Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from The Irish Times
Vocations Conference
At the heart of the witness of the Church of Ireland is the ordained ministry and consequently the supply of clergy is a matter of continual debate within the church. There has been much discussion in recent years about the nature, structure and quality of training ? of the role of the Theological College, of the academic link with Trinity College, of the desirability of differing models of ministerial training both before and after ordination. Much of this debate has been heartfelt and, at times, has spilt over into heated public exchanges but, despite the varying stances, all seem agreed on one basic conclusion ? the Church of Ireland must continue to strive to attract more men and women to serve in the ordained ministry.
There are, happily, more varied ministerial options than once was the case. Both men and women may be ordained and, due at least in part to a need for more clergy, they have more career choices then before. Long gone are the days when clergy of talent and ability might linger for long periods in curacies for want of opportunities of preferment. Both rural and urban parishes regularly advertise for staff while there are also opportunities for specialist ministries in schools, universities and third level colleges, hospitals and prisons. The growth in the auxiliary ministry, which utilizes the commitment, on a part time basis, of those who have jobs outside the church, has indicated that there is a marked willingness to engage with a pattern of ministry which different to that of the full time stipendiary clergy.
For those who are interested in learning more of the selection processes and the training and work of the ordained ministry, a Vocations Conference will be held in the Theological College next Friday and Saturday. Information should be available through local rectors and chaplains, diocesan directors of ordinands, or from the Central Director of Ordinands, Canon Cecil Hyland, The Rectory, Howth, Dublin 13.
Today (Saturday) the Church?s Ministry of Healing will host a Quiet Day in Kill o? the Grange Parish Centre, Co. Dublin, where the speaker will be the Bishop of Down and Dromore, while in Lifford parish church, Co. Donegal, the Revd Leslie Crampton, Rector of Geashill, will be the witness at a Quiet Day for the Fellowship of Contemplative Prayer. In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, there will be an Open Day for prospective members of the Cathedral Girls? Choir.
Tomorrow (Sunday) at Evensong in St Patrick?s Cathedral, Dublin, the Lenten address will be on the theme of Northern Ireland. On Tuesday evening, in the Knox Hall, the speaker at the Monkstown Rural Deanery Lenten Meeting, on the theme of Human Sexuality, will be the Archdeacon of Dublin, the Ven. Gordon Linney, who will also be a contributor to the Rathfarnham Lenten series on Thursday when, together with David Quinn from the Irish Independent, he will speak on ?The Media ? Reporters or Shapers?. On Wednesday in St Iberius? Church, Wexford, the lunchtime Lenten ?Reflections on Organizational Reform? will be given by Ms Edwina Dunne from the South Eastern Health Board.
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on Tuesday, the lunchtime history lecture in the series ?Episcopal Episodes Encore: Yet More Bishops & Archbishops of Dublin & Glendalough?, will be given by Dr Marie Therese Flanagan, from Queen?s University, Belfast, who will speak on Archbishop John Cumin (1182-1212).
The Standing Committee of the General Synod and the Representative Church Body will meet in Church of Ireland House, Dublin, on Tuesday and the bishops will meet on Wednesday.
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