Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Saturday 1 March 2014
Lent
Next Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a period of forty days of self denial in preparation for Easter. Self denial, in the form of fasting, may not be as widely practised as once was the case but the Church of Ireland still uses the season to promote reflection, spirituality and learning. Many parishes will have Lenten meetings. For example, in the parish of Athy, the former Dean of Cashel, Dr Philip Knowles, will lead a series on ‘The Identity of Jesus’ which begins on Ash Wednesday and continues weekly. The Bishop of Connor will give a series of Lenten talks on ‘Discipleship and Ministry’ beginning on Tuesday in Bushmills and continuing in Jordanstown and Christ Church, Lisburn, while in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, space will be set aside in the cathedral library on the Wednesdays of Lent for reading and reflection – details from [email protected]
Both private and group reflection will benefit from the new Lent book by the Dean of Belfast, the Very Revd John Mann. Lent with Saint John’s Gospel, an initiative of the General Synod Literature Committee, has been published by Columba Press and has been commended by the Archbishop of Armagh as a ‘spiritual delight’ and ‘an invaluable backcloth to a thoughtful and prayerful Lent’. 
www.thebookwell.co.uk
On Tuesday a new series of lunchtime lectures begins in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, at 1.05pm.‘Introducing Christ Church’ will begin with a lecture by Canon Kenneth Kearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, who will speak on ‘What are cathedrals for?’ Subsequent speakers will be the cathedral’s Director of Music, Ian Keatly, the historian, Professor Raymond Gillespie, and Canon Roy Byrne who will talk about the Christ Church silver collection.
A total of forty–two students will be in attendance at the Theological Institute over the course of this weekend for the commencement of two further training courses. Twenty–three men and women from nine dioceses will be embarking on the one year Foundation Course programme, whilst nineteen will start the second cycle of reader training lasting for two years. The weekend, entitled ‘Fit for the Purpose’, takes as its theme a biblical and personal exploration of various matters to do with vocation. The main facilitators are Dr Christina Baxter, former Principal of St. John’s College, Nottingham, Rev Dr Andy Angel, Vice Principal of St. John’s and Director of Extension Studies, and Rev Dr Maurice Elliott, Director of CITI.
This evening (Saturday) in St Patrick’s cathedral, Armagh, Voices Together will present ‘A World of Song’. This concert is sponsored by the Armagh Cathedrals Partnership which links the city’s two cathedrals.
Tomorrow (Sunday) morning the Bishop of Meath & Kildare will preach in St Ann’s church, Dublin, at a service when the proceeds of the Black Santa Sit Out will be distributed. Among the charities to benefit will be the St Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Protestant Aid, Simon Community, Solas Project and the Laura Lynn Foundation. In the Chapel of Trinity College the address in the Golden Rule series at the 10.45 Choral Eucharist, will be given by Swami Purananda who will speak about the Golden Rule in Hinduism.
Friday is Women’s World Day of Prayer with services in many locations throughout the island including St Macartan’s Cathedral, Clogher, and St Michael’s church, Athy, where the preacher will be the Revd Dr Philip Knowles.
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’