Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Calary and Kenya
A part of the mission of the Church of Ireland is to support the developing world. Much of this work is channelled through the Bishops’ Appeal to which the parishes contribute. But some parishes have their own projects and one such is the parish of Calary in Co. Wicklow.
The parish, in the Diocese of Glendalough, has a long–standing relationship in supporting Sr Mary Killeen, who has worked in the Mukuru slum in Nairobi, Kenya, for many years. This vast slum consists of approximately 30 villages and is home to over 700,000 people. Most of these people have left their rural homes because of poverty and came to the city in the hope of finding work. Some are successful but the majority, being unskilled and uneducated, remain jobless. Sr Mary runs the Mukuru Promotion Centre providing a home, education and vocational training in skills for street boys between 8 and 16 years.
Calary parishioners and the wider community support the MPC through ongoing charitable giving. Each year the parish hosts a supper concert and raffle. Funds raised in Ireland go a long way in Nairobi providing food, clothes and an education to the children who would otherwise live on the streets.
This year, Calary fundraising donations went towards building a new dining hall for the children to eat in and socialise with each other. The dining hall will be called the Calary Dining Hall in recognition of fundraising and support over the past 20 years by parishioners and the many people who attend concerts in Calary Church organized by Derek Neilson and his team.
Sr Mary visits Calary from time to time when she is in Ireland to give an update on the work being carried out. This year Sister Mary and her colleague, Sr Patricia, will celebrate 47 years working for the good of people of Kenya.
On Tuesday a new series of lunchtime concerts begins in St Mary’s cathedral, Limerick, at 1.15pm. The opening recital will be given by Catherine Redding (soprano) and Yonit Kosovske (piano) and will have a St Valentine’s Day theme.
On Thursday evening at 7.30pm, the Bishop of Clogher, Dr Ian Ellis, will institute Canon Jennifer McWhirter as Rector of Cleenish & Mullaghdun parishes in Cleenish parish church, Bellanaleck, Co. Fermanagh.
A series of events to encourage and support positive mental health will take place in the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough this spring. Organised by the Revd Garth Bunting, Rural Dean of St Mary, and Canon Lesley Robinson, Rural Dean of Fingal, the events are part of the Church of Ireland’s MindMatters project.
Free talks, entitled ‘What is Mental Ill–Health? Signs, symptoms and what to do about them’, will take place in each Rural Deanery.
Walks of Wellbeing – gentle guided walks with a focus on friendship and mindfulness – will take place in three different locations in April and May. On Sunday 2 April, the Revd David White will lead a walk in St Anne’s Park in Raheny (meet at the Red Stables) from 3pm to 5pm. On Sunday 7 May, the Revd Ruth Noble will lead a walk in the Phoenix Park (meet at the Papal Cross) from 3pm to 5pm. On Saturday 27 May, the Revd Brian O’Reilly will lead a walk in Glendalough (meet at St John’s Church, Laragh) from 11am to 4pm. Walkers in Glendalough are asked to bring water and a packed lunch.
For more information on any of these events contact 086–0386415 or 087–9091561.
Published in the Saturday edition of The Irish Times