Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Autumn Issue of Search
The autumn issue of the Church of Ireland journal, Search, which is edited by Canon Ginnie Kennerley, will appear next week.
This edition includes no less than ten articles on different styles of spirituality or ‘approaches to God’ as we might call them. ‘Walking the Labyrinth’, by Lauren Artress of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, encourages readers to join her in discovering the deep rewards of this ancient practice, whether in Chartres or the many locations to which it has spread. Bishop Richard Henderson, always in demand to lead retreats of quiet days, shares his preparations for such an event.
Two contributors offer views on the arts and religion: Anne Thurston explores three Seamus Heaney poems in relation to a Gospel story, and Br. Cyprian Love, organist at Glenstal Abbey, offers further food for reflection in ‘Music as watching for Christ’.
Canon Patrick Comerford writes of his experience of the Orthodox tradition, while from Northern Ireland there are articles related to New Wine and Affirming Catholicism from the Ven. David McClay and Canon George Irwin respectively. Dr Eimhin Walshe and Greg Fromholz, from St Patrick’s cathedral and New Expressions, write about drawing seekers alienated by institutional church life into a transformative experience of worship. The concluding article on Centering Prayer by Carol Casey relates helpfully to the earlier contributions.
The book reviews in this issue will be the last from reviews editor, the Revd Stephen Farrell, who over the past three years has filled the role with distinction. He will be succeeded by Dr Raymond Refausse, formerly of the RCB Library, and books for review may be sent to him c/o RCB Library, Braemor, Park, Churchtown, Dublin 14.
Today (Saturday) the Meath Diocesan Synod will be held in Dunboyne Parish Centre.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the Archbishop of Dublin will preside and preach in both Sandford and Milltown parish churches where the Choral Scholars project will be launched during the harvest celebrations, and in the evening he will preside and preach at the Harvest Festival in Monkstown. The Very Rev. Dr. Philip Knowles will host community Harvest Songs of Praise in St. James’ church, Castledermot, Co. Kildare, at 3.30pm featuring local choirs and musicians.
The Annual Law Service will be held on Monday morning at 10.15am in St Michan’s church, Dublin, where the preacher will be the Revd Dr Donald Watts, former Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.
The Peata Therapy Dogs charity will celebrate 20 years in existence with a service of thanksgiving and animal blessing in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, on Tuesday at 2pm. The address will be given by the Archbishop of Dublin.
On Thursday evening the Bishop of Tuam will institute the Revd Andrew Ison as Rector of the Ballisodare group of parishes. Mr Ison has been Vicar of Great and Little Driffield in the Diocese of York. Writer Julie Parsons will give a talk in the Lexicon, Dun Laoghaire, at 7.30pm. Entitled ‘Life, Love and Death in the Mariners’ Parish, 1900–1939’, it explores the lives of some of the parishioners of the Mariners’, where her grandfather Canon George Chamberlain was rector from 1925 to 1959. In this centenary year it provides some interesting and fresh insights into the responses of one Church of Ireland parish to 1916 and all that followed.
The Sandford Festival begins in Dublin next Friday with Evensong and an organ recital in St Patrick’s cathedral. Details of the programme, which continues until Sunday 9 October, may be had from the website SandfordDublin2016
Published in the Friday edition of The Irish Times