Irish news digest

Photo above – One of the volunteers in action at the fabric hub in the Kilternan Centre.

Kilternan Parish becomes Fabric Hub for Masks 4 All Ireland

The Kilternan Centre is always a hive of activity. Now, in lockdown, that is no different but the activity has changed. The centre at Kilternan Parish Church has become a hub for sewing and distributing reusable cotton masks.

At the end of April, the parish was approached by Katie Holland, a parishioner and Scout leader, about hosting a ‘fabric hub’ for the distribution of PPE masks, explains the Rector of Kilternan, the Revd Rob Clements. “There has been a real need identified for PPE masks for care workers and hospital staff as there is simply not enough to fulfil the current demand. We are delighted to support this initiative,” he says.

Katie, with the support of the 10th Kilternan Scouts first pioneered this programme, which is running in conjunction with a group called Masks4AllIreland. Gary Watts, the Group leader of the Kilternan Scout Group says the project goes right to the heart of Scouting. “Helping people is something that is part of the very fabric of Scouting – it’s a key part of the Scout Promise: ‘To serve my community, to help other people’,” he comments. The scouts set up the ‘10th Kilternan Thimble Brigade’ and have been engaged in making protective, reusable cloth masks and distributing them to hospital staff and care workers since early April.

Masks4allIreland is a group of voluntary sewists making the best possible reusable cotton masks free to those who need them. The material costs are met through fundraising and donations. To date there are 550 sewists across the country and 25,000 masks have been produced.

Like the demand, the project has grown. What began in Katie’s home has grown into quite the operation. The Kilternan Centre is now filled with fabric, sorting stations, cutting stations, sewing points, and areas for packaging and distribution. They now gather fabric, prepare the fabric, distribute fabric to ‘at home’ sewers, and then finally they distribute the finished product to hospitals, nursing homes and community care teams all across the country.

While this is a hub, social distancing and stringent hygiene protocols prohibit more than three or four people in attendance at any one time, so it’s not just something you can drop by and see.

How can you get involved?

If you are a sewer, you might like to sew. They have fabric packs, and the standardised pattern. You can register on Facebook through Mask4allIreland or contact Katie Holland at [ katie@jollylands.com. ]

You might like to donate. The main cost is fabric. A donation of €10 will buy one metre of fabric which will enable volunteers to make 10 masks. The masks are reusable and machine washable. A GoFundMe page was set up by the Scouts which has already brought in over €4,000 towards fabric costs. You might like to donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/10th-kilternan-scouts-covid19-fabric-for-masks. Every single cent raised will be used to buy the materials – all work is completely voluntary.

You might have access to fabric. The Scouts have already managed to procure donations of fabric from businesses across the community. It you have access to fabric, please let them know. Fabric needs to be unused and 100% cotton.

“Together we can make a difference and help give our care providers the protection they need to keep themselves and, in turn, all of us safe,” Rob concludes.

Archbishop of Armagh contributes to the Hub’s online worship

Screenshot of the Rev Barry Forde’s interview with Archbishop John McDowell.

Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev John McDowell, was interviewed by the Rev Barry Forde, Chaplain at Queen’s University and Stranmillis College, for The Hub Belfast’s Sunday Service on May 10.

The Archbishop is the first of a number of high profile contributors to the Hub Belfast’s Sunday Worship, which also features a fantastic group of musicians, intercessors and readers.

The passage for May 10 was the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, and through his contribution, Archbishop John helps us to understand the parable, and offers some thoughts as to the role of the Church in proclaiming the good news in such challenging times.

In the next couple of weeks, the Hub Belfast will be joined by Professor of Psychology and Lay Reader Roddy Cowie to help us wrestle with the psychology and theology of worry. Later, Graham Tomlin, author of The Provocative Church and Spiritual Fitness, will be discussing his recent article in The Church Times – Is Coronavirus a judgement from God?

You can tune in to Sunday’s service, featuring Archbishop John, at
[[] https://connor.anglican.org/2020/05/11/archbishop-of-armagh-contributes-to-the-hubs-online-worship/ ]

Rector to walk 100 miles in support of Fields of Life

The Rev Canon Derek Kerr, rector of Drummaul, Duneane and Ballyscullion, has set himself a challenge of walking 100 miles in support of Fields of Life.

Richard Spratt, Fields of Life Chief Executive, has come up with the idea of walking the 6,064 miles from his home to the Fields of Life Office in Uganda to raise awareness and funds in the fight again coronavirus in Uganda.

This initiative is already being embraced and supported by a team from Christ Church Parish, Lisburn, whose planned trip to St Apollo School in Luwero Diocese, Uganda, has had to be cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Derek has pledged £100 to walk 100 miles of this 6,047 mile hike. Announcing his plans in a Facebook post, Derek said he has already started on this challenge, doing a daily 7.3 mile circuit which he hopes to increase when he gets more used to walking!

Derek encourages anyone who wishes to support the initiative to visit Richard Spratt’s Just Giving page to make a donation, rather than send money to him, but if they want to identify that they are linked to Derek they can do so and he will hope to keep a tally of the money his 100 mile challenge raises towards Richard’s total.

Derek also encourages anyone who is a walker, or wants to start walking to help Fields of Life fight coronavirus in Uganda, to take the plunge and get involved.

You can find out how to do so, or make a donation, via Just Giving at
[[] https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/richard-spratt3?utm_id=123 ]

Zooming in on Big 50 Cork birthday

Since the start of Holy Week, clergy, readers and diocesan staff in Cork, Cloyne and Ross have been meeting on ZOOM each weekday morning to say the Morning Daily Office together. Many have found it a great support saying Morning Prayer together in this way each day and even seeing one another in the midst of the current restrictions has been an encouragement. Each week one of the clergy hosts the Service and another says the responses, with all others ‘on mute’ as otherwise the time lag on ZOOM causes a cacophony.

But what do you do when one of your number has a big ‘5-0’ – 50th birthday – in lockdown? Such is the case today for our colleague and friend the Reverend Kingsley Sutton.

Well, you don’t tell him and you say nothing, but with the help of a family insider – Daphne Perrott Sutton – you get photos, and then, at the end of Morning Prayer a short happy birthday video put together by the Bishop is played, and then – surprise, surprise – all the participants are holding a mini-birthday cake and candle!

Virtual introduction of priest-in-charge in Meath & Kildare

Rev Fran Grasham has taken up her post as part-time priest-in-charge of Geashill Union.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions her Service of Introduction took place virtually, by Zoom, at 4pm on Sunday 27th April. This was conducted by Bishop Pat Storey. Rev Fran Grasham was accompanied by her husband Steve. Also in attendance were: Karen Seaman (Diocesan Registrar), Archdeacon Leslie Stevenson and Canon Isaac Delamere (who looked after Geashill Union during the vacancy), Audrey and Wesley Colton as well as Mark and Pippa Hackett (as witnesses and representatives from Geashill Union).

Bishop Pat Storey 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. We wish Fran well in her new ministry in Geashill Union.”

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.

Originally a primary school teacher she was previously a priest in the Church of England. Fran is married to Steve (CIYD Youth Ministry Development Officer for the South of Ireland). They have two children – Katherine (23) and Joseph (20).

Fran enjoys reading, knitting, the countryside and American crime drama.

Points for Prayer

Pray for those who work for peace and freedom throughout the world, that their efforts will bring an end to injustice and oppression

Give thanks for the many people who are using this time to volunteer in their local communities, asking that their simple acts of kindness would continue to make a big difference in the lives of the most vulnerable

Pray for decision makers at all levels of government as they receive advice from specialists, interpret data and shape policy that they would be wise in their decision-making and clear in their communication to others.

Pray particularly for governments on our own island and across the world as they navigate the fine lines of easing lockdown measures at the right pace, asking for God’s wisdom in judging the balances required.

God in creation