Irish Times Notes
Church of Ireland Notes from ‘The Irish Times’
Celebrating St Fin Barre
Based on the customary historical tradition, this year marks the 1400th anniversary of the death in 623 AD of St Fin Barre of Cork. This is an initiative of Bishop Paul Colton, who when reading some historical material late last year, noticed the date and did the sums. A programme of events is underway for the commemoration of the 1400th anniversary in the Diocese of Cork and in St Fin Barre’s cathedral.
The programme began yesterday (Friday) morning with the presentation of wildlife kits to the children of 3 local Primary Schools. Choral Evensong in St Fin Barre’s cathedral was followed by Culture Night tour guide presentations and a short musical programme.
This morning (Saturday) there is an open invitation to the people of Cork to visit the cathedral between 11am and 4pm. There is a special invitation to anyone named after the Saint (in whatever form, language or spelling) to come to visit and for those who can confirm their name to the Cathedral staff there is a small limited edition gift to mark this anniversary. At 7.30pm there will be a recital by the internationally renowned Franco–Lebanese organist, Naji Hakim which will also coincide and mark the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the Cathedral organ.
Tomorrow (Sunday) there will be Choral Eucharist in St Fin Barre’s at 11.15am. The 3.30 pm Choral Evensong will take the form of a Diocesan Service at which the Bishop will consecrate a new icon of St Fin Barre written by international iconographer Aidan Hart of London. Afterwards the Dean of Cork will re–launch the ‘Friends of Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral.’
On Monday, the Feast of St Fin Barre of Cork, there will be special assemblies in schools in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
From 10.30 am to 5.00 pm there will be a Quiet Day and Retreat for the clergy of the Diocese led by the former Archbishop of Armagh and former Dean of Cork, the Right Reverend Dr Richard Clarke, and at 7.30pm the Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, will ordain the Revd Martin Steele, currently a deacon at St Fin Barre’s cathedral, to the priesthood.
Last Sunday, in Christ Church cathedral, the Archbishop of Dublin ordained two deacons. The Revd Caroline Brennan will serve as a deacon intern in the parish of Monkstown and the Revd Matthew McCauley as a deacon intern in the parish of Irishtown & Donnybrook. Tomorrow (Sunday) at 3.30pm, in Christ Church cathedral, Dr Jackson will ordain to the priesthood the Revd Jane Burns, who will serve as curate in Taney; and the Revd Scott Evans, who will be curate in Rathmines.
On Thursday at noon in the Chapel of Unity in St Anne’s cathedral, Belfast, Journeying into the Light. Daily Readings through Advent and Lent will be launched. The book has been written by a former Dean of Belfast, the Revd Dr John Mann, who was awarded the Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2018. The book has been published by Messenger Publications.
In Co. Dublin, Holy Trinity church, Killiney, located on Killiney Hill Road, will be open to visitors throughout the month of September, each Thursday from 2pm until 4pm.
James Short, Organist and Assistant Director of Music in Christ Church cathedral, Dublin, has recently become a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists, which is the most prestigious organ achievement worldwide. This means that the Cathedral now has two FRCOs in its music department.
Published in the Friday edition of The Irish Times