Welcome to our weekly round–up of news from around the Church of Ireland’s dioceses and parishes.  This week’s stories come from:

Belfast

Dublin

Ballineen

Holywood

Kilkenny

Carrigaline

Douglas, Bandon and Cloyne

We did it! At 6.00 pm on Monday 4 April Bishop David arrived on the steps of Belfast Cathedral having cycled into every parish in the diocese with the Bishop’s Big Bike Ride.  The cycle highlighted the work of Bishops’ Appeal, the Church of Ireland’s own World Aid and Development Programme, and is the focus of the Down and Dromore Lent Appeal for 2022.

Young historians delve into parishes’ past for new book

A wonderful new book highlighting the history of Church of Ireland parishes through the eyes of school children in Dublin & Glendalough was launched last Friday (April 1). ‘Living Faith, Living History’ features the work of young historians and researchers and is the fruit of an exhibition they contributed to in Christ Church Cathedral last year.

Ballymoney National School selected as one of 19 Changemaker Schools

Ballymoney National School in Ballineen recently received exciting news when they were selected as a Changemaker School by DCU. The DCU Changemaker Schools, established in September 2020, is a network of 19 innovative primary schools on the island of Ireland who were chosen for their pioneering work in the development of the skills of empathy, creativity, leadership and teamwork.

You may see some familiar faces in the photo above! The Retired Clergy Association (Northern Ireland) recently held its first meeting for over two and a half years, when 25 members came together in the parish church of St Philip and St James, Holywood, Co Down.  The guest speaker was the Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Rev Andrew Forster, who was brought up in Holywood and was delighted to be returning to his boyhood roots.

Ordinations in Kilkenny

The Reverend Ger James (Carlow) and the Reverend Mike O’Meara (Cashel) were ordained priests in the Church of God, for service in Ordained Local Ministry, in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny on Passion Sunday, 3rd April.

Sale supports integration of Ukrainian refugees

On Saturday, 2nd April, a Book and Cake Sale in support of the Together–Razem Centre took place in the parish hall beside St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline. Canon Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline Union, commented: “Thank you to everyone who came along to the Book and Cake Sale. It was so lovely to just be together again, quite apart from the much needed money raised for Together–Razem Centre who are doing such essential work settling Ukrainian refugees here in Cork.”

First Confirmations of 2022 in Cork, Cloyne and Ross

The first three confirmations of this year in the diocese took place on 13th March in St Luke’s Church, Douglas, on 20th March in St Colman’s Cathedral, Cloyne and on 3rd April in Saint Peter’s, Bandon. For the last 23 years, the Bishop has celebrated Confirmations in parishes in the Easter Seasons, but this year is different, as he explains.