Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Saturday 25 January 2014
Celebrations in Waterford
This weekend there will be a series of events to mark the twinning of the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic cathedrals in the city of Waterford. Both cathedrals are dedicated to the Holy Trinity and both are the work of the Waterford born architect John Roberts. Described as ‘possibly the finest classical church in Ireland’ the Church of Ireland cathedral was built in the late 1770s while the Roman Catholic cathedral, on which work began in 1793, was the first Catholic cathedral built in post–Reformation Ireland.
Today (Saturday) there will be a tour of both cathedrals, led by Julian Walton, who in the afternoon will give talks in both places. Mattins will be sung in the Catholic cathedral and there will be a candlelit Choral Evensong in the Church of Ireladn cathedral. The day will conclude with the launch of a chapter of the Irish Georgian Society in Waterford to promote the twin cathedrals within the city and throughout the south–east of Ireland.
The Dean of Waterford, the Very Revd Maria Jansson, and the Administrator of the Catholic cathedral, the Very Revd Paul Waldron, will also launch a new ecumenical Gospel Choir, named ‘Trinity’ which will sing in both cathedrals and in the wider community. The weekend will also mark the beginning of a campaign for World Heritage status for the twin cathedrals.
A ‘Schola Peregrina’, directed by Stuart Kinsella, will sing the office of Compline this weekend, at 5.30pm, in St Ann’s church, Dawson Street, today (Saturday) and in the Lady Chapel of St Patrick’s cathedral tomorrow (Sunday). The music will include a ‘Praeter rerum seriem’ by Josquin des Prez (c.1450–1521), one of the most famous composers in Europe at the time and the progenitor of Renaissance polyphony. The office will conclude with ‘Gaude flore virginali’ by Hugh Kellyk (fl.c.1480), of whom only this seven–part motet and a five–part Magnificat are known, both amongst the earlier pieces in the Eton choirbook.
Tomorrow (Sunday) Holocaust Memorial Day will be marked in the Mansion House where the Archbishop of Dublin will be represented by the Rector of St Ann’s, the Revd David Gillespie. In the evening, in St Fin Barre’s cathedral, Cork, the Revd Daniel Nuzum will be installed as Prebendary of St Michael and Inniskenny. There will be installations, also, in St Edan’s cathedral, Ferns, where the Very Revd Katherine Poulton, Canon Patrick Harvey and the Revd Arthur Minion will be installed as canons.
On Monday evening at 8pm in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, the International Divine Healing Ministeries will host service on the theme of praying for the renewal and revival of the faith in this land. The speaker will be the Ven. David McClay, Rector of Willowfield parish in East Belfast.
In St Thomas’ church, Belfast on Thursday evening, at 7.30pm, the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society will host a discussion evening on the topic of converting redundant churches to new use. The evening will be chaired by the Archdeacon of Connor, Dr Stephen McBride, and among the speakers will be the Church of Ireland Press Officer, Dr Paul Harron, who edited the UAHS’s 2012 publication, New Life for Churches in Ireland.
The annual spring conference of the Crosslinks missionary society will begin in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, on Friday evening and will continue on Saturday. The theme will be ‘The Uniqueness of Christ and his Mission’ and the keynote speaker will be Dr Don Carson, Research Professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois.
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’