Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland notes from the Irish Times
Prayer Initiatives for 2003
The New Year ushers in two new initiatives aimed at fostering the discipline of prayer. Each is different and distinct but both emphasise prayer as a focus in daily life.
On Monday, the Feast of the Epiphany, CREDO (The Campaign for the Re-establishment of the Daily Office) will begin. First proposed by the late Niall Chadwick and continued informally by Dr Jennifer Moreton, CREDO sought to promote the idea that churches should be open for the saying of the Daily Office by clergy and laity together. However, the demands of modern life, especially the constraints of work, distance and traffic, suggest that it is not possible to gather people together each day at a particular hour. Instead CREDO seeks to encourage people to make a commitment to read the Office at home. Each person can develop their own rule to suit their own situation, either morning or evening or both, Each person can decide what form of prayer to use and the length of time to spend in prayer. Additionally, it is hoped to meet annually for, Choral Evensong, to celebrate this fellowship in the life of daily communal prayer.
Further information on CREDO may be had from its Convenor, Mrs Mildred Beresford, 1 Lindenvale Square, Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
In Belfast, the Divine Healing Ministries, with the support of the four church leaders, have launched a “Prayer Shield for the City of Belfast in 2003”. This is intended as an opportunity, for twelve hours each day, to welcome God into every aspect of the life of the city. The focus of prayer will be on children, young people, senior citizens, paramilitaries, the unemployed, politicians and business people, as well as praying for the protection of the city, renewal of faith and harmony of relationships. Renewal of faith, which may be the key to lasting peace, is seen as particularly important for it has become clear that a new way is needed that can heal hurt and bring people together.
Further information may be had from Brother David Jardine SSF, Divine Healing Ministries, 32 Townsend Street, Belfast BT13 2ES.
Tomorrow (Sunday) the Archbishop of Dublin will visit the parish of Clontarf which is presently vacant following the appointment of Canon Tom Haskins to the St Ann’s group of parishes. On Monday evening the Archbishop will be the celebrant the Sung Eucharist for the Feast of the Epiphany in Christ Church Cathedral and on Wednesday he will visit Mountjoy Prison where the Church of Ireland Chaplain is the Revd Katherine Poulton.
Last Friday the Bishop of Kilmore, the Rt Revd Ken Clarke, instituted the Revd Glenn West to the Belturbet group of parishes. Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be a combined service in Waterford Cathedral to bid farewell to the Dean of Waterford, the Very Revd Peter Barrett, who will be consecrated to the episcopate in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, on 25 January, and subsequently enthroned as Bishop of Cashel and Ossory. In St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork, on Thursday, Canon George Hilliard, the recently appointed Church of Ireland Chaplain in UCC, will be welcomed into his new ministry.
On Thursday at 7.30 pm in St George’s Church, Belfast, the third meeting on “Are the Thirty-Nine Articles Sectarian?” will be held when there will be “A Roman Catholic View of the Thirty-Nine Articles”. The discussion group is an initiative of Catalyst but participation in the discussions is not limited to members of this group or to members of the Church of Ireland. All are welcome to attend and put their point of view.