Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from The Irish Times
Saturday18 March 2006
Archbishop of York to Visit Clogher
Next Thursday the Bishop of Clogher, Dr Michael Jackson, will welcome the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, who begins a visit to the Diocese of Clogher to mark the 1500th anniversary of the death of St Macartan the patron saint of the diocese. St Macartan, revered as the companion and bodyguard of St Patrick on his missions into pagan territory, was reputedly consecrated as a bishop by Patrick and assigned to Clogher. He was one of the earliest Irish saints who had a reputation as a miracle worker and his grave at Clogher was venerated. The liturgical office in his honour is believed to be the only one to survive from an Irish source. The reliquary, the Domnach Airgid, now in the National Muesum of Ireland, is traditionally claimed as the relic case given to Maccartan by Patrick.
On Thursday evening, in Enniskillen, Dr Sentamu will give a public lecture and on Friday he will be the preacher at the St Macartan?s Day Eucharist in St Macartan?s Cathedral, Clogher. During his visit the archbishop will meet the clergy of the diocese, members of the Mothers? Union, children and young people as well as civic, political and community leaders. He will also preach in Aghavea, Enniskillen, Templecarne and Magheraculmoney.
Archbishop Sentamu was born in Uganda where he trained as a lawyer. He was appointed a High Court judge at the age of twenty-four but in the face of threats fled to Britain in 1974 and studied for the priesthood in Cambridge where he was subsequently appointed as chaplain of Selwyn College. In 1996 he was appointed Bishop of Stepney, was translated to Birmingham in 2002 and succeeded Dr David Hope as Archbishop of York last year.
Today (Saturday) the lunchtime recital in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, will be given by David Bremner, organist of Sandford and Milltown parishes.
Tomorrow (Sunday) RTE will broadcast a celebration of the Eucharist by the Revd Sandra Pragnell from St Nicholas? Church, Dundalk. The Bishop of Tuam, Dr Richard Henderson, will visit St Anne?s Cathedral, Belfast, for the first time where, as All Ireland Chaplain to the Mothers? Union, he will preach at the Connor MU Diocesan Evensong.
On Tuesday the lunchtime lecture in Christ Church Cathedral on the theme ?Church of Ireland Rebels: 1916 & the War of Independence? will be given by Dr Hilary Pyle who will speak on Francesca Trench. Dr Pyle?s study of Francesca Trench, Cesca?s Diary , was published last year by the Woodfield Press to considerable acclaim.
On Monday the Meath and Kildare Clergy Conference begins in Westport and continues until Wednesday. The conference theme is ?Making Moral Judgements and Reaching Ethical Decisions? and the guest speaker will be the Rt Revd Tony Crockett, Bishop of Bangor.
A number of interesting Lenten events take place next week. On Tuesday evening in the Knox Hall, Monkstown, Co. Dublin, the well known broadcaster and public speaker, Vere Wynn Jones, will speak on ?Why bother with the Church?, while in Sandford parish church there will be a recital by Elizabeth Hilliard (soprano) and David Bremner (organ). At lunchtime on Wednesday in St Iberius? Church, Wexford, there will be a presentation by the Wolfe Tone Community House, which provides services to overcome inequality and social disadvantage, and on Thursday evening, in Rathfarnham parish church, Paul Kelly of Console, the Bereaved by Suicide Foundation, and Dr Tony Bates from St James? Hospital, will discuss ?Mental Illness ? Moving beyond Stigma?.