Irish Times Notes13 Feb 26

Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’

Bishop of Tuam’s Peregrinations

Next Wednesday, Ash Wednesday, marks the beginning of the season of Lent. For some this is a period of self–denial and for others an opportunity for new and exciting initiatives.

The Bishop of Tuam, Limerick & Killaloe will visit the parishes of his far flung western dioceses during Lent, a time when many people and parishes make a special effort in terms of charitable generosity. This will be in collaboration with the Diocesan Council for Mission which has organised a ‘Mission Sunday’ on the Third Sunday in Lent, 8 March.

Funds raised during his travels or on that Sunday will be divided evenly into three parts One third will be donated Embrace FARM, the charity that works to support farm families where there is crisis, sudden death, life–changing accident or indeed suicide. One third will go to the Church of Ireland’s support relief work in Gaza in association with two specific partners, the Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem (which has a long tradition of providing healthcare in Gaza) and Tearfund. And one third will go to the Bishops’ Appeal which urgently needs undesignated funds to allocate in support of long–term development in less prominent places, and also to respond quickly to emergencies and disasters.

The peregrinations will take the form of a sponsored display of vintage vehicles in every parish and after the assembled vehicles have been viewed, in the nearby church, the Bishop will accompany the singing of one hymn – namely ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’ (No. 350, tune England’s Lane: get practising!). Thus we will gather our thoughts and praises by celebrating natural beauty and giving thanks for those who work on the land. We will be mindful of the work of Embrace FARM, of farmers in the Developing World who often rely on to us very primitive equipment, of the scorched earth of Gaza. And gifts raised in the context of the sponsored endeavour can be presented then or sent on at another time as soon as possible afterwards.

Bishop Burrows will begin his Lenten Peregrination in Kenmare on 24 February and will end in Tuam on 20 March.

For Lent in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, Canon Anne Lodge has devised a series of sermons for the 11am Sunday Eucharist on the theme of ‘ The homelessness crisis: A Christian response’. The first Sunday in Lent will bring the Dean of Christ Church to the pulpit where Dean Dermot Dunne will speak on ‘The Homeless Jesus in Context’. Subsequent Lenten preachers will be Fr. John Collins, Archbishop Michael Jackson, Canon Anne Lodge and Barbara Comerford.

The series of lunchtime lectures to celebrate the conservation of the clerestory windows will continue in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, on Tuesday at 1.10pm. Art historian Caroline McGee will speak on ‘G.E. Street’s Stained Glass’. The lectures are supported by the Friends of Christ Church.