Added on 28/01/2012

Saturday 28 January 2012

New book on Homosexuality and the Church   
A new book with the title Moving Forward Together: Homosexuality and the Church of Ireland is now available and will be officially launched in early February in time for the Church’s special conference on sexuality on 9–10th March. The book, co–edited by Canon Ginnie Kennerley and Dr Richard O’Leary, includes short articles in straightforward language written by leading theologians, well known Church figures as well as personal accounts from both lay and ordained gay or lesbian individuals.
Among the contributors are Dr Nigel Biggar, Regius Professor of Moral & Pastoral Theology in Oxford, Dr Andrew Pierce from the Irish School of Ecumenics, the Bishop of Cashel & Ossory, Archdeacon Gordon Linney and Dr Alan Acheson.

According to the authors the book “is being offered as a contribution to the discussion and mutual listening in the Church on the subject of homosexuality”. It will be launched in Belfast on 7 February at 4.45pm at the Good Bookshop where the speaker will be Lady Brenda Sheil. The Dublin launch will be on 9 February at 6.15pm in the Trinity College Gallery Chapel, where the speaker will be Judge Catherine McGuinness.

Copies at £4 and €5 are on sale in The Good Book Shop in Belfast, Best Sellers and the RE Resource Centre in Dublin, and in some cathedral or church book stalls. It is also available by post from Changing Attitude Ireland, P&P £1 or €3 according to address.

Tomorrow (Sunday) morning RTE Radio will broadcast a service led by Fiona Murdoch with members of the Rathfarnham Parish Eco–Group and Rathfarnham Quaker Meeting Eco–Committee. Rathfarnham parish will receive an award from Eco-Congregation Ireland in recognition of its environmental endeavors.

At Evensong  the choristers of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, accompanied by harpist, Dianne Marshall,  will sing Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols. At this service St Patrick’s will officially launch its live streaming of services. In future both Sunday services will be streamed live from www.stpatrickscathedral.ie and www.churchservices.tv/stpatrickscathedral.

Tomorrow (Sunday) at 3.30pm St Brigid’s Cathedral, Kildare, will celebrate its Patronal Festival when the organ will be rededicated by the Bishop of Meath & Kildare. St Brigid’s Day will be marked on Wednesday in Zion Church, Rathgar, with a service of Compline sung by he choir at 8pm.  In the Dioceses of Cashel & Ossory St Brigid’s Day will see the beginning of a programme, coordinated by Canon Charles McCollum, to develop the use of Irish in the liturgy. It will begin with services in the two churches in the diocese dedicate to St Brigid – those in Ballintubbert and Kilrush.

The Feast of the Presentation will be celebrated at the Community Eucharist in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute on Wednesday at 5 p.m. after darkness falls, and the celebrations include the Candlemas Procession. The celebrant is Canon Patrick Comerford, Lecturer in Anglicanism and Liturgy, and the visiting preacher is the Bishop of Connor, a member of the institute governing council

On Thursday at 7.30pm in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin the Candlemas theme will be used for a special service ‘In Darkness There is Light‘ which will be a Service of Solidarity and Hope for the People of Ireland to identify with those who are experiencing the pain of economic depression. In Devenish parish church, Co. Fermanagh, the Bishop of Clogher will introduce the Revd Sampson Ajuka, who has come from the Diocese of Europe, as Diocesan Curate to serve in the parishes of Devenish and Boho.