Avoid ‘relapse’ to violence: Archbishop; New CE president; Bishop Harold comes aboard at Moira Holiday Bible Club; Christ Church Cathedral Heritage Week; Clergy appointment
Avoid ‘relapse’ to violence: Archbishop
Derry Journal – The future leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Derry-born priest Eamon Martin, says much remains to be done to build a lasting peace in the North.
Archbishop Martin of Armagh, who will succeed Cardinal Seán Brady as Catholic Primate of All Ireland, was delivering the annual St Oliver Plunkett address in west Belfast on Sunday as part of Féile an Phobail celebrations.
He said: “Tensions and violence on the streets remind us that there’s still a lot to be done in building peace and shaping the future. We know that our community remains polarised and divided in many ways. We are only ‘tiptoeing’ towards a shared and reconciled future.”
Archbishop Martin said tensions remained about how to tackle sectarianism and there were pastoral problems, too, about reaching out to ex-combatants at the same time as fostering healing for victims.
He added: “Many victims of the Troubles still don’t know the full circumstances that led to the death or serious injury of their loved one. Few have been able to tell their stories, either as individuals or communities – there is a tendency to think ‘don’t go there’, leave the past behind, or, indeed, to engage in blaming and revisionism, creating a hierarchy of victimhood and not recognising the legitimacy of truth within different accounts.
“We are still a long way away from any shared story or understanding of the past. Overall, there is much to be done in addressing the detrimental impact of the Troubles on the image of Northern Ireland.
“We all have a responsibility to help avoid a relapse into violence especially in the most deprived areas across our communities where residents feel they have won little from the peace – sadly many of these areas are also those which suffered greatest during the conflict.”
Archbishop Martin also paid tribute to the role of the clergy during the Troubles.
“During the Troubles, priests sometimes felt caught in the middle, at times used and attacked by all sides, but they continued to visit homes, hospitals and prisons, administer the sacraments; their pastoral presence in the public square helped preserve normality in the midst of potential chaos.
“The priest or minister was often the person of hope, and consolation – for me, ministering as a priest in Derry at this time gave me a strong sense of my own vocation.”
The Archbishop said he firmly believed that the churches could still play a significant role in helping society to build bridges and re-define itself.
New CE president
Tyrone Times – A former Mid-Ulster Mail advertising manager will be installed as the new President of Christian Endeavour next month.
Rev Drewe McConnell who is now based in Limavady, was an advertising manager with the Morton Newspaper group before being installed in the Presbyterian Church.
Five years ago he became the Minister of the Limavady and Magilligan Churches.
He will take up the post of President of Christian Endeavour in Ireland on Saturday, September 21, in Raffrey Presbyterian Church, near Killyleagh.
Bishop Harold comes aboard at Moira Holiday Bible Club
Special shipmate, Bishop Harold Miller, came aboard Moira’s “Pirates Ahoy” Holiday Club earlier this month. The Bishop visited on the last day of the club in St John’s Parish Centre when he took a tour of all the activities and addressed all the boys and girls together.
Over 300 volunteers and children were involved in the Club whose theme was finding treasure in knowing Jesus personally, based on the book of Philippians. Children attended from all over the local area and as far afield as Lurgan and Lisburn. They were entertained each day through songs, dance, drama and games and learned from God’s word in the story room as well as through memory verses, quizzes and craft activities. Refreshments were also, of course, a vital part of each day!
The annual holiday club has long been part of the youth ministry at St John’s, running for over 15 years.
Simon Henry, Youth Ministry Co Ordinator said, “It is just amazing to have more and more children welcomed into our Parish Centre each year at Holiday Club. It is a privilege for us to teach so many children about Jesus and teach them God’s word and help them learn and pray together. We are a big family at St John’s and it wouldn’t happen without the huge number of volunteers we have coming along each day and putting in the hard graft beforehand in all the preparations.”
The youngest volunteer was 12 years old and the eldest, Mrs Netta Dillon, celebrated her 80th birthday just prior to the holiday club starting (she received a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday!)
The Parish Centre was packed on the following Sunday evening when families and children attended for the Pirates Ahoy Celebration service with prizes for the colouring–in competition, memory verses and dancing and of course, ice cream.
Christ Church Cathedral Heritage Week
This year’s heritage week is set to be the most exciting yet at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin with an exceptional and diverse programme that features an intimate evening performance by Rónán Ó Snodaigh (Kíla) Ireland’s greatest percussionist, a performance by 3epkano who will join forces with Iarla Ó Lionáird to perform a live score to another spine–tingling classic, Der Golem, and a host of lunchtime recitals, tours and children’s activities.
On Thursday August 22 at 8.00 pm, performing for the first time in Christ Church Cathedral for Heritage Week, eclectic music ensemble 3epkano present live music accompaniment to Der Golem with Iarla Ó Lionáird, Irish singer and producer. 3epkano, a Dublin based, eight piece band/ensemble specialising in producing original and innovative soundtracks for films from the silent movie era was formed in early 2004 by Matthew Nolan and Cameron Doyle.
On Friday August 23 at 8.00 pm, Christ Church Cathedral will host a unique and intimate evening of music with a founding member of one of Ireland’s most celebrated World Music bands, Kíla. Rónán Ó Snodaigh is recognised as one of Ireland’s best and most innovative bodhrán players and a highly original singer songwriter.
Mike O’Toole, photographer and lecturer of photography at IADT will facilitate a Master Class in photography from still life to portraits. This will be a fantastic opportunity to see Christ Church Cathedral in a new light, one of the most prestigious and beautiful cathedrals in Dublin. Take this opportunity to enjoy a day of photography with full tuition from a professional photographer in Dublin’s oldest heritage site. This one day photography master class is based at Christ Church Cathedral and includes lunch in the Crypt Café.
As usual there is a fascinating collection of talks and tours from the cathedral’s resident experts and storytellers, taking place at 12.30 pm daily from August 19 to 23. From Dublin’s horrible history to music and what daily life in the cathedral is really like, there is something to suit everyone. Lunchtime recitals will be taking place on August 20, 21 and 22 at 1.15 pm featuring a range of Dublin’s finest established and upcoming musicians.
Christ Church Cathedral is also running a series of fun activities for children and their families during Heritage Week with a special ‘If Walls Could Talk’ trail, craft workshops and story time. All the activities are organised by the Education Department, known for its outreach work with children, young people and families. Drop–in children’s activities for all ages, will include Repoussé badge making, calligraphy and stained–glass card making.
Clergy appointment
The Revd Alan Kilpatrick, currently Vicar of the Parish of Saint Luke, Diep River, Cape Town, South Africa, has been appointed as Incumbent of the Parish of Knocknamuckley, in the Diocese of Dromore. It is anticipated that the institution will be arranged for November 2013.