Church’s role to serve, not to dominate – Archbishop elect; Future of C of I College of Education; Relaunch of Anglican World magazine; Dublin installation; Media review – NI teenage suicide; Termination would have saved mother’s life; Ramelton
Church’s role to serve, not to dominate – Archbishop elect
Speaking to an inter-church audience in Kilkenny, the Most Rev. Richard Clarke, Church of Ireland Archbishop elect of Armagh, in the first of a series of talks entitled, Voices of Hope, he impressed upon them that as Christians they must be more confident about their faith and not to be afraid to speak with an esteem that seems to have been knocked out of them by what has happened in the recent past and by kind of trivialising or ignoring of faith in modern life.He noted that some well known atheists wanted to change their names to naturalists and said that the Christian community should have the same confidence, albeit in a gentle way.
The need to listen and to hear what people are saying and whet they expect from their church is also important in the quest to bring hope and that by listening, church men and women could understand what people were searching. He said that we must as Christians listen to the world and that the world is good place.
He had some tough words that all the churches including his own Church of Ireland needed to change and to realise that the clergy and the church were there to serve and not to be dominant or domineering. He also alluded to the need for change in his own church and of those operating in their own little fiefdoms.
He enraptured his audience and quoted Pope John XXIII, a favourite of his, and the need to be hopeful and to open up spiritually to the world around us. – Report in Kilkenny People
http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/local/voices-of-hope-continue-at-st-canice-s-church-for-month-1-4474648
Future of C of I College of Education
The Board of Governors of CICE unanimously agreed, following extensive negotiations, explorations and full and comprehensive briefings, to pursue as a matter of urgency formal discussions relating to structure and governance with Dublin City University. CICE will be a recognised equal partner at the decision–making table. CICE’s decision–making will be guided by its four guiding principles (all of which are of equal significance):
• Safeguarding and enhancing the holistic educational experience of all students in CICE (including B.Ed students, post–graduate SEN students and SNA Certificate students);
• Retention of CICE’s identity in terms of its ethos and culture, including its relationship with and responsibility to the network of primary schools throughout the State under Reformed Christian patronage;
• Affirmation of and formal positive acknowledgement of, and respect for the values, origins and traditions of CICE;
• Protection and equality of recognition for the rights of CICE staff who are all public servants.
The Board also unanimously passed a motion regarding the ending of its longstanding relationship with Trinity College Dublin stating that “in light of CICE’s historical link with Trinity College Dublin, the Board of Governors of CICE is deeply saddened by Trinity College’s unwillingness to allow for the retention of CICE’s four core principles in any collaborative arrangement.”
http://ireland.anglican.org/index.php?do=news&newsid=4323
Relaunch of Anglican World magazine
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has spoken about the ‘state of the Communion’ in the official magazine of the Anglican Communion, relaunched at the recent Anglican Consultative Council meeting in New Zealand.
Writing in the first edition of Anglican World magazine Archbishop Williams said he “hopes and prays” the Communion will always be in the ‘state’ that he describes: one in which “the Church works to uncover the image of God in those around them.”
The article, in the magazine’s Last Word section, is one of Archbishop Williams’ final messages in his role as spiritual head of the Communion. He steps down on December 31, 2012 to be succeeded as Archbishop of Canterbury by Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Justin Welby.
Co-editor of the magazine and Director for Communications of the Anglican Communion Jan Butter said he was delighted the magazine was relaunched in time for Archbishop Williams’ to write a farewell to the Communion.
“Anglican World has always been an important vehicle for the Anglican Communion to hear from its members,” he said. “So I was thrilled that Archbishop Williams could use the magazine to share a message with Anglicans and Episcopalians around the world.
“As well as an overview of the Anglican Consultative Council meeting in New Zealand, and other articles from around the Communion, the next edition will feature an article on the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby; someone with rich experience of the Anglican Communion.”
This redesigned, full colour magazine is the latest in a line of publications—stretching back to Pan Anglican magazine in the 1940s—designed to keep Anglicans around the world up to date with all the latest Communion news and information. It was put on hold in 2007 because of production costs.
“We have held the cost of the magazine at 2007 prices,” said Mr Butter, “only £10 for a year’s subscription—four editions. We’re confident that sufficient Anglicans and Episcopalians around the world will subscribe, enabling us to break even. If we make a profit then we hope to produce Anglican World in French and Spanish too.”
As well as Anglican Communion news plus articles on the Canterbury bishop’s course, Anglican youth in Brazil, and churches tackling gender-based violence, this first edition of Anglican World is also inviting members of the Anglican Communion to take part in a photography competition on the theme of The Spirit of the Anglican Communion.
To see a preview of Anglican World magazine visit http://bit.ly/SLIs4P
To subscribe visit the online shop of the Anglican Communion Office at http://bit.ly/TIsB8g
Dublin installation
Canon Mark Gardner was instituted as the rector of the new Parish of St Catherine and St James with St Audoen in Dublin on Tuesday November 13. However, on this occasion there has been no change in personnel in the parish but the parish itself is new.
Canon Gardner has been Vicar of the St Patrick’s Cathedral Group of Parishes, now the parish of St Catherine and St James with St Audoen, for almost three years. The new union came into being on the retirement of the Very Revd Robert McCarthy as Dean of St Patrick’s following a resolution of General Synod in 2010.
The institution was carried out by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, who said that Canon Gardner was embarking on “old work in a new phase”.
The preacher was the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, the Very Revd Victor Stacey. Referring to a recent article by Colm Tobin entitled How We Changed… and Stayed the Same, the Dean said that that was what they were celebrating in the institution of the new rector. “At one level life will continue as heretofore for the Vicar (soon to be incumbent) and the parishioners of this parish. On another level, legal and administrative, it is all change,” he explained.
The Dean outlined the history of the parish. In the 1950s and 1960s the Liberties Group of St Peter, St Mathias and St Audoen, St Catherine and St James, St Luke and St Kevin, along with other inner city parishes, experienced serious depopulation as a result of families being rehoused or moving to the suburbs. In dealing with the problem of declining numbers in the inner city parishes, the City and Town Parishes Commission decided to group several churches around St Patrick’s and Christ Church cathedrals.
In 2010 it was deemed that the parish could exist on its own and General Synod voted to allow the group become a union under one incumbent to be known as the Parish of St Catherine and St James with St Audoen. This was to take place on the voidance in the Deanery.
MEDIA REVIEW
NI teenage suicide
Termination would have saved mother’s life
Ramelton – An Irishman’s Diary
Irish Times – Ramelton is famous for many things: not for nothing was it known once as the Holy City – a Methodist church, one for the Church of Ireland, rather belatedly a Catholic Church, and no fewer than three Presbyterian Churches, not to mention a couple of ruins…. Principally the career of a scientist from Ramelton
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2012/1113/1224326524967.html