Primates’ tributes to Seamus Heaney; New Sacred Space for Electric Picnic; Derry parish open day; Down Bible Certificate ‘graduates’; Ireland’s largest mosque gets planning permission
Primates’ tributes to Seamus Heaney
The Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland:
‘I am very saddened to hear of the death of the poet Seamus Heaney, particularly having enjoyed hearing him give a wonderful poetry reading along with Michael Longley only two weeks ago. By any standards, he was one of the greatest poets writing in the English language of our time.
‘A man with a great generosity of spirit, his poetry illuminated aspects of Irish life North and South which perhaps many of us would not have understood without his writing.’
Archbishop Michael Jackson has paid tribute to poet, playwright and Nobel laureate Seamus Heaney who died yesterday (August 30) at the age of 74.
”Seamus Heaney not only touched the hearts and minds of countless people in Ireland and abroad, he was an ambassador of ideas and of their integrity everywhere anyone read one of his poems,” the Archbishop said.
“He combined critical acumen with classical literary discipline, bringing to bear on the land he loved and its people North and South the depth of his insight, charm and compassion. His work straddled two centuries and two millennia and he carried us lyrically to places we had never been before,” he concluded.
New Sacred Space for Electric Picnic
This weekend’s Electric Picnic will feature a Sacred Space for the first time in its 10 year history. The Sacred Space tent, which will be located in the Body&Soul arena, will be manned around the clock by volunteers during the three day festival.
The initiative is being spearheaded by Greg Fromholz, who leads Dublin and Glendalough’s youth ministry, along with Pamela Rooney of the Methodist Church and Scott Evans of Holy Trinity Church in Rathmines.
The Sacred Space tent will provide a respite from the hectic festival atmosphere. Apart from offering a cup of tea or coffee and a calm place to sit the tent will house a ‘Wall of Lament’ – a large board on which participants will be encouraged to write prayers, questions and doubts.
There will also be an ‘Altar to an Unknown God’ on which participants can leave items that represent things they came to the Picnic with but wish they could go home without. Another aspect of the Sacred Space will be the Shiva Confessional which is a new take on the old idea of the confessional based more on the Jewish practice of sitting Shiva.
“This is all about encouraging conversations about faith, honest doubt and honest faith,” Greg Fromholz explains.
Derry parish open day
A beautiful Church of Ireland church in the Roe Valley Country Park is putting out the Welcome Mat for visitors. Carrick Parish Church, near Limavady, is holding a special ‘Open Day’ on 7 September. It is part of its celebration of significant refurbishment work recently completed on the building.
Built in 1846 the little parish church stands on a cliff edge, in a picturesque location high above a wooded gorge on the River Roe, three miles south of Limavady, on the Ballyquin Road (B.68).
The ‘Open Day’ is an opportunity for members of the community to visit the church and see the renovations that have taken place. As well as being able to see the church each visitor will receive a cup of tea and a brief history of the church.
The total cost of the refurbishment has been £160,000. This has allowed improvements such as reroofing the church, extending the Vestry as well as improving Disability facilities. It has been no small undertaking for a parish of 60 families.
The Rector of Carrick Parish is Canon David Ferry. Talking about the ‘Open Day’ he said, “We are celebrating such a significant achievement in our small parish and are delighted that we have been able to do it.” He continued “We have had incredible support from the community and this is a way of thanking them for their help and good will. We would love to see as many visitors as possible come and see the church as well as meet us as a congregation.”
Alongside support from the local community the parish also received help from The Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders.
A spokesperson for the diocese of Derry and Raphoe said, “The success of Carrick Parish Church in completing this refurbishment is a wonderful picture of what teamwork can achieve. The ‘Open Day’ is also a great statement of one of the values we hold dear – that we have an open door to all of our community.”
The ‘Open Day’ takes place in Carrick Parish Church on 7 September between 1.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. The church is located three miles south of Limavady, on the Ballyquin Road (B.68). All parts of the community are warmly welcomed.
Down Bible Certificate ‘graduates’
Congratulations to the 14 graduates of the Bishop’s Bible Course, most of whom received their certificates on the Tuesday evening of the Bishop’s Bible Week.
Bishop Harold Miller made the presentations with the help of Canon Robert Neill who teaches the course on Thursday evenings.
Here’s the role of honour for 2012/13:
Gillian Clarke, Katherine Grant, Joan Hanna, Jenny Harron, Karen Hooper, Christine Hunter, Diane Johnston, Kathleen Mann, Rita Marsden, Marianne Nicholson, David Riddell, Diane Ruddock, Chris Sanlon and Raymond Scott.
The two–year Bishop’s Certificate Course facilitates individuals in a deeper study of Scripture and may challenge them to develop a calling or ministry.
The course runs on one evening each week for seven weeks per term over three terms and those who successfully complete both years receive a certificate signed by Bishop Harold.
Topics covered include: Why is the Bible so important?; How did the Bible come to us?; Why is the nation of Israel so important?; What we can understand of the God of the Bible?; Who is Jesus?; What is the message of the four gospels?; What does St. Paul tell us?; and much more.
The course is organized and taught by Canon Robert Neill, Rector of Drumbo.
There are one or two places still available for the course starting in October which will be allocated on a first–come basis.
Please contact Mary Coles in the Bishop’s Office: Email: mcoles@diocoff-belfast.org Tel: 028 9082 8850
Ireland’s largest mosque gets planning permission
Plans for Ireland’s biggest mosque have been given the go-ahead by An Bord Pleanala for a site in Clongriffin, North Dublin.
The €40 million development will see the construction of a mosque and cultural centre, conference centre, primary school, secondary school, fitness centre and eight apartments.
The mosque will cater for up to 3,000 people
More at –
http://www.thejournal.ie/irelands-largest-mosque-clongriffin-1060199-Aug2013/