360 Miscellany

News and views

Photo above – Oran Kearney (right), manager of Coleraine Football Club made history last week when his club won on a penalty shoot out in Europe. Coleraine flew back from Slovenia in the the early hours after knocking Maribor out of the Europa League and the Bannsiders boss is on a school playground the following day… back on duty in Cross and Passion School in Ballycastle.

Appeal for Church Bells to Ring on National Services Day

Churches throughout Dublin & Glendalough have been invited to join in celebrating National Services Day on Saturday September 5. The event is organised to honour and show solidarity with frontline services. The organisers are asking that church bells around the country ring out at 3pm next Saturday to help mark the occasion and show appreciation for frontline emergency and security services.

The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Remembering with Dignity’. The commemoration takes on a new significance this year with the turmoil of the pandemic. It will remember all those who have died from Covid–19 and their grieving families, all who became ill from the virus and all frontline workers who have so bravely fought the virus.

On Saturday September 5 there will be a small ceremony in Collins Barracks, Dublin, to mark National Services Day. Because of Covid restrictions this will only involve 15 people. Nationwide, however, local services such as Garda Stations and Fire Stations, will mark the day at 3pm. The organisers are appealing to parishes throughout Ireland to ring their church bells at that time to show solidarity with their local services and frontline workers and in remembrance of all who have suffered as a result of the pandemic.

Chairperson of FESSEF and National Services Day, Seamus O Neill, explained that the restrictions on gatherings mean that they have decided to limit those attending the ceremony in Collins Barracks to a representative group of frontline workers but that the day will have a nationwide impact.

“By ringing the church bells the Church will show solidarity with frontline workers. Indeed, many Anglican priests and ministers were engaged in their ministries by attending the sick and officiating at funerals. The churches will unite with the Aircorps, who are expected to do a fly over; with motorists who are being asked to honk their car horns at 3pm; and with emergency and security services locally up and down the country who will remember appropriately,” he stated.

Civic appointment of long serving churchman

Mrs Alison Millar, Lord-Lieutenant of County Londonderry, has been pleased to appoint: Mr William Oliver of Castlerock, County Londonderry, To be a Deputy Lieutenant of the County, his Commission bearing date, the 29th day of June, 2020. Mr Oliver is known for his services at parish, diocese and All-Ireland.

Bishop’s trial Donegal pilgrimage journey

Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ made a Donegal pilgrimage journey as part of a trial run to see if it would work as an official pilgrimage trail, Sli Colmcille, that could be offered to people at home and abroad. Along the way, he was joined by members of his team who planned the walk, as well as by local people who shared some of the journey with him. At night he stayed in the house of the local parish priest.

Guide to Lough Corrib’s Early Monastic Sites

The award winning Guide to Lough Corrib’s Early Monastic Sites, written by Anthony Previté, has just been reprinted and is now available at the price of €15 from Charlie Byrne’s and other bookshops. Containing photos, maps and brief descriptions of 31 sites around Lough Corrib’s shores this book is an invaluable guide to students, visitors and residents alike. Together with comments on the sites, and the early saints connected with them, are also maps and their locations and how to find them. These unique and often isolated sites are all highly significant aspects of our national archaeological heritage and a testimony to the skills, hardiness and learning of the early ascetics who settled here well over 1,000 years ago.

Anthony Previté trained in the Church of Ireland Theological College and has spent his entire clerical career in the west of Ireland. He was ordained in 1988 for the curacy of Galway and Kilcummin (Oughterard) and was subsequently Rector of Omey (Clifden), Dean of St Mary’s cathedral, Tuam, and Archdeacon of Tuam. He retired in 2006.

Clergy on the move

The Ordination of Janet Finlay as a Priest in the Church of God took place in St Peter’s Church, Portlaoise on Saturday afternoon. We wish Janet every blessing in her continuing ministry.

Congratulations to Revd Anna Williams who was made deacon yesterday for an internship in St Mary’s, Ballybeen, and to to Revd Andrew (Andy) Hay who was made deacon for an internship in St Donard’s, Bloomfield – by Rt Rev David McClay, Bishop of Down and Dromore.

The Revd Canon Ngozi Njoku, Rector of Garrison, Slavin, Belleek and Kiltyclogher, Diocese of Clogher, has been appointed Priest in Charge of St John the Evangelist Wembley, Diocese of London.

SVDP Cork Businesswoman of the Year Award

Congratulations to Linda O’Connell, Society of St. Vincent De Paul! Winner of the overall Network Cork Businesswoman of the Year Award

Death of Irish WW2 Veteran

We are sad to record that WW2 veteran Wing Commander John ‘Jack’ Simpson OBE DFC AE RAF, passed peacefully yesterday at the Roseville Nursing Home in Bray Co Wicklow. Jack served in many theatres in WW2 And was a stalwart and past President of the Royal British Legion Irish Metropolitan Branch whose members will miss him greatly. He is survived by his son Ronnie and daughter Wendy. Funeral at Mount Jerome Crematorium, Harold’s Cross, Dublin 6 at 2pm Thur 5th Sept 2019. No Flowers please.

Historic St John’s Point Church

St John’s Point Church, 1.5 miles south-west of Killough, Co Down is near the south-east tip of the Lecale peninsula and on the road to St John’s Point lighthouse. This small church, of the 10th or 11th century, marks the site of an early establishment associated with Eoan (John) son of Cairland, and in medieval times it was a chapel.

It is an excellent example of a small, pre-Romanesque church with a lintelled west door with sloping jambs, antae to east and west and a south window. This stone church was almost certainly preceded by a wooden church. The popularity of the wooden dairthech (oak-house) gave way to larger stone built churches as Christian communities grew and expanded.

Small-scale excavation in 1978 discovered burials under the north wall but no sign of the claimed radial arrangement of graves around the church. At the roadside, outside the enclosed area, is a holy well and an elongated hollowed stone (bullaun), probably a form of grinding stone for either herbs for cures or even pigments for use in manuscript illumation.

For a full list of places you can visit, go to:
[ https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/historic-places- ]

Well said

Pointers to prayer

 May we shine more brightly and share more boldly the treasure of good news through lives of radical generosity, unconditional love, faith-filled hope, merciful justice and liberating forgiveness.

Today we give thanks for postal workers. They’ve been on the frontlines delivering our mail and keeping us connected. Yet, they are underpaid and many are on precarious contracts. We pray for their protection and for policymaking that seeks to confront these issues.

Today we give thanks for teachers. As teachers adapt classrooms to keep students safe, we thank you for their care and support and pray for their protection this school year.

God in creation

Cliffs of Moher