of being positive.

Photo caption – Joy Gordon, Jacqui Armstrong and Sandra Knaggs.

[More photos on the Dublin and Glendalough Facebook page: facebook.com/DublinandGlendalough or just click on the Facebook button at the top of this page]

The ‘fleshandblood Ireland’ Campaign will be launched by the two Archbishops of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke and the Most Revd Eamon Martin, in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, on Friday 6 March 2015 at 4.00 pm. 

Friday’s launch marks the culmination of a week of activity for the campaign which aims to mobilise churches to increase the number of blood and organ donors throughout the island. It was launched in Northern Ireland on Monday and is the first cross border partnership between churches and health services. fleshandblood will see congregations and parishes being encouraged to see blood and organ donation as part of their giving.

Hosted by the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd Victor Stacey, Friday’s gathering will include Archbishop Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh; Archbishop Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh; senior Church leaders; representatives of health boards; and people personally affected by blood and organ donation. The launch will be followed at 5.30 pm by a Service of Choral Evensong in the cathedral. 

In Northern Ireland and the Republic, around 800 people are currently waiting for an organ transplant with 96,000 people receiving blood transfusions every year.  According to the Irish Blood Transfusion Board only 3% of the Irish population gives blood.  3,000 blood donors are needed each week in Ireland, while one in four people will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives.  Over 1,000 Irish people receive transfusions every week in Ireland. Approximately 70,000 patients will have transfusions in Irish hospitals this year. A unit of blood lasts for just 35 days. There are currently 650 patients awaiting transplantation. One donor can potentially help nine other people.

The Revd Nigel Crossey, Chaplain to St Columba’s College in Dublin, has been appointed Rector of the Kilmore Group of parishes and Dean of Kilmore. A native of Belfast, Nigel read Classics at Christ’s College, Cambridge before studying for ordination at the Church of Ireland Theological College in Dublin. Nigel subsequently completed his Master of Theology degree in Cardiff University.

Nigel was ordained for Drumglass Parish, Dungannon, in 1984 before becoming Rector of Magheraculmoney Parish, Kesh, in Clogher Diocese. Since 1993, Nigel has served in chaplaincy roles in the UK and Europe, most recently as Chaplain to St Columba’s College since 2009. Nigel is married to Yvonne (currently an Assistant Housemistress in the College) and they have four children in their twenties.

Nigel will take up his appointment in September, after the end of the current academic year.

Speaking of his appointment, Nigel said that he was delighted to be appointed to this new chapter in ministry and that he and his wife were looking forward to their move to Cavan: “My wife Yvonne and I both look back with great fondness to our time in rural ministry in Fermanagh. It is equally clear that there are many opportunities and possibilities to be explored with the people of Kilmore and Ballintemple, and in the wider Diocese. We look forward as Christ leads his people and us in faith together.”

Annette MacFarlane of St Patrick’s Church, Greystones, highlights the development of the parish’s ‘Church in Your Pocket’ App

In the original charter for St. Patrick’s Church (1864) the Archbishop of Dublin called upon those duly authorised ‘to read the public prayers and the Holy liturgy to the congregation … to preach the word of God sincerely and faithfully, and to pray and administer the Sacraments.’  

In 2014, as plans got underway to celebrate the hundred and fifty years of worship at St. Patrick’s, our Rector, David Mungavin, expressed his hope that our thanksgiving for the past might also serve to generate a sense of renewal for the future. The challenge was to find ways to incorporate God’s word into our modern lives in a manner that would build upon, and uphold, the aspirations of the original worshipers of St Patrick’s Church. It was Rev. David’s hope that our commemoration would reach beyond the immediate celebrations and have an enduring legacy.

Birth of ‘Church in your Pocket’ App

We wanted a mode of expression of our faith that would be easily accessible to every member of the community of St. Patrick’s. We explored lots of ideas, but they just didn’t seem to catch the essence of Rev. David’s aspiration; to provide Scriptural outreach that would lead to a deepening of faith by being a regular feature of our daily lives. Bearing in mind time constraints and issues of accessibility for a busy and varied congregation, we knew we really needed to be thinking outside the box!

Then, Ken Gibson, a member of the brain storming team, suggested an App … and soon the idea of having a ‘Church in your Pocket’ was born!

We approached the Select Vestry and were delighted to meet with a very positive and encouraging response from them – the Select Vestry gave their whole–hearted support to the venture and agreed to fund the ‘Church in your Pocket’ App.

What’s an APP?

If the truth be told I wasn’t sure how Apps worked. Apps are electronic programmes which can be accessed on a computer, laptop or other mobile device, such as an ipad or a smart phone. An App will allow you to perform specific tasks or fulfill a specfic purpose at your own convenience – you can use it wherever you please and any time you like. Apps are very simple to use – you don’t have to be the least bit technically minded to use an App! It’s easy to have a ‘Church in your Pocket’! 

What then is ‘Church in your pocket’?

‘Church in your pocket’ allows you to take a brief moment of calm in your day and direct your thoughts toward God. Each day a short Scriptural reading, a devotional reflection and a prayer are sent to your computer, smart phone or ipad. ‘Church in your pocket’ can also be sent to you by email, and paper copies are availible for those who don’t have the use of electronic devices.

Children’s corner

‘Church in your pocket’ has a separate section for children which includes bible stories and devotionals created for children and early teens. We have had some really great stories so far, including one from our Rector about hiding in his garden shed and another, from our deacon, about playing hide and seek.

I often have the impression that Children’s corner is the first place many people visit when they open up ‘Church in your pocket’. 

Where and When can I read it?

You can access ‘Church in your pocket’ anywhere and at any time. One woman reads it every morning on the Dart while travelling to work, another uses it in her class as a teaching aid. Many people read it during their coffee break at work or while simply relaxing at home. One mother of young children said “’Church in your Pocket’ gives you the opportunity to catch your breath with God before the chaos of the day begins.” Another man said it’s his time with God before he turns out the light at night. The children at Sunday School were asked if they read “Church in your Pocket” and many reported that in their homes they read it together as a family. For many people it is a means that provides encouragement from Scriptures to help them to develop a deeper understanding of their faith.

There is little doubt that the ‘Church in your Pocket’ App. is proving equal to Rev. David’s hopes for continuity and renewal into the future. Our App designers, based in Toronto, were able to advise us that in the first month 1700 people downloaded the App – People from as far afield as Africa and America use it daily. It is a simple, practical and effective way of including God in our everyday lives and deepening the relationship we share not alone with Him but also with each other.

How do I join in? 

If you haven’t got the App yet, then please join us. Find the way that best suits you:

·      Go to iTunes or Google play; search for ‘Church in your Pocket’ and download it for FREE.

·      Alternatively we can email the contents of the App to you – please email your request to stpatricksparish@eircom.net

The ‘fleshandblood Ireland’ Campaign was launched by the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke and the Most Revd Eamon Martin, in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, this afternoon, Friday 6 March. This afternoon’s launch marked the culmination of a week of activities which began in St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Cathedral, Armagh, on Monday when Archbishop Richard Clarke and Archbishop Eamon Martin performed the Northern Irish launch of the campaign.

The fleshandblood(fab) campaign aims to mobilise churches to increase the number of blood and organ donors throughout the island. It is the first cross border partnership between churches and health services and will see congregations and parishes being encouraged to see blood and organ donation as part of their giving. It also seeks to equip people as advocates for blood and organ donation, enabling them to raise awareness of the need for donors with their family, friends and community, potentially helping to save thousands of lives each year.

This afternoon’s launch was hosted by the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd Victor Stacey, and featured a presentation on the purpose of the campaign and the need for more donors across Ireland. The presentation included speeches by Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop Richard Clarke, Matt Hollidge (director of fab) Colin White of the Irish Kidney Association, Stephen Cousins of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and Colin Clare who has twice been an organ recipient. 

Archbishop Clarke said that the importance of the fleshandblood campaign was that it allowed people to respond with gratitude for the gift of their own lives by enabling others to enjoy the gift of life. Bringing the launch to a close, Archbishop Eamon Martin lit a candle in memory of those who had donated their organs.

Matt Hollidge explained that churches could get involved by:

1.     Registering as blood and organ donors and talking about it to family and loved ones.

2.     Giving blood and encouraging others to do so.

3.     Raising awareness within church communities and in the wider community.

Founded as a partnership between Kore and NHS Blood and Transplant in 2013, the fleshandblood campaign has already witnessed widespread support across churches, community groups and from government ministers in England, Wales and Scotland, with over 35,000 local church leaders having been resourced. The impact has been so great that other faith groups working on similar concepts are also being supported by the organisers of the campaign.

For more information about the campaign, its 3 calls to action for churches, free resources, and stories visit: www.fleshandblood.org or contact info@fleshandblood.org

Photo captions:

Top – the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Eamon Martin; director of the fleshandblood campaign, Matt Hollidge; and the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke at the launch of the fleshandblood campaign in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

Bottom – Mark Murphy of the Irish Kidney Association; Stephen Cousins of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service; the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Eamon Martin; Colin White of the Irish Kidney Association; the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke; Paul McElkerney of the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service; Colin Clare, two time organ donor recipient; and the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathdral, Dublin, the Very Revd Victor Stacey. 

A city centre church is opening its doors to one and all and inviting them in for coffee. St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street, Dublin, has opened a community café in which they will offer free tea and coffee and a friendly face every Thursday from 11.00 am until 2.00 pm.

The church (which is open every weekday) is also offering visitors to its café the opportunity to listen to some wonderful music with free lunchtime recitals each Thursday in March at 1.20 pm, after the daily Eucharist which begins at 12.45 pm.

The Vicar of St Ann’s, Canon David Gillespie, hopes that the new initiative will introduce people to a different side of church. “The café allows people to engage with church in a different way and shows a different side of church,” he explains. “People can come here on a Thursday and leave with a different impression – it’s not just about a service, prayer and hymns.”

The café is staffed by a team of volunteers from the parish and refreshments are free although anyone can leave a donation if they wish to do so. With the café, Eucharist and recitals, David adds: “We are feeding people physically, spiritually and culturally and everyone is welcome”.

St Ann’s is known as ‘the Church in the Heart of the City with the City at its Heart’ and many visitors to Dublin come in to look around the church. The café offers an opportunity to engage on a deeper level with those visitors as well as with local people and those who work in the area.

St Ann’s has long been serving the needs of people in the community and for some time Mervyn Jones has been operating a cyber café offering the opportunity for the over 55s to learn internet skills.

Mervyn says that while society has, in general, moved comfortably into cyberspace there is a sector that has been left behind and he aims to equip them with online skills. Among the many topics covered are: how to access the internet, set up an email account, browse the internet, use online banking, pay bills online and book and pay for airline tickets online. However, small group sizes mean that Mervyn can tailor his courses to suit individual needs that will enable them to get the best from their laptops, tablets or smartphones.

Courses take place in St Anns’s on Mondays from 12.00 midday to 4.00 pm and on Wednesdays from 10.45 am to 3.00 pm. Contact St Ann’s Parish Office for further details on (01) 6767727 or email stannschurch@eircom.net.

Photo captions:

Top – Paraic O’Toole, Canon David Gillespie, Joan Wadsworth and Fred Deane in St Ann’s Community Café.

Bottom – Mervyn Jones and Cecil Kirk in the cyber café at St Ann’s, Dawson Street.

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, is pioneering new technology which will make it easier for tourists to engage with the cathedral and its life. The new digital facility for tourists will be launched at the end of the month. 

St Patrick’s is not only the National Cathedral for the Church of Ireland but also one of the busiest tourist sites in the country. Their footfall this year is expected to approach 500,000. Many visitors want to engage with the cathedral but have no mechanism to do so.

Over the past number of months staff have partnered with a digital media company called AppyBeacons to create an app which utilizes a new technology called “I Beacons”. This new facility will allow visitors with smart phones to learn more about the cathedral during their visit. The “I Beacons” prompt smart phones to show particular content at different points throughout the building. The benefit of the system is that it requires no changes to the cathedral’s ancient structure and St Patrick’s will be the first heritage site in Ireland to use the innovative technology. 

The facility will be launched by Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Michael Ring, on Wednesday March 25 at 2.00 pm.

Christ Church Cathedral will come alive this Saint Patrick’s Day, with a host of events including tours, traditional music and céilís that will be sure to capture the imagination of all.

This year the cathedral will welcome back Cairde Rince Céilí na hÉireann for the ‘Céilí in the Crypt’, featuring a host of different jigs and reels. You don’t have to be Jean Butler or Michael Flatley to be part of this wonderful celebration of traditional Irish dancing in the oldest venue in Dublin. There will be an expert on hand to guide you along the way.

Then top the day off outside on the Cathedral grounds and join the ‘craic agus ceol’ with live music and entertainment from some traditional Irish musicians. There will be a lunchtime recital from the wonderful New York based Fordham University Choir. They will also be joined by The Irish Village Food Market with stalls offering a wide variety of homemade and gourmet foods.

Opening Times: Tuesday 17th March 9.00–18.00 (last entry 17.15)

Christ Church Entry Tickets: (Individual) Adults: €6.00 Seniors/Students: €4.50 Children (under 16): €2.00 Family Tickets (2 adults + 2 children under 16):€15.00

Group Rates available