Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from The Irish Times
Saturday 29 October 2005
Church and Society Commission meets in Brussels
Following the uncertainty that has resulted from the recent referendums in France and the Netherlands there appears to be a growing consensus in Europe that the Constitutional Treaty is unlikely to survive in its present form. Yet parts of the document were widely welcomed by the churches, in particular the inclusion of a Charter of Fundamental Rights and the guarantee by the European Union that there would be open, transparent and regular dialogue with the churches. A 'period of reflection' has been suggested by governments, and a recent meeting of the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches held in Brussels addressed the question of how this time of reflection on the future of the European Union might best be spent.
The meeting of the commission was attended by Dr Kenneth Milne, who chairs the Church of Ireland Working-group on Europe, which is a component of the General Synod?s Church in Society Committee. He described to the Brussels conference the work of the Irish National Forum on Europe, on which the Church of Ireland is represented, and the manner in which this Forum (which is regarded in EU circles as a model of best practice) is seeking to involve the institutions of civil society (the churches included) in its work at this crucial juncture.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr John Neill, will attend the Reformation Day Service in St Finian?s Lutheran Church, Adelaide Road, Dublin, while in the Chapel of Trinity College, the preacher at the Sung Eucharist will be the Roman Catholic Chaplain, the Revd Patrick Gleeson. At 7 pm in St Patrick?s Church, Powerscourt, there will be an All Saints Tide Eucharist with the Enniskerry Gospel Choir.
Tuesday is All Saints Day when the choir of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, will join the congregation of All Saints, Church, Grangegorman, for the patronal festival at which the preacher will be the Revd Alan Rufli, Rector of Holmpatrick. All Saints, Grangegorman, where the vicar is the Ven. David Pierpoint, continues the tradition of a plainsong eucharist in which those who have died during the past year are remembered by name rather than on the Feast of All Souls.
The Tuam, Killalla and Achonry Clergy Conference will begin on Tuesday in Pontoon and continue until Thursday.
The recent Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Synod devoted much time to debating the Church?s response to the needs and expectations of those from overseas who have come to live in Ireland. This was in the context of receiving a report of the Archbishop?s Working Group on Combating Racism which has been published as Welcoming Angels. The Group was chaired by the former curate of Castleknock, the Revd Sandra Pragnell, and included Philp McKinley from the Discovery programme, Fidele Mutwarasibo of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Stella Obe from Castleknock parish and the Revd Katherine Poulton, bishop?s curate in St George and St Thomas? parish in the north inner city.
The booklet which the group have produced is an important resource for clergy and parishes which are trying of offer a Christian welcome to those who have recently arrived in Ireland. Although based on the experiences of those in Dublin it has a nationwide application: copies may be had from the See House, 17 Temple Road, Milltown, Dublin 6 on receipt of a self addressed envelope with a 96 cent stamp. It will also be available as a pdf to download from the Dublin and Glendalough diocesan website ? www.dublin.anglican.org