Is the Reformation over? was the question up for discussion at Thinking Allowed which took place on Friday evening as part of Ecumenical Bible Week 2017. Panellists Dean William Morton (Church of Ireland, Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral), Pastor Nick Park (Evangelical Alliance and Solid Rock Church), Dr Geraldine Smyth (Dominican Order and Irish School of Ecumenics) and the Revd Vanessa Wyse Jackson (Methodist Minister in Rathgar) delivered their take on the topic in a discussion chaired by the Revd Ken Rue.

Dean Morton Noted that it would be exactly 500 years on October 31 2017 since a simple act by a Monk named Martin Luther triggered convulsions that changed the shape of Europe and lit the fuse of the Reformation. He said that the results of this act were still being played out today and it was only last year that Pope Francis and Bishop Munib Yunan, president of the Lutheran World Federation, signed the Joint Declaration at the Lutheran Cathedral of Lund, Sweden, consolidating moves towards greater cooperation after centuries of division. Luther never intended to spark a revolution but was seeking to reform.

Today, the Dean suggested, churches were moving to a stage which could be described as the religious equivalent of multiculturalism. While they would not merge, each would come to see the value in difference and there would be sympathetic tolerance of each others values. “There is a definite sense in which the Reformation is ongoing. People are grappling with the subject and see it with new life and understanding,” he said.

Nick Park asked if the Reformation ever truly began in Ireland. He pointed out that on mainland Europe the rise of the printing press enabled people to spread the word and in England there was the Whitehorse Pub where people discussed issues surrounding the Reformation but this was not the case in Ireland. Here, England told Ireland that they were reformed, he stated. He said that in Ireland being Catholic or Protestant was a case of identity. There was no Reformation as a theological doctrinal movement but it was part of the politics of these islands, he said.

“There is still reformation taking place. There are still prophetic people. We still need to take heed of the prophets who ask why things are the way they are,” the Pastor said. “Hopefully the Reformation is over in the sense that we can discuss the message of Christ in a courteous manner. But it is not over because all human organisations are in need of reformation. We still need people who will challenge complacency and corruption and bring the church back to what Christ intended it to be.”

Dr Geraldine Smyth asked if we need another Reformation. She said there were golden opportunities in this the fifth century of the Reformation. The Reformation represented a ground shaking event which changed the life of the church and she suggested more time needed to be spent in playing out the gains and losses. She said that the church could not but be open to reform and renewal.

The 16th century Reformation brought many gifts by introducing a new way of being church, putting Bibles into the hands of people and changing church law, she said but the memory of the hurt needed to be purified. “It is the reforming spirit of the Reformation rather than the events and divisiveness that we need to enter into. It is a radical belief in Christ that we need to be involved in,” she stated. She said churches needed to acknowledge the other churches’ gifts and insights as well as their own and reconcile with them “against the grain of our own tradition”.

The Revd Vanessa Wyse Jackson said that the Methodist church came about by accident and was never intended to be a separate denomination. It was to be a revivalist branch of the Anglican church which in 18th century England had become lax and lazy. The aim of Methodism and the Wesley brothers was to bring people back to an active faith which they channelled through social action and their hymns which were to enable people learn the Gospel. “It was all go,” she said. Methodism only became a denomination after John Wesley’s death and before that it was a niggling branch of Anglicanism, she explained, a reformation within a reformation.

“The Methodist faith is an organic, evolving process flowing from renewal and reformation expressed outwardly in social action. So the question ‘Is the Reformation over?’ is a puzzle as the church has always been reforming and the future of the church is more of the same – an ongoing process of growth, discovery and understanding. I hope the Christian traditions will come to see each other as different facets of the same diamond,” she said.

Parishioners of Rathmines with Harold’s Cross filled Holy Trinity Church on Trinity Sunday (June 11) to bid a fond farewell to their Rector of 35 years. Canon Neil McEndoo led his final service as Rector and Holy Trinity’s traditional congregation and its fresh expressions congregation were joined by Archbishop Michael Jackson for the occasion which also marked the 189th anniversary of the consecration of the church. Also assisting was the Vicar, the Revd Rob Jones and lay reader, Edward Lewis.

In his final sermon, Canon McEndoo looked back over his wide ranging ministry in the parish and thanked everyone who had supported and encouraged him since his arrival in Harold’s Cross just over 35 years ago and Rathmines over 32 years ago.

Detailing the voyage they had been on together, the Rector spoke of the history of the parish, the closure of the church in Harold’s Cross in 2001 and its sale to the Russian Orthodox Church and the uniting of the two parishes and he paid tribute to the parishioners who took and supported the decision. He highlighted the repairs and redevelopment of Holy Trinity Church to become a multi purpose parish centre in 1990 and said that the work carried out then is still attracting attention today.

Turning to the parish’s fresh expressions service Canon McEndoo said: “Having spent money on our buildings it became time to invest in people, and so the ‘Fresh expressions’ service was begun six years ago. Over those years it has grown and has now become an integral part of the parish … I suggested at the Easter Vestry that looking back on all that we have achieved together, and having worked together to achieve it, I can discern the guidance of God’s Spirit in all of that. There were differences of opinion, but no major disagreements, and that can only have come about because what we were doing, and continue to do, has been done under the prayerful guidance of God’s Spirit on all of us. That is something I will never forget. That is also why I thank all in the parish who have supported and encouraged the work here”.

He also looked back on his work as chaplain to the Church of Ireland College of Education and said it gave him the opportunity to work with great staff and dedicated students. He highlighted the support and encouragement he had received from the Sisters of Charity through his work in the Hospice and said he was saddened to see them being denigrated in public having seen their dedicated work looking after people who were terminally ill or suffering long term illness.

On the 189th anniversary of the consecration of the church he said that the building reflected the changes in the area. It was built in a field and the township of Rathmines grew around it.

Canon McEndoo said he was leaving the parish with very mixed feelings and in the hope that he had served the parish to the best of his ability and with the help, guidance and assistance of many faithful people.

A special lunch followed the service and was organised by church warden, Isobel Henderson. Speaking after lunch, Archbishop Jackson thanked Canon McEndoo for a long and faithful ministry during which he had presided over change and transformation in both Harold’s Cross and Rathmines Parishes. He applauded his capacity to enable people to see change as a pathway from the present to the future and also his ability to maintain the regularity of parish life and ministry. He spoke warmly of the spiritual energy he put into the Hospice in Harold’s Cross and for his patient ministry there over many years. He concluded by wishing his all that is best for the months and years ahead.

You can read Canon McEndoo’s farewell sermon here.

Under One Tent’s Open Iftar took place in St Patrick’s Park, Dublin, over the weekend. Irish people of all faiths and backgrounds were invited to take part in the celebration of Ramadan and break fast together at sunset. This was the event’s second year and it is organised by a group of young Irish Muslims who hope to encourage communication and understanding at a time when followers of Islam are being increasingly stigmatised.

With food, drinks, games, bouncy castles and inspiring talks the event focused on all the things we can share together, bringing together people of all faiths and the community as a whole.

Among the many people who attended on Friday evening was the Revd Stephen Farrell, Rector of Zion. On Saturday evening, Scott Evans, Church of Ireland Chaplain at UCD, was one of the speakers. Here they both give their impressions.

Stephen Farrell writes:

“On Friday evening I attended a marvellous event in St. Patrick’s Park – an open Iftar.  Called Under One Tent, it was an initiative by the Muslim community to invite anyone and everyone to join with them as they broke their Ramadan fast at sunset.  I was instantly struck by the warmth of the welcome and the sheer energy and positivity of the event.  It was also the first time I have attended a religious occasion where I felt old – it was a young crowd, with students and young professionals and young families in abundance.  There was a lot of joy and laughter in the tent.  We were literally ‘Under One Tent’, shoes off, sitting on the floor, talking, listening and sharing. 

“The purpose of the event was to celebrate and encourage dialogue and diversity, mutual–understanding and respect.  At sunset the fast was broken with bowls of dates and water, this was followed by prayers and then everyone was treated to a marvellous chicken biryani. I spoke to some students who had become involved in the event through the Islamic Societies in the Dublin Universities. They spoke of wanting the Muslim community to be at the heart of Irish Society and not at its periphery. They saw the Iftar as a way of inviting the people of Dublin to get to know their Muslim neighbours, and for the Muslim community to be able to offer and share hospitality and welcome. Above all, the Iftar was easy and it was fun.

“I came away with a real sense of hope and with deep gratitude that people are doing this important work. I also came away wondering if parishes could hold similar events as a means of reaching out. The idea of strengthening ties through the breaking of bread offers common ground for the building of interfaith friendships. Under One Tent was my first Iftar, but it will not be my last. The breadth of Irish society present in that tent is testament to the efforts made to extend a very warm welcome to everyone. It was truly a privilege to be present.” 

Scott Evans writes:

“One of the highlights of my time in UCD so far has been engaging in inter–faith dialogue with the diverse community of students on campus. Though I grew up in a Muslim country, my understanding of other faiths was limited to what I had been taught from a distance through religious education. It was only when I started in chaplaincy that I had the chance to dive deeply into specific issues from the perspective of different faiths through the lens of students doing their best to live it out. Over the last two years, we have gathered as Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Baha’is, Jews, Atheists and Agnostics and shared what our faith or beliefs have taught us about suffering, love, peace, hope, the meaning of life and more. These conversations have led to community and friendship which is so beautiful to see in a world that is so often divided. From this introduction to the Muslim community on campus, I’ve been able to meet many Muslim students, talk to them about their problems and come alongside them.

“As a result of these relationships, I was recently asked to speak at ‘Open Iftar 2017’, an event focused on fostering an atmosphere of unity and harmony in Irish society organised by Irish Muslim Youth on the Under One Tent Team. The event was packed and featured youth speakers from the Muslim community as well as an academic from Limerick who shared about his research into Islamophobia in Ireland and the Lord Mayor of Dublin. I was asked to speak on how different faith communities can work together and shared about learning to disagree well, learning to celebrate each other and learning to do more than dialogue and actually do life together.

“At sunset, we joined the Muslim youth as they broke fast and celebrated Ramadan together. It was a wonderful evening and a powerful picture of integration, community and what Ireland can be at its best. I’m looking forward to seeing how these connections grow in the future as we invest in partnership and dialogue with those from other faiths.”

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral will host “Cherished Equally: An Ecumenical Exploration of Identity, Stereotyping, and Reconciliation” from June 19 to 21. 

The programme, a joint initiative between Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and the Department of Foreign Affairs, will bring young people aged 15 to 18 from across the island of Ireland to participate in workshops and social activities. Highlights include a sports event facilitated by Ken McCue from Sports Against Racism Ireland involving a local Community Garda Team and a traditional music workshop at the Cobblestone, Smithfield.

Participants in “Cherished Equally” reflect a diverse range of national identities, including half from Northern Ireland, a quarter from Dublin 8, and a quarter international youth currently living in direct provision. They have been invited on the basis of their involvement in youth programmes and on the potential for them to become youth ambassadors.

Speaking about the programme, Kelley Bermingham, Community Officer said, “The age group that ‘Cherished Equally’ targets, 15–18, are often excluded from formal conversations about national and religious identity. This is an opportunity for their voices to be heard while they also develop leadership skills.”

Cherished Equally is part of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral’s community engagement initiatives, including regional outreach to rural parishes, strategic support of not–for–profits in the greater Dublin area, and strategies to improve the quality of life for people living in its environs.

Solar panels funded by a Dublin & Glendalough diocesan appeal have been installed at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. The funds were raised through collections and events held in parishes, schools and organisations throughout the United Dioceses as part of the ‘Prepare a Place’ campaign in Advent 2014. The solar panels are now up and running and already are having a positive effect for staff and patients of the hospital which is run by our partner diocese in Jerusalem.

The solar panels were installed on the roof of Al Ahli Hospital during November 2016. The Batteries were installed in April 2017 and installation works were completed by 18 April 2017. There were delays in receiving the solar cell panels and the batteries due to the new Israeli regulations on goods imported to Gaza.

Gaza continues to suffer from severe power disruptions which have a serious impact on the delivery of the basic hospital services, undermining already vulnerable livelihoods and living conditions.

Al Ahli Hospital relies heavily on backup generators. However, the operation of generators is constantly at risk due to funding shortages, lack of imported fuel, overuse of the generators and difficulties in obtaining spare parts due to import restrictions.

Now the energy needs of Al Ahli Hospital’s operating theatre Number 2 and the delivery room have been secured during daytime. The system is providing the department with power at night when there is power failure ensuring energy security in all circumstances. This also saves money on electricity bills, fuel consumption and is a non–pollutant energy generator. 

Al Ahli Hospital staff and more than 3,500 patients served by Al Ahli Hospital are the beneficiaries of this programme. In addition, the installation of the system provided an important opportunity for work for 50 local labourers.

“Ahli management, staff and the patients we serve are very grateful for the generous support to Ahli solar cell energy system that will assure continuity of Ahli work during the long outages of electricity daily without any interruption,” the hospital’s director, Suhaila Tarazi said in a report to Dublin & Glendalough’s Council for Mission who helped coordinate the Prepare a Place appeal.  

“We wish to thank all contributors, inside and outside the United Dioceses, for the generosity shown to this worthy project. We rejoice with those associated with the life of the hospital and pray for their wellbeing in what remains troubled and challenging times for all the residents of Gaza,” a spokesperson for the Council for Mission said.

Read more about Al Ahli Hospital here.

St Paul’s Parish, Glenageary, will be offering one organ scholarship and five choral scholarships for the coming academic year.

Organ Scholarship at St Paul’s Parish Church

Applications are invited for the post of organ scholar at St Paul’s Parish Church, for the academic year 2017/18.

St Paul’s has a long tradition of choral music and has a thriving SATB choir and one of the largest two manual organs in South Dublin.

The organ scholar shall support the Director of Music in the running of an effective music department and in the production of high quality music at all services and special events.

The choir undertake at least one tour a year, as well as singing at various external engagements and neighbouring churches throughout Ireland.

Contact the Director of Music, Nathan Barrett, for further details and application pack.

barretna@tcd.ie

0868460658

Choral Scholarships at St Paul’s Parish Church

Applications are invited for 5 choral scholarships at St Paul’s Parish Church, for the academic year 2017/18.

The Choir exists primarily to sing regular choral services in St Paul’s Parish Church, and also to lead worship in the church. The choir is invited to sing at many diocesan events, and has sung in cathedrals throughout the Church of Ireland.

Choral Scholars are required to sing in the choir of St Paul’s Parish Church, attending rehearsals and services. We expect Choral Scholars to play an active role in Church music–making in general.

Thorough research into the commitments and expectations should be carried out when you are considering your application. You should consider how many hours a week you are willing and able to devote to your singing, and how that fits around outside activities

Weekly Schedule

Choral Scholars are expected to participate fully in the choir’s activities, but the schedule of rehearsals and services shown below nevertheless enables individuals to take part in other pursuits.

The weekly choir schedule is as follows:

Wednesday:

7.15pm–8.30pm rehearsal (Extra rehearsals may be required at busy times)

Sunday:

10.15am–11.30am (Service begins at 10.30am)

7.00pm (Monthly Evensong)

Attendance at various other feast days will be obligatory too e.g. Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, Good Friday and Easter Sunday

Benefits of a scholarship at St Paul’s

In addition to the wealth of experience and opportunities offered throughout the year of scholarship, scholars will receive regular feedback and coaching with the Director of Music. Choral Scholars receive a remuneration of €1,000 per annum which is intended primarily to be put towards the scholar’s musical development. Scholars will be expected to attend all scheduled services, rehearsals and concerts each term. Absences from rehearsals or services can be arranged in consultation with the Director of Music, with dates to be agreed as far ahead as possible.

Contact:

barretna@tcd.ie

0868460658

Dublin City Interfaith Forum is organising an Interfaith Service tomorrow, Tuesday June 20, to remember through prayers and readings the migrants who have lost their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

The service will take place at the Famine Monument on Customs House Quay, Dublin 1, from 10.30 am to 11.15 am tomorrow morning

The Interfaith Service will be followed tomorrow evening by a symposium and photo exhibition hosted by DCIF and the Irish Refugee Council in Wood Quay Venue. ‘Refugee Stories of Faith and Hope’ and a photo journal of the hidden lives of refugees living in the ‘EU Hotspot’ camp on the Greek island of Lesvos by Syd Bolton will begin at 6.00 pm.

The Church’s Ministry of Healing: Ireland held their annual service of Thanksgiving with Holy Communion and prayers for healing in Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday afternoon (June 17). The service was celebrated by the Revd Dr Christine O’Dowd–Smyth and the preacher was Canon Dr Daniel Nuzum.

2017 marks the 85th anniversary of the Church’s Ministry of Healing in Ireland. The organisations exists to practice and promote Christ’s example of wellbeing, compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation in order to nurture inward peace.

Drawing on the Gospel reading [Mark: 5:25–34] Canon Nuzum asked the congregation to imagine how the woman with the flow of blood felt, deemed unclean by society and by her faith.

He said it could be very hard to share our vulnerabilities with others and it took courage to reveal to others who we really are. “We wear masks which service us as props and structures as we make our way through life,” he commented. “But to this service of thanksgiving, wholeness and healing we come as we are because God sees exactly who we are. He sees us in our private space, when we’re feeling vulnerable.”

Canon Nuzum urged the congregation to open their real selves to God and offer their weaknesses and strengths to God. Sharing our vulnerabilities would open up possibilities, he added pointing out that the woman had shared her vulnerability and possibilities were opened for her as Jesus told her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well, go in peace, and be healed of your disease”

During the service there was an opportunity to receive prayer and laying on of hands.

The gentle confidence of guide dogs and assistance dogs complemented Christ Church Cathedral’s Choral Evensong yesterday afternoon (Sunday June 18) for a Service of Thanksgiving celebrating 40 years of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The service was attended by both the Church of Ireland and Catholic archbishops of Dublin, Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. The service was led by Dean Dermot Dunne and sung by the cathedral choir. It incorporated a blessing of the dogs by Archbishop Jackson.

The address was given by Pat Burke, vice chairman of the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, who said the service was about saying thanks to all who had contributed to the organisation since its foundation by Jim Denehy and Mary Dunlop. Prior to 1976, it was necessary to go to England to get a guide dog but thanks to the vision, enthusiasm and determination of the founders, many Irish adults and children have benefited from the services of guide dogs and assistance dogs, he said.

Last year the organisation trained 245 clients and all their work is supported by a large group of volunteers from puppy walkers to fund raisers, Mr Burke said. He said a lot had been achieved over the last 40 years but that was just the beginning and there was more that could be done he said.

“We will continue to learn from the things that work well and, more importantly, from the things that don’t work and we will continue to listen and learn from our clients, volunteers and supporters. One person without a guide dog is one person too many. All of us here today know the value of the work we do – it changes people’s lives and we are thankful for it,” he stated.

The historic St Kevin’s Church in Hollywood was packed yesterday evening (Sunday June 18) for a unique ecumenical service cementing the ties between the Church of Ireland and Catholic members of the local community.

The Bishop of Glendalough, Archbishop Michael Jackson and the Archdeacon of Glendalough, the Ven Ricky Rountree, attended the service along with local Parish Priest, Fr James Prendiville. It was led by the Rector, the Revd Leonard Ruddock who welcomed parishioners from both Hollywood Parish and Blessington Union of Parishes.

In March members of the local community met in St Kevin’s Church to launch Hollywood Tidy Towns’ initiative to restore the walls in the churchyard. At that time Fr Prendiville praised the work that had been done on restoring St Kevin’s Church and Mr Ruddock presented him with a key to the church and said he was welcome there any time. Last night, Fr Prendiville used his key to let himself and the other clergy into the church and at the end of the service Mr Ruddock was presented with a key to the church in Hollywood.

Fr Prendiville delivered the sermon and spoke of members of the Church of Ireland community who had impacted his life. “People are affected by who we are. This hasn’t anything to do with religion. That doesn’t matter. We have come together here as one body, one group of believers in God,” he said.

He said St Kevin’s was a historic church which 20 years ago when he first saw it was dilapidated. He paid tribute to the community who had lovingly restored it.

Turning to the Gospel [Matthew 9:35–10:8] Fr Prendiville said that the people Jesus chose as his disciples were ordinary people. “Sometimes we write ourselves off. Each of us has qualities and God can speak to a lot of people through each of us,” he said. “ The kind of people we are will show God’s love to those around us. Each of us will affect others and God will do great thinks through us. You may be a small group of a large group – it doesn’t matter. There were only 12 apostles and look what they achieved.”

Archbishop Jackson thanked the whole community for coming to the service and thanked Fr Prendiville for his words and encouragement. He said the readings for the service had spoken strongly of communities. He said that Jesus asked the disciples to put themselves in the hands of those they met. He suggested that there was a realism in the commission and said that continued today as people witness in the midst of terrorism and violence and murder.  “It invited us to a solidarity with fellow Christians and a solidarity with our neighbours both in Ireland and around the world,” he said.

The Archbishop encouraged people to read themselves into the Scriptures and see the wonderful sense of community throughout history. He praised the community of Hollywood for its positivity and for seeing what they could do together and said that Hollywood Tidy Towns was doing remarkable work. “We had a church which was almost in ruins and now it has a new and special existence for the whole community. Many faith journeys began here as pilgrims made their way to Glendalough and we must build on it afresh in our own day to develop the faith. We are sent out daily as God’s emissaries, as God’s missionaries and as God’s children to meet God’s children and the more we can enable this to happen in Hollywood the better,” he said.

Mr Ruddock thanked Fr Prendiville and the parishioners of Hollywood for attending the service and said he was grateful for the beautiful atmosphere and sense of community at the service.

Today, Tuesday June 20, is World Refugee Day. To mark the date Dublin City Interfaith Forum organised an Interfaith Service to remember, through prayers and readings, the migrants who have lost their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea.

The service took place at the Famine Monument on Customs House Quay in Dublin, a place from which many Irish migrants left this country to find better lives.

Representatives of many of Dublin’s faith communities took part in the service including Baha’i, Zen–Buddhist, Christian, Hebrew, Hindu, Indian Orthodox, Redeemed Christian Church, Muslim and Sikh.

Leading the service, DCIF member Colm Reilly of the Baha’i community, said it was startling to learn that there has never in the history of the world been so many refugees and displaced people on the move as we do today. He said that while there were no world wars taking place, wars, conflicts, famine and the effects of climate change were forcing people to flee their homes.

Mr Reilly said that nobody chose to leave their homes and their possessions, they were forced to do so. He added that the perception of people here was that those arriving on our shores were penniless. He said that while they had no money, they had many gifts and skills to bring to society.

“We remember our common brothers and sisters who are forced to leave their homes and that they test our humanity,” he stated. “There are over 67 million people who are migrants today and they don’t choose to be but they contribute to society where they are. As we place candles at this monument let us remember all migrants’ unique trauma and particularly those who have passed away on their journey across the Mediterranean.”

You can read the readings and prayers here.

Christ Church Cathedral will launch its summer exhibition of icons following a service of choral evensong at 6.00 pm tomorrow, Thursday June 22. The iconographer is Adrienne Lord, BA, Fine Art Hons.

Adrienne will be showing icons from the Greek Byzantine tradition along with some Russian inspired icons.

The exhibition remains in place until the end of September and there will be demonstrations by the artist on the last Friday of each month between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm.

The exhibition will raise funds for charity and Adrienne has donated her icons for this purpose. A Triptych Deesis altarpiece, worth €1,000 will be raffled. Tickets will be on sale at the opening and from the entrance desk throughout the exhibition. Funds raised from the raffle will be presented to SPPD in Tamil Nadu, India, a non–profit, non–governmental organisation that works to improve the conditions of communities living in poverty in Tamil Nadu.

The proceeds of sales made during the exhibition will go to a registered charity nominated by the purchaser. Sales of the icons on the opening night will be donated to one of four charities nominated by the artist.

Everyone is welcome to the launch which will be performed by Canon Patrick Comerford.

Sandford Parish National School and the Grouped Parishes of Sandford and St Philip’s Milltown are currently recruiting a School / Parish Secretary.

This role will be subject to a probationary period with a view to a permanent appointment.

Applications, marked ‘Application for School/Parish Secretary’ should be posted to: The Revd Sonia Gyles, The Rectory, Sandford Close, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.

Application Requirements: Letter of Application, Referees (name, role, contact no.), Copy of Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees, CV (Unbound/Slide Binder).

Application Closing Date: Monday 3 July 2017

Commencement Date: Wednesday 30 Aug 2017

Over 30 clergy and other church leaders from the Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic Church, Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Quakers and Salvation Army attended a seminar on issues surrounding mental health, hosted by the Church of Ireland’s Church and Society Commission (CASC) in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, Dublin on Thursday 15th June. The morning seminar had contributions from three speakers focusing on different aspects of mental health.

The first speaker was Professor Eilis Hennessy, Senior Lecturer in developmental psychology in UCD School of Psychology who spoke on ‘Challenging stigma to improve young people’s mental health’. We learned that young people are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems and young people with mental health problems are stigmatized. However lower levels of stigma are related to higher levels of help seeking. Education can reduce stigma and increase intentions to seek help. Adolescents who are taught about mental health problems and who meet someone with a mental health problem generally have more positive attitudes as a result.

The second speaker was Dr Regina McQuillan, Palliative Medicine Consultant in St Francis Hospice and Beaumont Hospital who spoke on ‘Supporting the Mental Health of People Living with a Life Limiting Illness’. Regina spoke about how living with a life–limiting illness can affect the emotional and mental wellbeing of the person with the illness and those close to them and also considered how people with pre–existing mental health problems may be affected. She emphasised the importance of minding your mental health by maintaining good practices, maintaining links with support services, managing medication, informing new healthcare teams of previous diagnosis, being alert to your own warning signs and using information technology wisely.

The third speaker was the Revd James Mulhall, Social Worker, Career Guidance Counsellor and Church of Ireland Curate in the Lismore Union of Parishes as well as being the Safeguarding Trust Child Protection Officer for the Dioceses of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory who spoke on ‘Faith and Mental Health’. James expressed how faith can play a role in mental health. He described how in his work with people conversation would never start about God but with hidden feelings, loneliness, anxiety, family conflict or bereavement. However by listening, being attentive and attending to the person, they would unearth ‘hidden treasure’, the good news behind the bad.   

The seminar was opened by the Archbishop of Dublin, The Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, who said that ‘we need to speak of people and of humanity at the heart of mental care matters. Our instinct within the church is to say: What can I do to help? We need to ask: What can I do to listen and what can I do to learn?’

The Revd Martin O’Connor, a member of CASC, closed the meeting.  He said that the seminar was very informative and thought–provoking and would help those engaged in the pastoral care of people living with mental health issues.  He thanked the speakers, Professor Eilis Hennessy, Dr Regina McQuillan and the Revd James Mulhall, for their contributions.

By Caoimhe Leppard

Christ Church Cathedral is offering visitors the opportunity to engage with their spirituality on a different level through its Summer Exhibition of Icons. The exhibition, which features the work of iconographer Adrienne Lord, officially opened yesterday evening, June 22, and continues until the end of September. The icons are for sale and the proceeds will be donated to charity.

The exhibition was launched by Canon Patrick Comerford, Precentor of St Mary’s Cathedral in Limerick and Priest in Charge of Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes in Limerick. Canon Comerford has a keen interest in icons.

He said that the word ‘icon’ had been demeaned in recent years – we have icons on our computers  and we talk about people, such as film stars, in terms of being icons. However, he said Christ is the icon of God and the first icon is Christ. He pointed out that we do not worship icons but can be drawn into a spiritual experience by an icon. He said there was a temptation to look at icons as idolatry but this was not the case and neither was is sufficient to look at an icon as a work of art without regard for its spiritual dimension.

Canon Comerford paid tribute to Adrienne’s interpretation of the icons, which have mainly been inspired by Greek as well as some Russian icon writers. “These icons all give you the idea that we do not have a static relationship with God but rather a dynamic relationship with God… What you are looking at is an interpretation of art, beauty, dynamism and spirituality,” he said adding that icon writers are among the first and last theologians because they allow us to speak about God but also to enter into a relationship with God.

The cathedral’s Dean, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, described Adrienne Lord as a prolific icon writer and said that her work had emanated from a spiritual heart of prayer. He commended her for her generosity in donating the proceeds of the sale of her icons, over and above the cost of writing them, to charity.

A Triptych Deesis altarpiece, worth €1,000, will be raffled with the proceeds from the sale of raffle tickets going to SSPD, in Tamil Nadu, India, a non–profit, non–governmental organisation that works to improve the conditions of communities living in poverty in Tamil Nadu. The Dean encouraged everyone to buy tickets which are available at the welcome desk.

“We are very grateful that you have chosen the cathedral as a space for this exhibition,” he told Adrienne. “One of the cathedral’s biggest tasks is to transform the visitor into a pilgrim, to enable them to experience the transcendent and the divine God. It is noticeable that when visitors to the cathedral saw the exhibition last year, automatically a silence fell and a prayerful mood was created.”

The proceeds of sales made during the exhibition will go to a registered charity nominated by the purchaser. Sales of the icons on the opening night will be donated to one of four charities nominated by the artist.

Throughout the exhibition’s run there will be demonstrations by the iconographer on the last Friday of each month between 11.00 am and 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm.

An Ecumenical Conference entitled ‘One Lord, One Faith’ was held in the Church of St John the Baptist, Clontarf on Saturday, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in Germany. Introducing the event, Mary Cunningham, co–organiser with the Rector, the Revd Lesley Robinson, highlighted the many and growing list of ecumenical initiatives in Clontarf, including a Good Friday Way of the Cross, an Easter Sunrise Service, the Pentecost Camino and Ecumenical Bible Study. She credited Fr. Gabriel Daly’s book, The Church Always in Need of Reform, as being the inspiration for the decision to commemorate Luther’s 95 Theses, noting that both were Augustinian friars, some 500 years apart. She also paid tribute to their mutual friend, Fr Sean Fagan, a ‘much loved and respected theologian’, who passed away last year.

The conference was ably facilitated by Philip McKinley, who before introducing the speakers, commented on the power of anniversaries as opportunities to think wide and think big and to look again through our 2017 lens at what life was like in the 16th century.

BACKGROUND TO THE REFORMATION

The first speaker was Dr Gesa Thiessen, Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religions and Theology, TCD, and an assistant Lutheran Minister. She spoke of the background to the Reformation and gave an insight into Luther’s theology, pointing out that the theses were intended as discussion papers but set in train consequences that were unforeseen and unintended by Luther. His intention was to reform the whole church, in the face of some serious abuses, however, what resulted was what she called the ‘tragic legacy of the Reformation: the wholly unintended schism in the church’. Hugely influenced by the writings of St Paul, Luther came to understand salvation as a gift, not something that could be earned or bought. This doctrine of salvation through God’s gift of righteousness without dependence on human merit, was the measure by which Luther judged the religious practices and official teaching of his day and he found them wanting. His reliance on sola scriptura, sola fide, sola gratia often led to accusations of a denial of the place of good works in Christian lives. Dr Thiessen pointed out that this was untrue, quoting Luther as saying ‘Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn’t stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing.  Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever’. She concluded with a quote from the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification, signed by the Roman Cathoilc and Lutheran churches in 1999. ‘Together we confess: By grace alone, in faith in Christ’s saving work and not because of any merit on our part, we are accepted by God and receive the Holy Spirit, who renews our hearts while equipping us to good works’, quipping that she was sure Luther would agree!

THE UNITY AND DIVERSITY OF ECUMENISM

The second speaker was Dr Andrew Pierce, Assistant Professor in Ecumenics, Course Co–Ordinator of the M.Phil. in Intercultural Theology & Interreligious Studies and Head of Department, in the Irish School of Ecumenics, TCD. Andrew spoke on the Ecumenical Journey So Far, reflecting at the outset that ecumenism is a complex reality, which is as much concerned with unity as with diversity, the key to which is sustaining the equilibrium between the two. Explaining the origin of the word ecumenism as Oikoumene: the whole inhabited earth, he pointed out the perpetual difficulties with that concept of wholeness, citing Paul’s failures to successfully ease the tensions between Jews and Greeks, and St Jerome’s agonized musings on whether the country people could be saved, as examples of the church’s 2000 year history of failed ecumenism. Noting that St Paul only travelled in the cities, he commented on the fact that people outside the borders are often not seen as belonging to the whole, evident currently in Europe with the issue of how we deal with refugees. An ecumenical theology is a theology concerned with both the unity and diversity of the Christian Church; and in its modern form, ecumenism started in 1910 at the Edinburgh World Missionary Conference. Dr Pierce went on to speak of the work of the World Council of Churches, which advocates ‘shared service, shared mission, shared living, shared prayer’. He referred to some of the achievements of the Faith and Order Movement strand of the WCC as being: Full membership of Roman Catholic Church in the F&O Commission in 1968; Baptism, Eucharist & Ministry:  a convergence text in 1982; and The Church:  Towards a Common Mission:  a second convergence text in 2013, noting that the covenant signed between the Methodist Church and the Church of Ireland, and the relationship between the Church of Ireland and the Porvoo Lutheran churches grew out of the Baptism, Eucharist & Ministry document. Despite such progress many challenges remain, not least difficulties which Richard Niebuhr sees as the reality of people’s denominational identity changing to reflect social mobility. Rather than simply reflecting the reality of principled division amongst Christians, Niebuhr described denominationalism as ‘the moral failure of Christianity.’ Dr Pierce went on to ask how might we distinguish doctrinal and non–doctrinal elements in our religious identity, so particularly prevalent in Ireland, and how might we prevent the latter from masquerading as the former? Closing with the challenge of the Lund Principle that the churches can now act together in all things, except where sincere matters of conviction prevent this, he asked what that might look like in Clontarf, or any other community.

AN ECUMENICAL THEOLOGY OF THE EUCHARIST

Having enjoyed lunch together in the Parish Centre, Fr Gabriel Daly OSA, renowned theologian and writer, recommenced proceedings with a talk entitled An Ecumenical Theology of the Eucharist. Fr Daly confessed that he found it difficult to discuss the Eucharist without adverting to Catholic conservative attitudes some of which have to be changed in order to make further ecumenical progress. While acknowledging the right of conservative Catholics to hold to their views, he questioned their right to impose those views on others as the only possible orthodoxy, thereby putting a barrier in the path of ecumenical progress. He commented that the church introduced the term ‘transubstantiation’ into common liturgical use in the Middle Ages, at the end of which the Council of Trent put it into the context of the Reformation and that made it a contentious issue between the churches. Pre–Vatican Two Eucharistic theology was concentrated on a philosophical problem employing abstractions like substance and accidents which mean little to the average member of the church who probably turns it into a physical change, in spite of unmistakable evidence to the contrary.  Sadly, the Eucharist became an occasion of bitter controversy and disunity from the time of the Reformation – the very antithesis of what the Eucharist was intended to be. Fr Daly is adamant that there is no suggestion in The Council of Trent that the word ‘transubstantiation’ is defined Catholic doctrine; only that the Eucharistic conversion of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is ‘suitably and properly called Transubstantiation.’  Therefore, he asserts, it is in no way necessary to Roman Catholic orthodoxy. Reflecting on the philosophy of metaphysics, so influential in Catholic Eucharist theology, he noted that this is an age of scientifically–based thought; and people today do not use metaphysical language. Thus they can share in the Eucharist without knowing what substance and accidents are. Quoting John Calvin, he agreed with his statement “I [would] rather experience than understand [the Eucharist]”. Tackling what he sees as the misuse of the word symbol he asserted that this misunderstanding of symbolism led to the belief that it was a way of avoiding subscription to the notion of ‘the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist’. Thus, if Protestants referred to the symbolism of the Eucharist, they were taken to mean that Christ’s presence in the Eucharist is not “real”. Fr Daly refuted this accusation and went on to observe that virtually all talk about God is symbolic: rather than a denial of real presence, symbolism enables us to speak about things that lie too deep for literal speech. Lamenting the Roman Catholic church’s denial of the right to share the Eucharist with our separated brethren, Fr Daly concluded with a revisiting of what he called the ‘human character of Holy Thursday’. At the climax of the evening, Jesus took a loaf of bread, broke it into pieces and distributed them to his disciples in a spontaneously loving gesture intended to express in powerful symbolic and dramatic fashion all that he felt for them since he had met them first by the lakeside in Galilee.  “We cannot imagine”, argued Fr Daly, “that the disciples would have wondered what had happened to the bread and the wine at the Last Supper; they were far too preoccupied with a deeply moving occasion that summed up the entire time that they had spent with Jesus.  Biblical history has left us with a moment of great emotional and spiritual significance; and, over the centuries, we have often reduced it to a tiresome metaphysical dispute about ‘real presence’ which has done little good and much harm to unity and peace”.

STEPPING STONES TOWARDS GREATER UNITY

It was left to the final speaker of the day, Gillian Kingston, Vice President of the World Methodist Council and formerly the first Lay Leader of the Methodist Conference in Ireland, to wrap things up with some thoughts on where we can go from here, in a talk entitled Stepping Stones Towards Greater Unity: what can be done at local level to progress things. She began by quoting Friedrich Nietzsche who pointed out that there will always be rocks on the road ahead of us: they can be stumbling blocks or stepping stones, depending on how we chose to use them. Using the analogy of a three legged milking stool, she cited three pillars of the ecumenical movement: theological dialogue and reflection, structural reform and realignment, grass root encounter and involvement– all of which are interdependent on each other. Mentioning several of the dialogues which have taken place and the documents and suggestions which have ensued, she spoke of the importance of intentionality in getting to know each other, in worshiping together, in sharing stories of faith together, in conducting shared Bible study, and in looking at the possibilities of making joint appointments to youth, children and pastoral roles. Citing progress which has been made at official level, she asked if we as churches and individuals avail of these permissions. She urged us to experience what is best about worshipping together, to learn about each other’s histories and what makes the other tick, and witness together our common Christian values to the world. She also encouraged honest and open discussion about the things on which we differ, using as an example the missed opportunity to come together to discuss the contentious One Bread, One Body document. Acknowledging the hurt caused by some Vatican pronouncements, she told the story of a Roman Catholic lady in the North Tipperary Methodist circuit who turned up at the Methodist church with flowers and an apology in the wake of the Dominus Iesus document. However, on a more encouraging note she pointed to some of Pope Francis’ recent writings as great sources of hope of a shared vision for the future of the church and the world, including Evangelii Gaudium in 2013 and Laudato si in 2015 which she noted with glee was published on 24th May – Wesley Day! Taking up Pope Francis’ passion for the poor, Mrs Kingston encouraged the assembled audience of over forty people from diverse backgrounds, to commit to tackling such issues as the refugee crisis, the persecution of Christians and world development together as a joint Christian witness. ‘Instead of doing ecumenical things’ she said, ‘we need to do things ecumenically’– a subtle but profound difference. Returning to her opening reference to Nietzsche, she pointed out that the stumbling block of 1517 had become a stepping stone in 1999 with the Joint Declaration between Lutherans and Roman Catholic churches. Other churches have since subscribed to the declaration also. Concluding, Mrs Kingston noted that while reformation and division came about in 1517, we continue pray for reformation and unity in 2017.

The conference concluded with a Service of Holy Communion, celebrated by the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, assisted by the Rector of Clontarf, the Revd Lesley Robinson. The Gospel was read by Most Revd Dr Diarmuid Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, while local Parish Priest, Fr Martin Hogan, read the First Lesson. The intercessions were read by members of the various churches represented.

It is hoped to build on the success of the conference by holding an annual ecumenical conference in Clontarf.

It was with deep sadness that I heard of the death of Laura Dempsey at the weekend. To her family, we extend our sincere sympathies and pray that they know God’s strength in their heartache and devastating loss.

Laura was a third year student in Temple Carrig School, Greystones, of which I am patron, and had just completed her Junior Certificate exams.

We hold Laura’s friends and the whole school community in our thoughts and hearts as they struggle to come to terms with their loss. We also pray for the principal, teachers, chaplain and staff of the school as they support the students in their grief.

Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson.

The Church of Ireland Theological Institute (CITI) has announced the appointment of Dr Bridget Nichols to the post of Lecturer in Anglicanism and Liturgy.

Dr Nichols completed undergraduate and graduate studies in South Africa and has a doctorate in Literature and Theology from the University of Durham. She has lectured at the University of Durham and the University of Sunderland and has been a Visiting Scholar at Sarum College, Salisbury. Current research interests include psalter collects and the nature of liturgical language. Dr Nichols has served as chaplain to the Bishop of Ely and as a member of the Ely Diocesan Vocations Advisers’ Team, and writes a column on the weekly Sunday readings for Church Times.

The Rev Canon Dr Maurice Elliott, Director of CITI, said: ‘CITI is delighted to welcome Dr Bridget Nichols to the staff faculty team. She is a person of rich ecclesial experience and high academic pedigree. I have no doubt that both the ordinands in training and indeed the wider church will benefit greatly from her wisdom and her warmth.’

The Most Rev Dr Michael Jackson, Chairperson of the CITI Governing Council, said: ‘I am delighted that Dr Bridget Nichols has been appointed to the staff of CITI as Lecturer in Anglicanism and Liturgy. Dr Nichols has a broad range of research pertinent to this post. She will add her talents to a hard working staff team in CITI and will be able to take her place in the Theology Department of the University of Dublin, Trinity College. I wish her well as she comes to live and work among us.’

Dr Nichols will take up her post towards the end of July 2017.

The General Synod Board of Education (RI) has welcomed comments by the Minister of Education and Skills concerning the role of religion in schools admissions policies.

Minister Richard Bruton today (Wednesday June 28) set out his preferred policy approach for amending primary school admissions legislation on the issue of the role that religion can play in the process.

Minister Bruton said that his preference was to remove the capacity for state–funded denominational primary schools, where they are oversubscribed, to use religion as a criteria in admissions process except, in three scenarios:

      i.       where it would not otherwise be possible to maintain the ethos of the school;

     ii.       where the school is established by a minority religion, in order to ensure that students of that religion can find a school place in a school of that ethos;

    iii.       where the school is established by a minority religion, in order to admit a student of that religion who resides in a community consistently served by that school.

In a statement this evening, the General Synod Board of Education said:

“The Church of Ireland General Synod Board of Education (RI) notes the Minister of Education and Skill’s statement on the role of religion in the school admissions processes and welcomes the recognition by Minister Bruton of specific concerns raised by minority faiths on the impact of new measures on minority faith schools. The Board of Education looks forward to the detail of the proposals and to engaging with the Minister and his officials in relation to the measures and proposed legislative changes.”

Read more on the Minister’s comments this afternoon here.

As efforts continue to make the records of the Church of Ireland more discoverable, the RCB Library has completed the latest phase of its work on the hand–lists of parish records in its custody. Thanks to painstaking revision work undertaken by the Library staff and with the support of the RCB IT Department, all hand–lists for the 1,110 parish record collections held in the Library (each with its own unique identity number and corresponding details) are now available online.

Whilst hardcopy finding aids or hand–lists itemising the contents of specific collections have been available at the Library for some time (where they are consulted by researchers visiting in person on a daily basis), for those outside Dublin or overseas it was not so easy to gain a detailed insight into each collection’s rich and varied content.

This time last year, the collaborative project between the RCB Library and the Irish Genealogical Research Society (IGRS) produced the colour–coded List of Church of Ireland Parish Registers, accounting for which parish registers survive, and where they are held – whether by the Library, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) or in local custody with the additional benefit of live links to online copies and transcripts. The re–launch of this resource was covered here: www.ireland.anglican.org/news/6537/online-launch-of-the-list, and has been widely acclaimed by the research community. Now the parish hand–list for collections in the Library’s custody provides added value to the resource, enabling researchers to both view and download the Library collection master lists as PDFs.

Reflecting the perspective of the worldwide research community on this latest phase of the Library’s work, the Chairman of the IGRS, Steven Smyrl, commented: “It was a pleasure for the IGRS to celebrate its 80th anniversary last year by collaborating with the RCB Library to produce the colour–coded parish register list. Now with the addition of hyperlinks to the detailed hand–lists for each parish collection, Church of Ireland parish records have never been more accessible. Well done to all RCB staff involved.”

Speaking from the RCB Library, Dr Susan Hood, Librarian and Archivist, said that “between them the Library staff – Jennifer Murphy, Robert Gallagher and Bryan Whelan – had completed a mammoth task of cross–checking all 1,110 lists, adding information about printed sources and converting them from an in–house database format to accessible PDFs.” She commended their efforts and strong team effort and also thanked Charlotte Howard, who had systematically created the links and uploaded each one, for her invaluable IT support from Church House.

The Library also continues to encourage local clergy to transfer non–current records from their local provenance to the Library’s permanent and secure centralised custody. To complement the re–launch of the List of Church of Ireland Parish Registers, this month’s online presentation includes links to the hand–lists of recently deposited registers and other parish materials, highlighting some of the more unusual items that have recently come into Library custody and the aspects of local and family history that they bring to light.

The new exhibit and link to the list is available here: www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive

For further information on the Library please contact:

Dr Susan Hood

Librarian & Archivist

RCB Library

Braemor Park

Churchtown

Dublin 14

Tel: 01–4923979

Fax: 01–4924770

E–mail: susan.hood@rcbdub.org