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Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Cathedral Inventories Conference

Last month ChurchCare, the Cathedral and Buildings Division of the Church of England’s Archbishops’ Council, held a conference in St Paul’s cathedral, London, on cathedral inventories. The conference had been advertised through the Cathedral Archives, Libraries & Collections Association and so was well–attended but regrettably only one Irish cathedral, Christ Church, Dublin, was represented.

In the Church of England the creation and maintenance of cathedral inventories is a statutory requirement and while no such requirement is in force in the Church of Ireland there is much to be learned from the English experience. The purpose of the inventories is to assess what is of liturgical and historical significance, to use this information to conserve and appropriately store such material, and to make it available for liturgical, educational and promotional purposes. And, of course, such information is vital for insurance purposes. The inventories are meant to be confined to moveable objects but are not schedules of assets – it is not, for example, necessary to count the stacking chairs! However, archives. books, plate, portraits, textiles, furniture, stone work, archaeological objects, and portraits are among the categories of material that should be listed.

All the cathedrals of the Church of Ireland have, in differing degrees, the care and custody of objects which ought to be on an inventory. The Church of England experience is that the possession and effective use of inventories significantly increases interest in cathedrals from worshippers, visitors and researchers and provides opportunities for useful interaction with libraries, archives and museums.

Next June, the Cathedral Archives, Libraries and Collections Association will hold a three–day conference in Salisbury cathedral which will provide another opportunity for Church of Ireland cathedrals to become involved. Further information on CALCA and details of membership may be had at http://cathedrallibrariesandarchives.wordpress.com

Today (Saturday) the Allegra Choral Society, from British Columbia, will give a lunchtime concert in St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, in aid of the Cathedral Choir Fund. They will continue their tour on Wednesday at 8pm in St. Columba’s church, Ennis, and will sing again, with the Credo Vocal Ensemble, at 8pm on Friday in St. James’ church, Athboy, Co. Meath, in aid of the Church Restoration Fund.

Tomorrow (Sunday) the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross will preside at the Parish Eucharist at Abbeystrewry Union. The second Sunday in July is the designated day in the Anglican Communion calendar for the celebration of Sea Sunday although the Mission to Seafarers is happy to facilitate celebrations in churches on other dates.

On Wednesday the Virginia Choral Society from the USA, will give a concert at 8pm in Holy Trinity Church, Westport, in aid of the Organ Restoration Fund, and they will sing again on Friday, with the Newark Chamber Orchestra, at 8pm in Christchurch with Mariners, Dun Laoghaire.

Next Friday ‘Summer Music at Sandford’, in Sandford parish church, Ranelagh, will continue with a lunchtime piano recital at 1.10pm l by Derek Moylan.

The Irish College of Preachers Conference 2018 will take place in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute from 5 to 7 September. It is designed to be a practical help and resource to preachers, either ordained or lay. The Venerable Andrew Forster will lead the conference this year. Andrew Forster is Archdeacon of Ardboe in Armagh Diocese. He has served in the Dioceses of Down and Dromore, Kilmore and Armagh and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Representative Church Body, the trustee body for the Church of Ireland. He is a respected pastor and preacher. Details of the conference may be obtained from Bishop Ferran Glenfield at bishop@kilmore.anglican.org

 

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