Irish Times Notes16 Apr 22

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Support for Ukraine

The Bishops’ Appeal for World Aid and Development has released a further €40,000 and £35,000 to Christian Aid and Habitat for Humanity in support of humanitarian efforts in Ukraine and the surrounding countries.  This brings the total released so far to €50,000 and £43,300. Donations continue to pour in, and Bishops’ Appeal therefore anticipates releasing more funds shortly after Easter.

Dr Ferran Glenfield, Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh and Chair of the Bishops’ Appeal Advisory Committee, commended the generosity of Irish people and said: ‘The plight of the Ukrainian people has touched many hearts, which is reflected in the generous response to the Ukraine Appeal across the Church of Ireland.’

The Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough has committed to responding practically to the Ukraine crisis and has  launched U&Ukraine, an initiative to help Ukrainian people arriving in Ireland to feel welcome and has urged all parishes in the Dioceses to focus on the start of our fundraising drive throughout Holy Week and Easter.

Permission has been received to make the Church of St George & St Thomas in Dublin’s city centre available for use as a hub and cultural centre. The well– known church, located on Cathal Brugha Street just off O’Connell Street, will become a centre of warmth, welcome and activity for those arriving in Ireland from Ukraine.

Funds are needed to upgrade kitchen and restroom facilities in St George & St Thomas’s to ensure they are fit for use by members of the Ukrainian community. The Dioceses have committed to working closely with the Ukrainian community leaders in Ireland to identify practical ways to support and meet the needs of those arriving in the country.

In the slightly longer term, the intention is to sponsor a priest in the Ukrainian Orthodox tradition and in this way to provide pastoral and liturgical ministry to Ukrainians who have come to Ireland as displaced persons. It is intended to do this in the first instance for a year. This will take some time to effect. Meanwhile those who have come to Ireland have many practical needs and your generosity will be an enormous help to them in the immediate crisis that faces them here in Ireland with no personal resources.

Launching the appeal ahead of Holy Week 2022, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Michael Jackson, said it was time for the dioceses to pull together and take action: ‘Over the past six weeks we have watched in despair as war in Ukraine has unfolded on our screens and in our newspapers. Now it is time to put that despair aside and take action to welcome and support those Ukrainians who have come to Ireland having had no choice but to flee their homes.’

DIOCESAN FUNDS OF DUBLIN AND GLENDALOUGH, Bank of Ireland, College Green, Dublin 2, BIC: BOFIIE2D, IBAN: IE16 BOFI 9067 9369 3548 78, Reference:U&Ukraine appeal. Donations can also be made by cheque to: the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough, Church House, Church Avenue, Rathmines,Dublin 6 (marked U&Ukraine Appeal).

Tomorrow, Easter Day, the bishops by tradition preach in their diocesan cathedrals. For the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, this will be his first Easter as Bishop of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe. However, as he has yet to be enthroned in any of his cathedrals he will celebrate Easter in St Nicholas’ Collegiate church, Galway. In the National Cathedral of St Patrick,  Dublin, the Easter Day preacher will be the Dean, Dr William Morton.