Irish news digest

Life and faith in lockdown

In the middle of March 2020, public worship was suspended in our churches for almost 16 weeks as part of the national effort to stop the spread of Covid-19.

How did members of our church communities live through the pandemic?

Some parishioners in Dublin & Glendalough have shared their experiences. They talk about what they’ve missed while they haven’t been in church and what they’re looking forward to as services resume.

Watch the video below and feel free to share –
[[] https://dublin.anglican.org/news/2020/07/13/watch-welcome-back-life-and ]

Tricolours painted on Ahoghill Church

A sectarian paint attack on Ballyscullion Church of Ireland in Ahoghill has been condemned.

TUV Alderman Stewart McDonald: “Last night some mindless vandals painted tricolours on a number of a number items of public property including kerb-stones in Ahoghill.

“Such childish behaviour will soon be cleaned up but altogether more sinister is what happened at Ballyscullion Church of Ireland where an Irish tricolour was painted on the back of the building.”

He added: “Everyone knows that the tricolour is the chosen symbol of the PIRA who murdered Protestants in Northern Ireland for 30 years. This action is therefore deeply sectarian and threatening.

“I would appeal for anyone who witnessed anything suspicious last night to contact police so that those responsible for this intimidation can be brought to justice.” Report in Ballymena Guardian, 16 July 2020

Ordination of Presbyters (OLM) at Nendrum Ancient Monastic Site

A service of ordination of presbyters (OLM) will take place at Nendrum Ancient Monastic Site on Sunday 16 August at 4.00 pm.

The Bishop of Down & Dromore will ordain two presbyters for ordained local ministry:

Revd Rory Blake-Knox (Moneyreagh Community Church)
Revd Stephen Doherty (Glen Community Church)

The preacher will be Revd Paul Cowley. Paul is on the leadership team at Holy Trinity Brompton and founded the charity Caring for Ex-Offenders. He has twenty-five years’ experience of working with socially excluded and vulnerable adults and is the Bishops’ Advisor to Prisons in London. In 2015 he was awarded an MBE for services to ex-offenders.

He is the author of the recently published Thief Prisoner Soldier Priest.

Mahee Island, Comber, Newtownards BT23 6EP

Ordination of Revd Rodney Magennis as Presbyter

The Bishop of Down & Dromore will ordain Revd Rodney Magennis as presbyter in Dromore Cathedral on Sunday 23 August at 4.00 pm.

Rodney will be ordained to be Diocesan Curate with special responsibility for the Grouped Parishes of Aghaderg, Donaghmore and Scarva.

The preacher will be Revd Canon Roland Heaney, rector of Dunganstown Union (Diocese of Dublin & Glendalough) which includes Redcross Church.

Service of Institution and launch of Newry Centre of Mission

The Revd Capt Scott McDonald will be instituted as Incumbent of the Grouped Parishes of St Patrick’s and St Mary’s, Newry, on Thursday 27 August.

The Centre of Mission will also be launched at the service which will take place in St Mary’s, John Mitchell Place, Newry at 7.30 pm.

UK’s Favourite Hymn

If you missed this first or even second time around, it’s on iPlayer at this link:
[ bbc.in/3j2UpXl ] for approx 30 days. #songsofpraise

Food for thought

Points for prayer

Teenage years are complicated at the best of times, and especially when living through such a period of uncertainty. Let’s pray for teenagers, that they’ll have the help they need to successfully navigate their way through, practically, emotionally and spiritually – Mothers Union

Today we pray for countries where hunger looms. Closed borders, curfews and travel restrictions have disrupted food supplies and incomes pushing millions of people towards hunger. We pray for your provision and for worldwide effort to prevent a global hunger crisis.