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Front Page
SDLP’s Alasdair McDonnell tells Gazette of remembrance month concern over the ‘Disappeared’
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| Dr Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA |
In a letter to the Gazette this week (page 10), the SDLP’s Alasdair McDonnell MP, MLA, says that with November being a particular time of remembering the dead, the plight of the families of the ‘Disappeared’ must be recognised. Dr McDonnell also writes that "insincere words of partial contrition continue to be uttered by the political heirs of the original gunmen". The senior SDLP figure says that while Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams had acknowledged the injustice inflicted on the families whose loved ones had been abducted, killed and left disappeared by the IRA, he had also given credit to the IRA for continuing the search for those still missing.
Editorial
Church’s Submission On CGP Recommendations
It is good that the Church of Ireland’s submission to the Northern Ireland Office on the recommendations of the Consultative Group on the Past (CGP), drawn up by a specially appointed Standing Committee working group, at the outset states that it intends to focus on the moral aspects of the CGP report, as opposed to more political aspects. Full Text
Home News
Bicentenary celebrations in Co. Galway parish
Ardrahan church, part of the Aughrim and Ballinasloe group of parishes, Diocese of Clonfert, has celebrated its 200th anniversary with a service of thanksgiving which was later broadcast on RTÉ. The service, at which the preacher was the Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, the Rt Revd Trevor Williams, was attended by a large number of parishioners and representatives of the local community, including the present and former chairman of Galway County Council and a number of councillors.
North Dublin national school celebrates 150 years
By Garrett Casey
St George’s National School, Balbriggan, Diocese of Dublin, recently celebrated its 150th anniversary with a special service of thanksgiving in St George’s church, led by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd John Neill - who is also patron of the school - and the rector, the Revd Alan Rufli. Addressing the congregation, Dr Neill noted the changing profile of the school: in recent years, it had dramatically increased in size and moved to new premises.
Advent resources explore Christian faith and economic crisis
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) has recently provided a new on-line Advent course, which seeks to explore the current economic crisis in relation to the Churches’ shared Christian beliefs and values. As Advent is a time of journeying in preparation and hope for Christmas, the course’s Bible readings, prayers and suggestions for action are designed to move those who use them towards being a positive force for change in a world still reeling from last year’s economic recession which had a profound effect on both the industrialized world and emerging economies.
Historic inner-city Belfast church celebrates 140th anniversary
St Stephen’s parish church, Millfield, in inner-city Belfast, Diocese of Connor, recently celebrated 140 years of worship with a thanksgiving service at which the guest preacher was the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper. The Archbishop later joined parishioners from the united parishes of St Stephen and St Luke and other guests - including representatives from nearby St Mary’s Roman Catholic church, St Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral and Clonard Monastery - for light refreshments.
Institution
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The Revd Andrew Quill (left) is pictured following his institution as rector of the Kinawley group of parishes, Diocese of Kilmore, with his wife, Joanne, and family and his father, Canon Walter Quill, who preached at the service in Derrylin parish church.
Extension Opening
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St Multose National School, Kinsale, Co. Cork, founded in 1895, has recently opened an important extension to its building which, the school’s principal, Fiona Giles, said "would continue our planting and harvesting of seeds of knowledge ... before, we hope, the well-rounded pupils are sent off to become useful citizens of the wider community." In place of the traditional ribbon-cutting at such official openings, the board of management decided that a tree planting ceremony would be more in keeping. Bishop Paul Colton (2nd right); the rector of Kinsale, Canon David Williams (right); Fiona Giles (2nd left); and school officials are seen following the ceremony.
Youth Update
ANOIS 2009 - ‘New for the now’
By Catherine Little
The sixth ANOIS has just wound up - were you there? ANOIS is an annual collaborative event between the Church of Ireland Youth Department (CIYD) and dioceses across the Republic of Ireland. The youth festival is held over the first weekend of the autumn bank holiday, drawing in young people from all over Ireland. It is unique in the Church of Ireland youth ministry calendar because of the co-operation and commitment of so many dioceses and their youth officers to make it possible. The CIYD is grateful for their time, energy, resources and prayers which go into this special event.
Performing arts school opens in Co. Antrim church
By Karen Bushby
A trio of artistic young people are running a school of performing arts based at Holy Trinity parish church, Woodburn, Carrickfergus, Diocese of Connor. The founder of ‘upLift’, Ryan Moffett, was born and bred in Carrickfergus and grew up attending Holy Trinity church. For the past three years, he has been touring the world as the only Northern Ireland member of the ‘Young Americans’, a performing arts group based in the USA.
Prayer for Revival
The Revd Jim Rea, minister of Shankill Road Methodist church and a former President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, will be the guest speaker at a special service in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, on Monday 7th December, at 8.00pm. He will speak on the theme of ‘Revival’. In June, Divine Healing Ministries (DHM), which is sponsoring the service, launched seven years of prayer for revival in Ireland, 150 years after the 1859 Revival.
Kilmallock, Diocese of Limerick
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The Co. Limerick town of Kilmallock, deriving its name from the 7th century Canons Regular Abbey of St Mollach, was once surrounded by a massive stone wall with four gate-towers. From 1291, a Dominican monastery flourished until the Dissolution, and the Earl of Desmond’s Norman town became a garrison of significance during Elizabeth I’s reign.
World News
Archbishop of Canterbury challenges Vatican in Rome address
Last week, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Rowan Williams, gave a frank address on ecumenical themes as part of a symposium at the Gregorian University, Rome, to celebrate the centenary of the birth of Cardinal Willebrands, the first President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Dr Williams said that the recent move by the Vatican to allow special provisions for Anglicans to convert to Rome, while imaginative, had not broken any new ground in understanding of the Church.
German embassy denounces priest’s beating
The German embassy in Harare has sent a strongly-worded letter of protest to the Zimbabwe government after some of its soldiers beat up a Jesuit priest who has lived in the country for most of his life and was rushing a boy to hospital. "The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany ... wishes to express its utter consternation about a violent attack on Father Wolfgang Thamm SJ by four junior members of the Zimbabwean army on 15th November, 2009 at the city of Banket," read part of the letter.
Intel says Sabbath protests have not triggered Jerusalem closure
Computer chip giant Intel has denied Israeli media reports that it will close its Jerusalem facility unless ultra-Orthodox Jews ease demands that the company shutter its facility during the Jewish Sabbath. "This is not true, we are not threatening anything like that," Koby Bahar, spokesperson for Intel Israel, told Religion News Service last week. On Saturday 14th November, between 1,500 and 2,000 fervently-religious Jews rallied outside Intel’s Jerusalem factory to protest against what they considered to be the company’s desecration of the Sabbath.
Soap
Down at St. David’s
By Ted Woods
Steve looked at the list of vacancies in Liverpool Diocese and was surprised to see so many, but there again, it had 350 parishes; but how to find out what they were like? Wearily, he looked at his watch. It was midnight. With a sigh, he turned off the computer. He would come back to that problem, but first, there was the matter of his mother’s funeral in two days’ time. Tomorrow would be a day of collecting his sister and Laura from the airport, and there would be a gathering of clans tomorrow evening, as various relatives travelled from the four corners.
Focus on Connor Diocese
Karen Bushby, Diocesan Communications Officer for Connor, contributes this month’s Diocesan
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| Some of the team from St Paul’s, Lisburn, pictured during their visit to Kajiado Diocese earlier this year |
Clergy from across Connor Diocese came together earlier this month for a three-day conference which provided stimulation for the mind, relaxation for the body and fellowship for the soul. The conference, hosted by the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, took place in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Co. Cavan, and was attended by 80 clergy. The guest speakers were the Rt Revd Richard Henderson, Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, and Mark Russell, Chief Executive of the Church Army, both of whom led a series of thought-provoking and challenging sessions over the three days. Those present also enjoyed some wonderful worship, with liturgy for the services prepared by the Revd Peter McDowell, the Diocese’s Liturgical Officer. Worship was enriched with music from Lorna Palmer, Director of Music in Ballycastle parish, on keyboards and Canon John Mann on the violin.
Letters to the Editor
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The Northern Ireland situation Full Text
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Readers and administration of the Eucharist Full Text
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Protestant ‘ethos’ Full Text
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Consultative Group on the Past Full Text
By the Book
Titus 2: 1-10 - living doctrine
Edward Vaughan
Have you ever come across the famous statement: "I think, therefore I am?" It was coined by René Descartes, but could be said to be the motto of a group of thinkers from the period called the Enlightenment. These philosophers were searching for a way of understanding what it meant to be truly human. They were not persuaded by the theological doctrine that human beings were special because they were created in the image of God. Instead, they were searching for something that elevated human beings beyond dependence on the divine and were attracted by logic, reason and disciplines like mathematics.
Musings
Waiting
Alison Rooke
Having something to look forward to is good for us. From the month of August onwards, my daughter excitedly awaits the arrival of ‘HoHoHo.’ While, at the other end of the scale, an elderly person, very dear to me, always used to go into a decline in the month of January, for then, all the excitement of Christmas was over. But we are all affected; whether it’s waiting for Christmas, summer holidays, a family wedding, a special anniversary occasion - indeed, sometimes the waiting is the very special part of the proceedings, for the event itself can, on occasions, fail to live up to expectation.
News Extra
New Dublin diocesan employment initiative ‘encouraging and hope-building’
By Garrett Casey
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| Pictured at the launch of the Taney Employment Centre are Archbishop John Neill (seated), with Andrew Whiteside (standing left) and Geoffrey Perrin |
A new service available to all those unemployed, facing unemployment or considering a change of career was officially launched recently by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd John Neill. The Taney Employment Centre - based in Taney Parish Centre, close to Dundrum - is designed to provide support, contacts, facilities and advice and is open on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. Although an initiative of the Diocese of Dublin and Glendalough, it is open to all without exception and is free of charge.
Moderator voices ‘frustration’ over PMS
The Presbyterian Moderator, the Rt Revd Stafford Carson, has expressed frustration over the crisis centred on the Presbyterian Mutual Society (PMS). The £315m PMS went into administration 12 months ago. Dr Carson wrote in the News Letter last week: "Back in June, we were full of hope. At that stage, it had taken seven months of lobbying and letter- writing to get the attention of the Prime Minister and to engage the government in the process of addressing the issues affecting so many PMS savers. "We thought then that the train was beginning to roll and that it would take us quickly towards a solution. But five months later, we are still waiting. The frustration is immense and while many savers are struggling on, there is real pain and much anxiety in almost every congregation."
Appointment