CHURCH OF IRELAND NOTES
For Saturday 24 October 1998
Much Activity in the Theological College
Michaelmas term is underway in the Church of Ireland
Theological College where, with increasing student numbers and a wider
range of study options, the principal, Professor John Bartlett, and his
staff face the most daunting of challenges in the Church of Ireland -
managing success.
The core of the College's activity is training
ordinands for the full time stipendiary ministry and this year 16
ordinands, the largest number for some time, have entered. There are
currently 34 students in full time training and these are divided into
three years with 12 students in first year, 8 in second year and 14 in
final year.
The stipendiary ministry is supplemented by the
auxiliary ministry which provides opportunities for those whose daily
work is outside the Church to fulfill their vocations to the priesthood.
There are at present 18 auxiliary ordinands whose training is
co-ordinated by the Theological College. A series of residential
weekends are held in the College throughout the year and evening access
to the RCB Library is arranged.
In addition to training for the ordained ministry a
wide range of study options is available through the College's extra
mural department which is run by the Revd Tom Gordon. A Certificate in
Pastoral Studies course has proved most successful attracting 28
students for the first year and 27 for the second year, while this
autumn shorter courses are available in beginners' Hebrew, bible study,
and flower arranging.
The College is also the venue for the Archbishop of
Dublin's Course in Theology which has proved consistently popular among
lay people who are seeking an introduction to theology, religion and
ethics. This year another two year cycle of study begins and Dr Andrew
Pierce, the new co-ordinator of the course, will have twenty six
participants.
Such activity is most encouraging for the Church of
Ireland at large and emphasises the vital role which the College plays
in intellectual and practical life of the Church.
Tomorrow (Sunday) RTE will televise a service with
the parishioners of Seagoe where the rector is the Ven. David
Chillingworth. In Dublin the services in Christ Church Cathedral will be
sung by the choir of the Methodist College, Belfast, the visiting choir
in St Patrick's Cathedral will be from the parish of Dundela, while in
St John's Church, Sandymount the Sung Eucharist will be led by the choir
of St Mark's, Ballymacash. The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey,
will visit St Audeon's Church, Cornmarket, where he will have an
opportunity to see the recent extensive restoration work and the new
Heritage Centre in St Anne's Chapel.
On Monday the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames,
together with the other church leaders, will begin a three day visit to
the European Community offices in Brussels.
In Dublin the final lecture in the series "The
Vikings Christ Church" will be held in the Cathedral crypt on
Tuesday at 1.15 pm when the speaker will be the Director of the National
Museum, Dr Patrick Wallace.
The last in the present series of lunchtime talks in
the "I believe..." series will be held in St Thomas' Church,
Cathal Brugha Street, on Thursday when the speaker will be the former
taoisaech, Dr Garret Fitzgerald. In the Chapel of Trinity College an
ecumenical service to mark the opening of the academic year will be held
and all are welcome. The College Chaplains will be joined by Dr Margaret
Daly Denton, from the School of Hebrew, who will preach.
On Friday the Bishop of Connor, the Rt Revd James
Moore, will introduce the Revd Clyde Irvine, who has been teaching in
Ballyclare High School, as bishop's curate of Kilead and Gartree. The
RCB Library will remain open until 7.30 pm.
Church of Ireland Notes appear in the Irish
Times whose web site may be found at
http://www.ireland.com/ |
