Community Empowerment at Derry parish; Belfast Service For Revival; Clogh Parish Christmas Sale; Portrait of sculptor at Belfast Cathedral on display; Head of Redemptorists disagrees with Fr Flannery; Over 2,000 on NI child protection register; ‘Dramatic drop’ in abuse deaths
Community Empowerment at Derry parish
Community empowerment was on everyone’s mind as the full range of organsations in All Saints Parish in Clooney (Derry & Raphoe) came together for a special evening on Tuesday 15th January in Ebrington School. The themes of the evening was to encourage each organsation to take initiatives that will benefit their local community, making a difference to people. This is part of a wider diocesan commitment in Derry and Raphoe for parishes to be agents of positive transformation in their local community.
Anyone travelling along the Dungiven Road, out of the city, will notice that the building of the new hall for All Saints Clooney is almost complete. Whilst looking forward to the opening of this new facility the Rector, Rev Malcolm Ferry, said “The hall is not just a new venue. It is an opportunity for all of us in the parish to offer hope for the future”.
All Saints has formed a Parish Caring Association. Part of its purpose is “to improve the lives of families in the Waterside area of Londonderry – serving the needs of the local community. Rev Ferry talked about the long tradition of service to the local community from the parish. He said, “This new hall and the work of the Parish Caring Association is simply building on what has gone before.”
The International Fund for Ireland has been one of the key funders for the new hall. As part of their support they have given the Parish Caring Association a funding package under its Community Based Economic and Social Regeneration programme which will see many of the local groups reap the benefits. As well as this, it will allow All Saints Parish Caring Association to work across the city with neighbouring community organisations and indeed on a cross border basis.
The meeting on Tuesday 15th was undertaken to encourage each organisation in the parish to get involved in this exciting new venture and to outline as to how local groups in the parish might avail of the new facilities and programmes. It proved to be an energetic and creative evening of ideas for all concerned.
Service For Revival
A special service for Revival will be held at 8.00 p.m. on Monday 4 February 2013, in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, led by Interdenominational Divine Healing Ministries Director Brother David Jardine.
The special guest speaker for the evening is the well–known former president of the Methodist Church, Revd Jim Rea. During his 40 years in ministry, Mr Rea pledged to do his utmost to foster better relationships on all fronts: religious, political and social. Divine Healing Ministries are now five years into seven years of prayer for revival in our land. Mr Rea, a good friend to Divine Healing Ministries, will share his wealth of experience on the subject. Brother David said, “We believe God is going to honour the daily prayers lifted before him and we encourage you to join with us in prayer on 4 February as we bring our city and country before God. “There will also be an opportunity to receive personal prayer and anointing with oil at this service.”
Clogh Parish Christmas Sale
Organised by Clogh Mothers Union (Cogher), Clogh Parish Church Christmas Sale was held on 8th December and raised £1,600 for Church Funds. As well as the usual stalls: works, brick-a-brack, groceries many people had been busy baking lots of cakes and a work party for some time before had been working hard knitting hats, scarf’s, teddies, knee rugs as well as Santa and snowmen, Mrs Beadle also came with things from Pampered Chef. There was also opportunity to have a cup of tea or coffee a cake and a good old natter with a neighbour.
Portrait of sculptor at Belfast Cathedral on display
George Frederick Morris Harding, PPRUA (1874–1964) spent many years as sculptor of the impressive capitals and corbels of the nave pillars at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast.
Recently, a rare portrait of Harding by the artist Poppy Mollan which had come onto the local art market was generously purchased and presented to St Anne’s by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. This striking portrait of Harding is now hanging in the ambulatory of the cathedral. The Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd John Mann, who only last year unveiled a Blue Plaque in commemoration of Morris Harding outside the artist’s home at Church Road, Holywood, said, ‘I am delighted that the Cathedral has been so generously presented with this painting by a philanthropic donor. Morris Harding made a remarkable contribution to the visual impact of this special sacred space and it is fitting that his portrait is now on display here.’
The English–born Harding was invited in 1925, at the age of 51, to work on designs for many of the capitals and corbels in the nave together with other carvings and the bronze soldier on the memorial lectern to the fallen of the 36th (Ulster) Division. This body of work became the major undertaking of his career. For more than twelve years Harding worked high above the floor of the cathedral completing the work. The carvings include depictions of the philosopher Bishop George Berkeley; Bishop Jeremy Taylor, author of the spiritual classic Holy Living and Holy Dying; and the hymn–writer Mrs Cecil Frances Alexander who wrote ‘There is a green hill far away’, ‘All things bright and beautiful’ and ‘Once in royal David’s city’. Shipbuilding, the linen industry, agriculture, science and the arts are also represented.
Dean Mann considers the carved stonework in the nave of St Anne’s to be ‘both spectacular and fascinating: spectacular because of its complexity and variety, fascinating because of its relationships – both to the City of Belfast and to the Church and Christianity’.
Once living in Belfast, Harding joined the Belfast Arts Society and later became President of the Royal Ulster Academy. He shared a studio in Holywood, Co. Down with the noted artist Rosamond Praeger whose work is also integral to the cathedral’s decorative scheme in both the baptistery and on the bronze plaque at Carson’s tomb.
The portrait of Harding is thought to be the one exhibited by Belfast–based artist Poppy Mollan at the Ulster Academy of Arts in 1936. Mollan and John Luke assisted Harding in 1938 with a commission for the Northern Ireland Government’s pavilion at the Glasgow Empire Exhibition. Mollan went on to exhibit at the Royal Hibernian Academy between 1927 and 1940.
Head of Redemptorists disagrees with Fr Flannery
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2013/0124/breaking9.html
Over 2,000 on NI child protection register
News Letter – The number of children on protection registers in Northern Ireland has jumped by 18% over the past six years, it was revealed today.
The latest figures show 2,127 children were listed as being at risk last year, compared to 1,805 during 2007.
Dr John Devaney from Queen’s University claimed child protection services had been stretched because of the increase in demand.
He said: “There are a greater number of children being identified or referred for help. That is probably a good thing because where children are quite vulnerable it is better that someone knows about them.”
Dr Devaney headed the first review of abuse cases on child death and serious injury in Northern Ireland.
His team looked at 24 case reviews relating to 45 children which resulted in the death or serious injury between 2003 and 2008. More at:
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/over-2-000-on-child-protection-register-1-4713741
‘Dramatic drop’ in abuse deaths
The number of children who have died in Northern Ireland from abuse or neglect over the past 40 years has been “dropping dramatically”, according to a new report.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21176110