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The Church of Ireland Diocese of Dublin |
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Other NewsCommunity Building, Part 3 | Christmas Cards | Used Postage Stamps | Lennon Neary's Trip to Madagascar | St Patrick's Cathedral Choir | Christmas Concert | Castleknock Lions Club | Castleknock Art Group | Saints Days and Other Holy Days in November COMMUNITY BUILDING, PART 3People were designed to need each other and rely on each other. People were designed to learn and grow from loving interaction with other people. That is why a safe and loving family is such an important thing for children. They need those relationships to develop properly. It's the same with us as believers… we need healthy relationships with other followers of Jesus to experience all of the blessings and freedom that God has in store for us as His people… A representative cross section of parishioners met in May to discuss the following three questions: 1. What is Church Community? 2. What are our strengths and weaknesses as a Church community? 3. What can we do about it? Perhaps they are headings you might like to ponder? To follow on from the adaptation of the “Space” at the rear of St. Brigid's Church, we need to expand this community building to our homes, so over the coming months there will be a “Coffee and Chat hour” on Saturday mornings in parishioners' homes. This will facilitate the meeting of new and existing parishioners (not all at the one time of course). If you want to volunteer as a host this is what's involved: it would be one hour and a half session in your home with coffee and biscuits on one Saturday morning. Enquiries to: Robert Lawson at Email: lawsonr@oceanfree.net
CHRISTMAS CARDSLast Christmas the sale of cards at St. Mary's Clonsilla brought in €72 for Christian Aid and €153 for the Leprosy Mission. Both organisations were very grateful. We hope to have more cards available this year. Janet Craven.
USED POSTAGE STAMPSA heartfelt thanks to all parishioners who collected used stamps. The proceeds go to Crosslinks. Please keep up the good work. Janet Craven
LENNON NEARY'S TRIP TO MADAGASCARThis summer, eleven others and I went to Madagascar with the charity Habitat for Humanity to build houses there. It was a diverse group with many ages and places in Ireland represented. The idea was to raise both funds and awareness of Habitat in Ireland and, finally, to go to Madagascar and build small but decent brick houses for those without adequate accommodation. In July we set off for Fianarantsoa, the second city of Madagascar. It is a small city, with lots to see: colonial French architecture, forests in the hinterland and rice fields in small outlying villages. It was in one of these villages that we worked. We stayed in a newly completed Habitat house while working on two new ones. We were kept busy: forming a human chain to get bricks to the worksite, carrying rock for foundations, mixing mortar and laying bricks (while perched on a precarious scaffolding). We were helped by local volunteers, including some very friendly high-school students and, of course, by the families occupying the houses who contribute 500 hours of “sweat equity” to complete their future homes. Madagascar has many poverty-related problems like slash-and-burn agriculture, poor infrastructure and housing, unemployment, and corruption. This angers many people and the young are especially indifferent to politics. However, Malagasi people are warm and friendly, with an innate optimism. Madagascar has lots of natural resources and AIDS is not yet a problem. Indeed, several NGOs are active on the island promoting AIDS awareness. After two weeks of building, it was decided that a suitable rest and recuperation activity would be to undertake a 40-mile trek over two days. Well, we had no rest but we did see some amazing scenery: rainforest, rolling countryside, African villages against a backdrop of grassland, hills and trees, eucalyptus woods, rice-paddies and gorgeous skies. While there was some general grumpiness during the 40-mile hike, at the end we all felt a great sense of achievement, a fitting end to our trip in which we completed the best part of two houses.
ST PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL CHOIRMusic has played an integral part in the daily life of Saint Patrick's Cathedral since its foundation in the thirteenth century. Henri de Londres (consecrated Archbishop of Dublin in 1213) created a college of sixteen vicars choral who lived within the precincts of the cathedral. Archbishop Richard Talbot (Archbishop of Dublin from 1418-49) endowed a college of six minor canons and six boy choristers in 1431. His purpose was to ensure the provision of polyphonic choral music in the cathedral. The choir remains one of the few choirs of men and boys in Ireland. The combined choirs of Christ Church and Saint Patrick's Cathedrals sang the first performance of Handel's oratorio Messiah on 13 April 1742. The choir was reorganised at the Guinness restoration in 1865 and put on a more secure financial footing. The main function of the choir is similar to that of other Anglican cathedral choirs: to adorn the daily offices with hymns, psalms, canticles and anthems. It sings two services daily during school terms, the only cathedral choir to do so in these islands. No longer restricted to music of the Anglican tradition, it is not unusual to hear classical or Tudor Latin masses, plainchant and continental languages included in the liturgy. The choir has also taken part in major concert events in Ireland, including a performance of Haydn's Creation with the choirs of Christ Church Cathedral and the Pro-Cathedral as part of the Dublin International Organ and Choral Festival and a rare performance of Tallis's forty-part motet Spem in Alium with the choirs of the Pro-cathedral and Saint Bartholomew's Church, Clyde Road as part of the first Anna Livia Opera Festival. In 2001, twelve of the boys sang in Opera Ireland's premiere of Turnage's opera The Silver Tassie, and this year they took part in the Opera Ireland production of Tosca. The choir is well known for its annual broadcast of Nine Lessons and Carols on Christmas Eve nationally on RTE and has also broadcast a special Saint Patrick's Day service on several occasions. The boys have also had the opportunity to sing in Britten's War Requiem and to take part in several Dublin-wide schools events. Touring has become an increasingly important aspect of the choir's activities outside the regular service commitments, and places visited have included Coventry and Worcester Cathedrals, Belfast (Saint George's Church and Saint Ann's Cathedral) and a trip to Paris, where the choir sang in the Sacre-Coeur, Notre Dame, the American Church and La Trinité. Saint Patrick's also enjoys joining with other choirs for events, and these have included a regular relationship with Saint David's Cathedral, Wales and frequent joint services with the other Dublin churches and cathedrals. Peter Barley is Organist and Master of the Choristers at Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, a post he has held since January 2002. Prior to this he spent eleven years working in London, based there as Director of Music at Saint Marylebone. He recorded three CDs with the choir, including one of specially commissioned anthems. Whilst in London, he worked as accompanist with a number of leading choirs including the Corydon Singers, Canticum and the London Concert Choir. Peter is a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists and was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London in 2001. Forthcoming engagements include appearances at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, a long-running series in Tullamore, and the London Church of Saint Lawrence Jewry. Peter is also a member of the Dublin Church Music Committee, undertakes freelance teaching and examining, reviews for various musical journals and sits on the committee of Pipeworks, the Dublin International Organ and Choral Festival.
CASTLEKNOCK LIONS CLUBThe Lions is a worldwide organization comprising various districts, with many clubs within each district. Ireland is known as Lions District 105 I, which comprises some 115 clubs and approximately 2,800 lion members. It covers the whole of Ireland encompassing both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Within the Castleknock Club, the fund-raising and spending activities over the years have included an annual sponsored golf outing to Carton Golf Club, Maynooth, an Art Exhibition at Castleknock College, the annual Food Appeal on behalf of St. Vincent De Paul, and assistance towards the purchase of a new sophisticated computer/wheelchair to help a student with his studies at University. Other activities such as the provision of televisions, wheelchairs and other equipment for a number of institutions, renovation and financial support for youth clubs, funds to finance and organise the yearly trip to Trabolgan for senior citizens, the annual youth outing to the fabulous holiday camp in Birr, a drug awareness programme in the local schools, assistance towards the purchase of a mini-bus for the Special School in the Phoenix Park, substantial assistance towards the purchase of a mini-bus for RESPECT, Navan Road, funds towards the Special Olympics, the Chernobyl Children's Fund, and various other worthy causes. The club has also a valuable and pleasant social dimension where members from various walks of life pool their resources and share their invaluable and diverse experiences. National and international Lions have laid a special emphasis on the blind and visibly impaired, which involves support for the Guide Dog schemes, and the operation of Eye Banks and support by way of financial contributions for Eye Clinics, Eye Hospitals and Eye Research Centres. Over the past ten years, the Castleknock Lions Club has had the privilege of serving the community of which it is a part and beyond. We thank the same community for its support in doing so. Presently, a data base project is underway to incorporate all the work of our Club over the past ten years. Castleknock Lions Club meets in Myo's Pub, Castleknock, on the fourth Monday of each month at 8.30 p.m. and membership is by invitation. Contact: Alan Halford, PRO Email: castleknocklions@eircom.net
CASTLEKNOCK ART GROUPCastleknock Art Group consists of a small number of local artists who work with various mediums. We regularly meet: on Monday mornings 10.30 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. in Castleknock Parish Centre; and on Wednesday evenings 8 - 10 p.m. in Castleknock National School. New members are more than welcome. If you are interested or would like any information, please contact Cherry Stanbridge or Ruby Bannister.
SAINTS DAYS AND OTHER HOLY DAYS IN NOVEMBERThe Church has always honoured its saints, some of whom are well known and others less so, yet all can inspire us in our journey of faith. In the case of many of the Irish saints, little attention has been paid to these faithful servants of God, so it is good that our BCP now lists the commemorations of saintly persons associated with the various dioceses of the Church of Ireland. It is hoped that these notes on a selection of the saints whose feast or commemoration falls in November may be of some use in your daily prayers: 1st November All Saints' Day. From the earliest days, the church has recognised as its foundation stones those heroes and heroines of the faith whose lives have excited others to holiness, and it has assumed a communion between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven. Celebrating the feast of All Saints began in the 4th century, initially on the Sunday after Pentecost (linking with the gift of the Holy Spirit to the disciples); but in the 8th century a church in Rome was dedicated to All Saints on 1st November, and the observance on this day spread widely, reaching Britain and Ireland within a century. In this parish we will be marking All Saints in our Sunday services on 31st October. 2nd November All Souls' Day. The commemoration of All Souls, at which we usually remember before God those personally known to us who have died in faith, is based on the belief that our individual pilgrimage of faith “is lived out with the mutual support of all the people of God; in Christ all the faithful, both living and departed, are bound together in a communion of prayer”. We will mark this day with a simple Eucharist at 8pm at St Brigid's on Tuesday 2nd November: there will be a list in church the previous week for you to write the names of loved ones whom you wish to be remembered at that service. 3rd November St Malachy, Bishop of Armagh and Down Dioceses. 10th November St Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith. 14th November St Laurence O'Toole, Abbot and Archbishop. 19th November St Hilda of Whitby, Abbess. 23rd November St Columbanus, Abbot, Down Diocese, 5th century. 24th November St Colman, Bishop of Cloyne, 5th century. Although many Irish saints are called Colman, the first church at Cloyne in Co Cork was built by Colman, who was ordained at the age of 50 and was much influenced by St Brendan (the Navigator) as he searched for his vocation. 30th November St Andrew, Apostle and Martyr. Though named in all the gospels, it is in John's gospel that we learn most about Andrew. A Galilean fisherman mending his nets when Jesus called him, Andrew promptly followed, and remained with Jesus to the end. He was present at the feeding of the 5000, and later when some Greeks in Jerusalem wanted to see Jesus, Philip brought them to Andrew who told Jesus. Tradition records that Andrew travelled on several missionary journeys and that his martydom by crucifixion was on an X-shaped cross (which is shown on the St Andrew flag). Often associated as a patron of missionary work, Andrew is also the patron saint of Scotland (due to a legend that his relics were brought there in the 8th century). The Curate with acknowledgements to Commemorating Saints and Others of the Irish Church (ed. Brian Mayne), to A Calendar of Saints (ed. James Bentley), and to Exciting Holiness (Canterbury Press).
Community Building, Part 3 | Christmas Cards | Used Postage Stamps | Lennon Neary's Trip to Madagascar | St Patrick's Cathedral Choir | Christmas Concert | Castleknock Lions Club | Castleknock Art Group | Saints Days and Other Holy Days in November |
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Parishes of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla |
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