Irish news digest

Photo above – Pop up prayer labyrinth on Dollymount Strand

Greenisland pensioner continues ‘selfless’ support for others

Carrick Times reports – Anna McCartney has been supporting other pensioners in the community for a number of years, alongside her work with Greenisland Church of Ireland, Co Antrim.

Despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Mrs McCartney, who marked her 80th birthday yesterday (Thursday), is continuing to do her bit to help others through difficult times.

“She bakes and cooks for many of her friends in need and during this period of social distancing she is still selflessly cooking for friends, who have few relatives and are eternally grateful,” Mrs McCartney’s family said.

“On Easter Sunday, she cooked and delivered dinners to three other people.

“She has even taken food down as far as Bundoran (Co Donegal) in the past.”

Due to the current pandemic, family had to postpone celebrations for Anna’s birthday on April 30 – a date which she shares with NHS fundraising hero, Colonel Tom Moore, who has raised millions of pounds by walking laps of his garden.

Mother to June, Ruth and Carol, Mrs McCartney has five grandchildren, Gary, Nigel, Lisa, Alex and Aaron.

She is also great-grandmother to Cameron, Amelia, Lola and Luca.

“She is just incredibly generous, kind, and thoughtful and has unbelievable energy,” Mrs McCartney’s family added.

“We want to acknowledge the fabulous work she does in her community, whilst also being an amazing mum, grandmother and great-grandmother.”

Virtual Service of Introduction in Meath and Kildare

The Rev Fran Grasham has taken up her post as part-time priest-in- charge of Geashill Union, Diocese of Meath and Kildare, following a virtual Service of Introduction conducted by Bishop Pat Storey.

The service took place on April 27 using the Zoom online platform. Fran was accompanied by her husband Steve and seven others, including diocesan registrar Karen Seaman.

Bishop Pat said: “We had to adapt to the restrictions on social distancing because of Covid-19, by holding the Service of Introduction virtually. Even though the parishioners of Geashill Union have not been able to hold a physical Service of Introduction, the warmth of their welcome is just as real, as is Rev Fran’s enthusiasm for ministry amongst them.”

Prior to taking up her new appointment, Fran served as a non-stipendiary minister in the Kildare and Newbridge Group of Parishes and as Chaplain to the Irish Defence Forces.

Unease at sharing ministry with laity in C of I

On Saturday past the C of I Correspondent to the Irish Times writes – “In the Church of Ireland, since disestablishment the structures of governance have been weighted in favour of the laity, yet the clergy remain pivotal to the life of the Church. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Church of Ireland Directory which lists the clergy and their contact details, as the points of reference for each parish, but does not list the parish secretaries. This has been mitigated in recent years by the publication of a wider range of parish contacts in diocesan directories, an initiative of the Revd Nigel Waugh, but still it remains a truism that parish life revolves around the clergy. In some parishes, ministry is offered in a more collaborative fashion with laity taking responsibility for activities which were once a clerical preserve but often and on both sides, clerical and lay, there is some uneasiness about such developments. This was well captured in the last Search Colloquium on ministry, papers from which were published in vol. 42.2 of Search, which appeared last summer”
This issue of Search can be read on–line at
[ searchjournal.ireland.anglican.org ]

Calary Parish Retirement

Bray People reports – William Bennett, who has been Rector of Newcastle, Newtownmountkennedy and Calary since 2000 retired from full time ministry with the Church of Ireland at the end of February 2020. A much loved and well known pastor, he will be sorely missed not only within the parish but also by all of those who he met. He was a strong supporter of ecumenism and had great relations with people of other religions.

He has a great interest in horses and was presented by Calary parish with a beautiful picture of his favourite horse, which was painted by local artist and parishioner Gay Nuttall. However, William will not be moving far in his retirement as he will be living close by in Glen of the Downs.

Clogher magazine free online

The May edition of the Clogher Diocesan Magazine is now available to read online on the diocesan website (Link below).

Because of the restrictions imposed by governments of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, arising from the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, it has not been possible to print this edition and distribute magazines throughout parishes in the normal way. Instead this May edition is available for everyone to read free on the Clogher website and it can also be shared among the parish websites.

This month‒s magazine, in addition to parish notes around the diocese, has coverage of the Archbishop of Armagh’s translation …
[[] http://clogher.anglican.org/Magazine/ ]

Points for Prayer

Pray for one another as members of the family of God, that the challenges of not being able to gather for worship may also be a spur to greater hunger for reading God’s Word individually and in family life

Pray for those who lead in the business world, whether large corporations or small concerns, asking that God would give them peace, wisdom, a sense of his provision and the ability to balance financial responsibility with care for treatment of staff.

Pray for those in government charged with taking difficult decisions balancing public health and economic concerns as they consider easing lockdown restrictions. Ask God that they would receive good advice, gain clarity of all the issues involved and make the right decisions at the right time.

God in creation