NEWS BRIEFS

Coleraine Parish hosts Service of Thanksgiving for Harry Gregg

Well-known names in the world of football, including Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law, Sammy McIlroy and David Healy, attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Harry Gregg OBE in St Patrick’s Parish Church, Coleraine, on February 21.

Northern Ireland’s First Minister Arlene Foster also attended the service, which was led by a former rector of the parish, the Rev Canon John McCammon.

A former Manchester United and Northern Ireland goalkeeper, Harry Gregg was one of the ‘Busby Babes’ whose plane crashed in Munich in February 1958, killing 23 people, including eight United players. Harry rescued a number of survivors including a pregnant woman, a young child and team-mates Bobby Charlton and Jackie Blanchflower from the wreckage.

He continued to play professional football and went on to become a manager before returning to Northern Ireland. In 2015, he set up the Harry Gregg Foundation Youth League. Harry died on Sunday February 16 at the age of 87.

At the service, eulogies were delivered by sports broadcaster Stephen Watson and by former Northern Ireland manager Liam Beckett. John Gregg paid a moving tribute to his father.

A poem Harry had written, entitled ‘Jumpers for Goalposts,’ was read by Pat McGibbon, former Manchester United and Northern Ireland player. Paul McGuinness, son of former United manager Wilf McGuinness, read a poem written by Pablo Doherty, nephew of the late Peter Doherty, a former Northern Ireland manager.

The address was by Mr McCammon, and the Rev Ian Ballentine and Bishop Tony Farquhar also took part in the service. The church was packed, and the service was relayed to a large crowd of mourners outside.

Palestrina Choir Boys Barcelona visit

The Boys agreed it was pretty special to be singing at the 9am Mass yesterday in Sagradafamilia. What an experience.The Palestrina Choir Boys once again are ambassadors representing Pro-Cathedral and DublinDiocese

Reflection and Renewal for Local Lay Ministers

Photo above – Some of the trained Local Lay Ministers (Pastoral) from Cork, Cloyne and Ross who attended the evening of reflection and renewal.

The Local Lay Ministers (Pastoral) (previously known as lay pastoral assistants) of the Diocese Cork, Cloyne, & Ross met on the 30th January in Northridge House for an evening of reflection and renewal.

The Local Lay Ministers (Pastoral) have a unique role in the diocese, being called to bring Christ’s presence to all, through their care for others. They are lay volunteers who are part of the local parish ministry team, and each is in a mentoring relationship with the rector or priest-in-charge. They completed a two year course in pastoral studies laid down by the Bishop of Cork, and delivered under the supervision of the Rev’d Bruce Pierce, Director of Education at Northridge House Education and Research Centre at St Luke’s Charity Cork

The evening was facilitated by the Rev’d Bruce Pierce who encouraged, and affirmed their ministry and offered his guidance to them.

The Revd Paul Arbuthnot, Chaplain to the Guild of Lay Ministry commented:

The Local Lay Ministers (Pastoral) greatly enrich the life of this diocese, and we give thanks for their calling. The Guild are very grateful to the Rev’d Bruce Pierce for his time, wisdom, and skill in facilitating this evening.

If there are lay people in the United Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross who are interested in training to serve voluntarily in this local ministry they should speak with their rector or priest-in-charge.

Dundalk Lenten Lunches to help homeless

St Peters (Church of Ireland), Parish Hall, Peters St, Drogheda are running their 12th year of a series of lunches, on each Wednesday during Lent commencing on the 26th February for the benefit of Drogheda Homeless Aid.

They will be offering a choice of tasty soups, sandwiches and tea or coffee, each Wednesday between 12.30pm to 2.30pm for a suggested donation of €6 for adults and €3 for children.

All ingredients for the lunches and costs are completely sponsored by businesses and individuals in the local community and as a result the entire proceeds will go towards Drogheda Homeless Aid.

Honorary Treasurer of St Peters C of l, Clive Bagnall said “Last year, the Lenten Lunches held in St Peters C of I produced a magnificent result of €20,000 plus for Drogheda Homeless Aid and this year we again hope to match this figure”

Organiser, Pamela Bagnall say, “The idea behind the Lenten Lunches is that we are reaching out to our local community and it is a fantastic way for people to support this worthwhile local charity”

For further information on Drogheda Homeless Aid, please phone 041 983 4492.

Three firsts at Derry institution

’The Wee Church on the Walls’ was getting a rector with “a big, big heart”, Bishop Andrew Forster told the parishioners of St Augustine’s Church, on Friday evening, as he instituted Rev Nigel Cairns as their new Rector.

It was a night of firsts in the church built on the site of St Columba’s first monastery: Bishop Forster’s first Institution as bishop; Rev Canon Paul Whittaker’s first Institution as Rural Dean; and Rev Cairns’ first incumbency.

The service ended a vacancy which arose when the previous Rector, Rev Canon Malcolm Ferry, moved to Agherton Parish in Portstewart in May last year.

Rev Cairns was joined for the occasion by his wife Alison, their twins Megan and Matthew, and other family members, and the sermon was preached by his former Rector in the Parish of Glendermott and Newbuildings, Rev Robert Boyd.

Rev Boyd – who is the Diocese’s Director of Ordinands – began by thanking the Bishop for allowing him to preach on such an important occasion for the life of the Parish of St Augustine’s and for the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.

“We all love to brag,” Rev Boyd said, “but I am not going to brag about your new Rector tonight, despite the fact that he comes to you in perfect condition, having been trained by a wonderful Rector and parishioners for the past two and a half years. If he has any faults, just remember: he was okay when he left Glendermott.”

The preacher joked that it was bad enough that St Augustine’s had ‘stolen’ one of his organists but to come back and take his curate was a step too far. Indeed, he wondered whether they might be coming back to take his wife.

’The Wee Church on the Walls’ was getting a rector with “a big, big heart”, Bishop Andrew Forster told the parishioners of St Augustine’s Church, on Friday evening, as he instituted Rev Nigel Cairns as their new Rector.

God in creation

Oystercatchers sheltering from the latest round of wind at the harbour on Rathlin Island.