NEWS BRIEFS

Photo above – Causeway Coast Peace Group whose Lenten coffee morning on 25 Feb raised funds for Christian Aid Irland and Trocaire. The venue was provided by Corrymeela. Not content with building peace locally, these wonderful people are raising funds to bring justice to the world’s poor.

Unexpected death of Revd Canon Mark Watson

Following the death of the Revd Canon Mark Watson, The Diocese of Clogher, in a statement, said: “The Bishop and clergy of the diocese of Clogher wish to record our deepest sympathy and sadness following the unexpected death of our esteemed colleague, Revd Canon Mark Watson, Rector of Maguiresbridge and Derrybrusk parishes.

“Our prayers and thoughts are foremost with his family and we particularly remember his wife, Rhona and sons, Peter and Samuel, and the whole family circle at this time.

“Canon Watson was a dedicated and faithful pastor and will be greatly missed by his parishioners. We ask everyone to remember Canon Watson’s family in their prayers as the family come to terms with his sudden and untimely death.”

Concert fundraiser for Aware

Kinsale Voices in St Mary and All Saints, Glanmire, County Cork for the last of the parish’s Winter Concert Series.

On Friday 28th February, in the Church of St Mary & All Saints’, Glanmire, the final concert of the parish’s Winter Concert Series was held. A large and appreciative audience were entertained by Kinsale Voices, violin quartets, piano soloists, and organ music at this feast of wonderful music.

The retiring collection was held in aid of AWARE, who provide support for those with depression and other mental health issues.

The Reverend Paul Arbuthnot, Rector of Cobh & Glanmire Union of Parishes commented:

Once again, we were delighted by the wealth of musical talent which adorned our church for the final concert in our Winter Concert Series. It is wonderful to welcome the wider community of Glanmire into our beautiful church to support such a good an important cause as AWARE

Wilderness journeys

Lenten Reflection Evenings will be held in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin on 9, 23 and 30 March from 19:00-20:30, on the theme –

‘Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness…’

The Lent series this year offers space for prayer, reflection and discussion, meditating on Jesus’ journey in the wilderness, and our own wilderness journeys. All are welcome. Stop for just a little while or stay for the whole evening.

Archive reveals Monaghan Rector’s response to Disestablishment

The C of I Archive of the Month for March 2020 is of a Monaghan Parish Register which reveals its Rector’s response to Disestablishment. The Revd John Flanagan LLD wrote his comments in the Register. He is the only rector known to have done so.

Under the terms of the Irish Church Act, of 26th July 1869, which passed into law in 1871, the union between Church and State in Ireland that had existed since the Reformation was dissolved, and the Church of Ireland ceased to be established in law, leaving it ‘free to shape her future course, independent of state control’ (as stated in the Journal of the General Convention, 1870, pp v-vi).

The legislation was desired by a very few within the Church and, for most, the dominant prevailing emotions were those of resentment and fear. In some cases, this boiled over into anger, and one of the more unusual responses to the changing realities of the period is to be found on the title page of the combined register of baptisms, marriages and burials for the parish of Killeevan, County Monaghan (Diocese of Clogher), where the Revd John Flanagan LLD served as rector from 1853 to 1876. Amid hand-written details of the succession of clergy of the parish, he penned his feelings about the Act: ‘Protestants of Ireland! Remember 26th July 1869. Plundered by a tyrannical rabble in the House of Commons, Betrayed by Lord Cairns, Bishops of England and others in the House of Lords. Deserted by your Nursing Mother, the Queen, who had solemnly sworn to maintain your rights’.

Flanagan’s tone was likely shared by others, but he is the only cleric to have annotated a parish register in such a manner. The annotated register parish is currently on display in the Library’s entrance foyer where visitors are most welcome to view it. Further items from the Library’s collections documenting the Disestablishment story also form part of the Dublin and Glendalough Disestablishment exhibition currently on display in the Lady Chapel of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin.

To view the latest Archive of the Month online, visit: [[] www.ireland.anglican.org/library/archive ]

God in creation

God, beyond all our naming, the glory of creation reaches out to you.

God, beyond all our reasoning, the voice of the universe sounds your praise;

God, beyond all our knowing, all that lives finds its destiny in your presence.