Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from 'The Irish Times'
Remembering Archbishop Trench
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, tomorrow (Sunday) the 200th anniversary of the birth of Richard Chenevix Trench, Archbishop of Dublin 1864-84, and Dean of Christ Church, 1864-71, will be marked. Archbishop Trench will be remembered in the context of Evensong at 3.30 pm which will be followed by an anniversary lecture entitled ‘His Grace, The Dean’ by Dr Kenneth Milne, Historiographer of the Church of Ireland.
Trench, although Irish by birth, came to Dublin from the Deanery of Westminster, where he had established a reputation as an important theological writer and his books on the parables and on the miracles were best sellers in their day. He was also a well regarded poet and an important philologist who was co-founder of the Oxford English Dictionary. In Ireland he is best remembered as a staunch supporter of the Church of Ireland at disestablishment, an important voice in the liturgical and doctrinal debates after disestablishment, and an influential figure in the foundation of Alexandra College.
His head is carved on one the pillars in the cathedral and his portrait, by Sir Thomas Jones, splendidly restored for these celebrations by Ciara Brennan, hangs in Christ Church. An earlier portrait by George Richmond, hangs in the Representative Church Body Library.
Today (Saturday) the Friends of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, will visit Cashel Cathedral and the Bolton Library while in Limerick the Friends of St Mary’s Cathedral will have an Open Day beginning at 4 pm with a talk on the stained glass, an introduction to the bells and a recital by the Organist and Director of Music, Trevor Selby.
Tomorrow (Sunday) has been designated as Hard Gospel Sunday when parishes in the Church of Ireland are asked to reflect on the message of living positively with difference. It is also Racial Justice Sunday which provides a complimentary focus on the differing nationalities living in Ireland today.
In Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the preacher at the Sung Eucharist will Bishop Jorgen Johannesdotter who is taking part in the Anglican-Lutheran meeting in Dublin this weekend while at the Sung Eucharist in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, the preacher will be the Revd Grace Clunie who has recently begun work as Director of Celtic Spirituality in the Cathedral. In afternoon in St Edan’s Cathedral, Ferns, Canon Dermot Dunne will be installed as Archdeacon of Ferns , Canon Bob Gray as Chancellor and the Revd Mark Hayden as Canon Treasurer.
As part of the Flight of the Earls Festival organized by Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council the local churches will hold a ‘Hymns of Harmony’ at 2.30 pm on Castle Hill where the Primate will be represented by Bishop Samuel Poyntz. In St Colman’s Church, Farahy, Co. Cork, the annual Elizabeth Bowen Commemoration Service, at 3.30 pm, will be led by the Dean of St Patrick’s, Dr Robert MacCarthy, and the address will be given by the historian, Dr Ian d’Alton.
On Tuesday the 53rd annual Craigs Quiet Day, under the auspices of the Ballymena Clerical Union will be held in Craigs parish church where the conductor will be Dom Mark Ephrem M. Nolan OSB, Superior of the Benedictine Community in Rostrevor.
At 8 pm a new addition to the Belfast skyline, the Spire of Hope in St Anne’s Cathedral, will be dedicated by the Archbishop of Armagh at Festal Evensong when the preacher will be the Bishop of New York, Dr Mark Sisk, who is a long standing friend of the Dean of Belfast, Dr Houston McKelvey.