Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Saturday 1 July 2006
Consecration of New Bishop of Cashel and Ossory
Following his election as Bishop of Cashel and Ossory on 31 March, the Very Revd Michael Burrows will be consecrated a bishop in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, next Monday, St Thomas? Day.
The new bishop will bring many gifts to his new post. A son of the rectory, he has been immersed in the life of the Church of Ireland. His father, Canon Walter Burrows, was a canon of Christ Church, Dublin, and for many years Rector of Taney, one of the largest and most dynamic parishes in the Republic of Ireland while his mother, Edna, was stalwart of the Mothers? Union and the joint author of the history of the MU which was published in 1986. Furthermore, his uncle, Canon Jerram Burrows, was a canon of Cork, Headmaster of Villiers School and of Cork Grammer School, and, in retirement, a valued clerical vicar in Christ Church, Dublin.
This deep insider knowledge of the Church of Ireland is complemented by an acute intelligence. A first class moderatorship in history and political science from Trinity, where he specialised in medieval history, was follows by postgraduate research into 15th century Irish provincial legislation and pastoral care for which he was awarded an M. Litt. Thereafter three years in the Church of Ireland Theological College, where he won many of the prizes, prepared him for ordination.
Michael Burrows was ordained for the curacy of Douglas in Cork in 1987 and after three years was appointed as Dean of Residence in Trinity College, Dublin, which he combined with a minor canonry in St Patrick?s Cathedral. He returned to the Diocese of Cork in 1994 as Rector of Bandon union of parishes and was appointed to his present position as Dean of Cork in 2002. Outside the diocese he has served on the councils of the church. A member of the Stranding Committee of the General Synod, he has a particular interest in liturgy and is currently vice-chairman of the Liturgical Advisory Committee.
There is, of course, no perfect career path to prepare for the responsibilities of the episcopate, but the new bishop?s past suggest that his background, training and experience, together with his all too evident integrity, will stand him and those whom he has been called to serve in good stead.
Today (Saturday) the youth festival, ?Summer Madness, begins in Belfast and continues until Tuesday.
Tomorrow the 90th anniversary Battle of the Somme service will be held in St Patrick?s church, Broughshane, at which the preacher will be the Dean of Connor, the Very Revd J.F.A. Bond.
On Monday there will be a lunchtime concert of American music in St Canice?s Cathedral, Kilkenny, with the choir of the United Church of Christ, Missouri. Meanwhile on Thursday evening, at 8.15 pm, there will be a rectial in St George?s Church, Mitchelstown, by Karin Leitner (flute) and Krassimira Ziegler (harp). This will be the last in the current series of concerts in North Cork which have been held in small churches, some of which are still in use, some closed and some converted to other uses.
The Friends of St Patrick?s Cathedral, Dublin, are celebrating the 60th anniversary of their foundation and have planned a series of events throughout the year. On Thursday afternoon they will visit Marsh?s Library where there will be an illustrated lecture by Canon Muriel McCarthy.
The Aughrim Summer School begins on Friday where this year the theme will be ?Shaping the Future of Ireland?. The speakers will include the Revd Earl Storey, Director of the Church of Ireland?s ?Hard Gospel? project, Andy Pollock, Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, and William Logan, Grand Master of the Royal Black institution.