Diocesan News07 Jun 22

News from around the Church of Ireland

Welcome to our regular round–up of news from around the Church of Ireland’s dioceses and parishes.  In addition to yesterday’s summary of our Platinum Jubilee celebrations, this week’s stories come from:

Galway

Crinken

Armagh Diocese

Glaslough

Glendermott

County Cork

Recognition for Galway volunteer in Mayoral Awards

Congratulations to Catherine Moore Temple, a volunteer at St Nicholas Collegiate Church in Galway, who was named the Galway Volunteer of the year at the Mayoral Awards on Tuesday, 24th May. Catherine has worked tirelessly in the Church for over 25 years, and Mayor and the city council celebrated her achievements in making the church accessible for all; more recently championing the use of the Irish language; as bookings secretary; historian; tour guide; and dealing with our many concert/arts bookings.

At the awards ceremony, the Mayor said that there were many deserving candidates but Catherine won the vote of the City Council. The Rector, Provost Lynda Peilow, said ‘her friendly and approachable manner makes her an ambassador for not only the Church but the city as she deals with many visitors and bookings from across the city, community, and world’. There were over 90 nominees, for nine categories. This is a huge honour for Catherine and St Nicholas Collegiate Church and she is a worthy and very popular winner.

Crinken Church opens kitchens to people from Ukraine

Members of Crinken Church near Bray have been forging new friendships with families from Ukraine who are now living in the area. Parishioners have opened up the kitchen facilities at St James’s Church for refugees and are planning a Ukrainian Family Fun week in July.

Maundy Money recipients in Armagh Diocese

We celebrate with and congratulate four worthy recipients from the Diocese of Armagh who attended the Maundy Thursday Service at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, in April, in recognition of their life of service.

Bishops of Clogher attend Ecumenical Prayer Service for Pentecost

There was a good attendance at this year’s Ecumenical Prayer Service for Pentecost held on Sunday, 5th June in Donagh Old Graveyard, in Donagh Parish, Glaslough, Co. Monaghan.  The afternoon open air service was attended by people from across Fermanagh and Monaghan including parishioners of St Salvator’s Parish Church, Glaslough as well as members of the congregation of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Glennan.

Glendermott ‘Men’s Shed’ opens

Bishop Andrew Forster has opened the Parish of Glendermott’s new Men’s Shed on a reclaimed site behind the Parish Hall on Church Brae in Londonderry.  The project is the brainchild of Select Vestry member Joanne Miller and the six men who comprise the Glen Fruit and Vegetable Growers group. The team, with help from the Rector, Rev Robert Boyd, cleared an area of land in a hollow to the rear of the rectory, and planted it with a variety of vegetables and fruit. They also erected a large polytunnel which has been filled with raised beds containing more ‘fruit and veg’.

A mini round–up from Cork

In recent weeks, much progress has been made in Cork, Cloyne and Ross to support the Kingston Charity project to refurbish houses at Kingston College for Ukrainian refugees – with the support of RTÉ presenter Baz Ashmawy and a generous donation of €200,000 from The One Foundation.  

Bishop Paul Colton has visited Bandon Grammar School for its end–of–year service.  St Luke’s National School has held a Creative Celebration Day and Templebreedy National School ran its annual prize–giving event in line with its motto ‘to be my best and to do my best’.  The Reverend Meghan Farr has been appointed as priest–in–charge of St Anne’s, Shandon, and also as Chaplain to St Luke’s Home, Cork, and a service of pet blessing has been held in Cloyne Cathedral.