Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 9 January 2010
New Clergy for Dublin, Cork and Leighlin
Next Tuesday evening at 8pm the Archbishop of Dublin will institute Canon Mark Gardner as Vicar of the St Patrick's Cathedral Group of parishes in succession to Canon John Crawford who has retired from the stipendiary ministry. The group encompasses the historic parishes of St Catherine, St James, St Luke, St Nicholas Without, St Peter, St Audoen, St Matthias and St Kevin but now is based in the Church of St Catherine and St James in Donore Avenue and St Audoen's Church, Cornmarket.
Canon Gardner is a Dubliner, educated in the High School and Trinity College, and trained for the ministry in the Church of Ireland Theological College in Braemor Park. He was ordained in 1983 and served as a curate in Ballymacarrett, east Belfast, and later became a member of the Columbanus Community of Reconciliation, while curate in St Luke's and St Stephen's on the Shankill Road, and in St George's, High St. He served in another ecumenical project in Sunderland parish, in Durham Diocese, from 1989 to 1995, when he returned to Dublin as rector of the newly-amalgamated parishes of Santry and Glasnevin with Finglas. In 2001, he was appointed Dean's Vicar of Christ Church Cathedral and in 2008 was made a Canon of Christ Church and Canon Pastor.
The new vicar, by virtue of his office, will be installed as Prebendary of Tipperkevin in St Patrick's Cathedral on 24 January but will retain his canon's stall in Christ Church. It is believed that he will be the first person to be a member of both chapters since 1960 when Archdeacon Raymond Jenkins, already Chancellor of St Patrick's, was installed in Christ Church by the 96-year-old Dean Lewis-Crosby.
On Thursday in St Mary’s Church, Desertserges, the Bishop of Cork will institute the Revd Stella Jones to the Kinneigh union of parishes which comprises the parishes of Kinneigh, Kilmeen, Desertserges and Murragh. Ms Jones is returning to the Diocese of Cork having been ordained in 2002 for the curacy of the Bandon union of parishes. Since 2005 she has been Rector of the Clonenagh group of parishes, based on Mountrath in Co, Laois.
On Friday evening the Bishop of Cashel & Ossory will introduce the Revd Olive Donohoe as priest in charge of the Stradbally union of parishes in the Diocese of Leighlin. Ms Donohoe was ordained in 1995 for the curacy of the Bandon union of parishes and since 1998 has been Rector of Mountmellick which also includes responsibility for the parishes of Coolbanagher and Rosenallis. During her eleven and a half years in the Dioceses of Meath & Kildare she has been closely involved in adult education and in promoting the work of the Bishops’ Appeal.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the Archbishop of Dublin will preach and celebrate the Eucharist in the parishes of Rathcoole and Clondalkin which are vacant following the appointment of the Revd Paul Houston to Castleknock. In St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, the preacher at the Sung Eucharist will be the Director of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute, the Revd Dr Maurice Elliott.
At 3.15pm there will be Ephiphany Carol Services in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, and St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh.
On Monday afternoon the Archbishop of Dublin will bless the newly re-furbished St Mary’s Home for Elderly Ladies, Pembroke Park, which has been in the care of the Community of St John the Evangelist since 1959.