Irish Times Notes23 Nov 19

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Disestablishment Programme Launch

The official launch of the Church of Ireland’s national programme to mark 150th anniversary of Disestablishment will begin at with an opening commemorative National Service in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, today (Saturday) at 3pm with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd Justin Welby, as preacher.

The service will be followed by a panel discussion – entitled ‘Second City, 300, 150, Today’– starting at 6pm, as part of the annual Jonathan Swift Festival. Swift, a fervent defender of the Church of Ireland, but also a fierce critic of the hypocrisy of his age, lived much of his life between London and Dublin: the first and second cities of the British Empire. 150 years after the Disestablishment the panel will consider what he would think, against the backdrop of Brexit, and what the future holds for Ireland and Great Britain, or for Church/State relations. It will discuss these and other important questions of our time. Panel members will include the Archbishop of Canterbury and Dr Mary McAleese, recently elected Chancellor of the University of Dublin.

BBC Radio Ulster’s Morning Service tomorrow (Sunday) will be broadcast from St Columbanus’ church, Ballyholme, at 10.15am, and will mark the 150th anniversary of Disestablishment. In the afternoon at 3.30pm, the Cantando Choir, directed by Orla Barry, will present ‘Songs of Comfort’ in Whitechurch parish church, Co. Dublin. The annual Jonathan Swift Commemorative Evensong will be held in St Patrick’s cathedral, Dublin, at 3.15pm while in St Fin Barre’s cathedral the Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, will preside at the installation of  the Revd Elaine Murray as Prebendary of, Desertmore & Killanully.

A border church which lies in the Republic of Ireland but has most of its congregation living in Northern Ireland will celebrate its 175th anniversary tomorrow (Sunday). St. Mary’s church, Drummully, was built in Co. Monaghan in 1844 and its 175th  anniversary will be marked at a joint group service including the parishes of Galloon and Sallaghy at 3pm. The service will be led by the Bishop of Clogher, the Rt Revd John McDowell.

Tomorrow (Sunday) 4.00pm this year’s Walk of Light starts off with worship in St. Finian’s Lutheran Church in Adelaide Road. It continues with worship en route at Mary Immaculate, Roman Catholic Church, Rathmines, where Jane Mellett, climate justice officer of Trócaire, will share her reflections on this year’s theme:  ‘Walking for Our Common Home – The Earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it’. The journey ends with final prayers in Holy Trinity, Church of Ireland, Church Avenue, Rathmines. The event will be followed by some simple refreshments. This is the 15th year of the Walk of Light. It is under the auspices of the Dublin Council of Churches and organized by local congregations, including St Bartholomew’s, St Ann’s and St Stephen’s. All are most welcome to join.

Christ Church cathedral, Dublin’s 7th candlelit film series, on the theme of ‘Connections’, continues in the cathedral’s Music Room on Monday evening at 6.30pm when ‘The Hundred–Foot Journey’ (2014), a tale of clashing culinary cultures, will be introduced by the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne. Admission is free, everyone is welcome and no booking is necessary.  In Bandon Grammar School, comedian and TV personality, Graham Norton will launch a history of the school of which he is a distinguished old boy.

In the Armagh Robinson Library on Thursday at 7.30pm the Rokeby Lecture will be given by architectural historian, Dr Kevin Mulligan, who will speak about the building ventures. of Archbishop Richard Robinson.