The Representative Church Body (RCB) today welcomed the recent decision by An Bord Pleanála, following third party appeals, to grant permission for the proposed change of use of the Bishop’s Palace, Kilkenny from residential use to use by the Heritage Council as its National Headquarters and for the Representative Church Body to erect a new See House on the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace, subject to certain conditions.
The churches need to catch up and take bold steps in the race to resolve conflict and bring healing and reconciliation to divided communities.
The Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough, Dr John Neill, has requested church members to remember in their prayers at this anxious time the Revd Francois Murenzi, Bishop’s Curate of Athy Union, his wife, Susan, and their family. Francois was seriously injured in a motor accident on Thursday, 13 November 2003.
Outstanding sporting figures will be speaking at a special service in St Anne’s Cathedral about the relationship between their faith and sport. All of them are Irish League footballers and members of the Christian organisation, Athletes in Action. The service on Monday, 1 December at 8p.m. will be led by Alan Nixon, the former Glentoran player. Peter McCann (Portadown F.C.) and Tommy Elliott (Cambridge United and Ards) will also be speaking. Worship will be led by the Salvation Army band.
The Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore will reach a milestone in its ‘Think Again’ campaign for reconciliation in the community with a major one-day conference in the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle on Saturday, 22 November 2003 starting at 9am.
New devotional book from Canon Brian Mayne
The funeral took place today of Mr Jack Dickson , formerly Director of Education for Co Armagh and Chief Officer of the Southern Education and Library Board. Mr Dickson will be most remembered as the author of the Dickson Plan for schools in the Craigavon area.
A meeting was held today between the Church of Ireland Legislation & Politics Committee (NI) and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Rt Hon Paul Murphy, MP, in Church of Ireland House, Belfast.