Church of Ireland - Diocese of Dublin
Parish News
Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla
April 2003 |
Previous issues of The Parish News
Contents of this issue
The Parish News will be published monthly and will usually be available by the first Sunday.
Copy Deadline Organisation reports should be sent either in written format to Martha Waller, C/O The Parish Office, or by email to: MarthaWaller@Hotmail.com. These should be submitted by the 10th of the preceding month, no matter what day of the week.
THE RECTOR WRITES
Dear Friends in Christ,
We are now approaching Easter time and with Easter comes two very important moments in the life of our parishes. The Easter General Vestries are the Annual General meetings of the parish. The accounts are presented, I present my annual review of the year and the elections for the wardens and Select vestries are held. This year we are also going to hear from one of the organisations about their work in the parish.
For the first time in many years we will be holding Castleknock and Mulhuddart vestry on a Wednesday night, April 30th, because of the upcoming bank holiday weekend. We are taking the opportunity to hold an “international food night” afterwards when there will be a chance to sample different dishes from all round the world and so celebrate the many cultures which make up the rich tapestry of our parish life. Please note you have to go to the meeting first! There will be a chance to give a donation to help defray expenses on the night. Please do come to the meetings—they are very important to the smooth running of our parish and they don’t go on much longer than an hour.
The second event is Confirmation which this year takes place on Friday 9th May in St. Brigid’s at 8pm. Please do come and give our candidates your support. They are Rachel Allen, Gavin Barr, Lee Bannister, Leah Crawford, Zoe Cunningham, Emily Dobson, Rebecca Jameson, Stephen Lowe, Caoimhe Smullen and Daniel O’Hanlon. They have spent the last year working hard at Confirmation Club, getting to know the Christian faith in great detail and understanding who we are as Anglicans. In addition we will have three adults from our parish being confirmed this year at St. Ann’s Dawson St. on June 4th. Please remember them all in your prayers at this special time for them and their families.
Yours in Christ
Andrew
LENT
The last two sessions of our ecumenical Lent Study Group are on 3rd April (at Laurel Lodge) and 10th April (in Parish Centre) – we are greatly enjoying the experience of following the different gospel accounts of the Passion, under the expert guidance of Fr Wilf Harrington.
Our Lent Sunday sermon series concludes on 6th April when we welcome the Rev’d John Auchmuty, Rector of Carryduff, Diocese of Down, who will preach on “Mirrors of Christ”.
We continue our Lenten services with Morning Prayer at 8am on Mondays (until 14th April) and Holy Communion at 7.30am on Fridays (until 11th April) (both at St Brigid’s).
BOYS BRIGADE NEWS
Junior Section February saw the boys working hard for the various competitions. The 10th Company entered 2 teams, for the first time, in the Figure Marching Competition, under the expert guidance of Hal McGuckin and Philip Good on the piano. The boys were unlucky not to have won but pass on their good wishes to the 12th Company.
At the time of writing the Scripture Examination has been completed and now the focus swings to the 15th Annual Display, which is on Friday 28th March 2003.
Anchor Boys Congratulations to “D” squad for winning squad of the month for February. Well done to James Hogan, Zack Harold, Dominic Laithwaite, Thomas Connor and Thomas Anders. Looking ahead, there will be a Charity Football match that is scheduled for May 10th and all former JS boys who played with the 10th will again tog out to play a leaders/parent selection. Watch this space for further details.
Martha Waller Secretary
GIRLS BRIGADE NEWS
The PE Competitions in February were very successful. Highlights include – Jennifer Hollingsworth came 4th in the Senior/Brigader Drill (aged 12 she was competing against 18 year olds); Liz Farrell came 1st in the Brigader Solo (this is the first time we have won a Divisional trophy); our Brigader/Associate team came 4th.
We are currently preparing for the March fun competitions, and are looking forward to our Display on 11th April at Castleknock Community College.
Ros Garrett
CLONSILLA PROJECT
PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED FOR THE CLONSILLA PROJECT
Clonsilla Project: we are delighted to announce that planning permission has been received from Fingal County Council for the extension to St. Mary’s.
All we need now are the funds to go ahead! So please support the fundraising events coming up soon such as May’s Flower Evening and respond to the request for donations which will be coming through your door very soon!
SCHOOL NEWS
After many years devoted work as Trustee of Castleknock National School, since the previous building was completed in 1961, Sidney McConnell has now retired from active involvement. We thank him for his enormous contribution and wish him every blessing for the future, and assure him of our continued prayers for him in his bereavement.
We have also received the resignation from Ms June Tector, a teacher at CNS who has been on a career break in Abu Dhabi for the last 3 years, and wish her well in her future career.
Congratulations to Lorna Beattie and her husband Leslie, on the birth of their fourth child, Mark, a brother for Robert, Sarah, and Lynn, on Monday 24th March.
MOTHERS' UNION
We remember, with grateful thanks, Hannah McConnell, who was a member who contributed so much to Mothers’ Union since the branch re-opened over 40 years ago. Hannah also served as North Dublin Area President. We offer our sincere sympathy to Sidney and the family. We also offer our sympathy to member, Anne Cadoo on the death of her mother, Mrs Irene Hobson who also was a committed member of Mothers’ Union.
At our March meeting Joan Cuthbertson gave us an very interesting talk on the origins of the League of Health and of how benefitial exercise is for the well being of the young and not so young. She led us through some exercises and all were done while sitting down - no strained muscles or pulled ligaments for the mothers’ union members!!
Our AGM is on Monday 7th April and we will also have a “Bring " Buy” the proceeds of which will be given to the Rector’s Discretionary Fund. Please support the Hunger Lunch on Palm Sunday 13th April in the Parish Centre - donate the cost of your usual Sunday lunch to the ongoing work in St. Anne’s Hospital, Liuli, Tanzania.
Valerie Greene - Hon. Secretary.
SUNDAY CLUB
Well done to all those who took part in the ‘Know your Bible Quiz’. Congratulations to the winners:
McConnell Cup (2nd and 3rd class) – 3rd: Matthew Allen and James Nelson, 2nd: James Dobson and Robert Seaman, 1st: Aoife Kitching.
Syms Shield (4th-6th class) – 3rd: Stephen Seaman, Paul Lawson and Andrew Waller; 2nd: Emily Dobson and Alison Hollingsworth; 1st: Lee Bannister and Rachael Allen. Well done.
Ada Lawson and Margaret Tutty.
WOMEN'S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER
A slightly larger gathering than usual, and with more Dublin 15 churches Represented than before, we met for the first time in the Oratory at Blanchardstown Shopping Centre, which proved a very comfortable and central venue for our service on the theme “Holy Spirit, Fill us”.
Our speaker was Ethna McDermott, a Good Shepherd Sister, who spoke movingly of how she had seen the Holy Spirit at work – in families under stress, when she was growing up in Derry during the troubles, in women who had never known unconditional love, when she worked with prostitutes in Belfast, and for the past 10 years in her work with abused women and children in the Czech Republic.
The collection raised € 112.66 for the WWDP committee, and we are grateful to Sister Ethna for her words, and to Fr Dan Joe for the hospitality of the Oratory.
PARISH WALK
Our monthly Parish walk is on Saturday 12th when we will go to Lough Bray Upper and Lower. All welcome: meet at St Brigid’s Church in Castleknock at 9.30am.
APRIL AT A GLANCE
Thurs 3rd – Lent Group 8pm;
Sun 6th – Lent 5;
Thurs 10th – Lent Group 8pm; Fri 11th – GB Display;
Sun 13th – Palm Sunday; Sun 20th – Easter Day;
Sun 27th – Easter 2 and Clonsilla Easter Vestry;
Wed 30th – Castleknock and Mulhuddart Easter Vestry.
Looking forward to May and beyond:
Fri 9th May – Parish Confirmation.
Wed 4th June—Diocesan Confirmation Service for Adults, St. Anne’s Dawson Street
(Any adult who would like to know more, please contact the clergy)
A NEW CHURCH IN CLONSILLA
Most of you will by now have seen the new building on the Clonsilla Road with its graceful white spire. But many of you are also asking where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (known as the Mormons) comes from and what it actually stands for. Founded in America in 1830 by Joseph Smith and his successor Brigham Young, and based in Salt Lake City, Utah, the LDS Church has grown to nearly 10 million members worldwide, half of them in the USA and a quarter in South America.
The LDS Church sees itself as Christian: they read the Bible (Old and New Testaments). Members give one-tenth of their income to the church, which they regard as the one true church, faithful to the early church in the time of the Apostles. Well-organised, the church requires obedience to authority from all its members.
The leadership, from which women are excluded, comprises a President (who has prophetic powers and is open to divine revelations from God), two Counsellors, and 12 Apostles. Priesthood is for all men: boys are ordained Deacon at 12 and Priest between 18 and 20. Girls are to help and facilitate the menfolk.
Family life is very important: the man is firmly the head of the household, and his wife, who is subject to his authority, is responsible for bringing up the children who are expected to be well-behaved and obedient. Dress must be modest, and hard work ethic is promoted. For Mormons, family life is so important that a celibate lifestyle or voluntary childlessness are not valid options.
Marriage is sealed for all eternity, and those who marry outside the faith incur a heavy spiritual penalty (they believe they will be ‘divorced’ at death and denied the highest of the three heavenly kingdoms). A very strict line is taken on adultery, pre-marital sex, and homosexuality, as well as abortion, gambling, pornography and strong drink (alcohol, tea and coffee).
The mission of the LDS Church is to restore humanity to true Christianity. To do this the mission extends backwards as well as forwards: for this reason, Mormons devote huge efforts into genealogy, tracing all their ancestors so they can baptise them and thus bring them into the church and be able to be reunited after death. Rules of the church can change with divine revelations given to the leadership: thus both polygamy (more correctly, polgyny or plural wives) and a bar to the priesthood for black men have now been abandoned. Although the LDS Church calls itself Christian, there are some significant differences from mainstream Christianity.
The Book of Mormon and two other works, the Pearl of Great Price and Doctrines and Covenants, are given the same status as Holy Scripture. America is for them literally the new Zion and Salt Lake City is the new Jerusalem. The native American people are believed to have dark skin as a punishment for rebellion against God, so Mormons have a duty to reconvert them to the true faith. Baptism and prayer for dead ancestors would be counter to Protestant Christianity.
Mormons teach that God is a physical being so Jesus was born of a physical union between God and Mary, hence Mary’s position as a ‘Mother in Heaven’. There are three heavenly kingdoms: righteous people (which excludes anyone outside the LDS Church) can attain the status of godhead in the Celestial Kingdom where they will live with God; then there is the Terrestrial Kingdom which is visited by Jesus (but not by God) and is for those who married outside the Mormon faith; and lastly there is the Telestial Kingdom reserved for those who have led unclean lives, who will be visited by the Holy Spirit, but are banned from the presence of God and of Jesus.
Sandra (with acknowledgements to Alan Aldridge’s Religion in the Contemporary World)
EASTER VESTRIES
The Clonsilla Easter Vestry takes place after the 10 am service on Sunday 27th April.
The Castleknock and Mulhuddart Easter Vestry takes place on Wed 30th April at 8pm in the Parish Centre followed by a night of International food for those attending the meeting...
SUMMER CLUB LEADERS NEEDED
Our ever popular Summer Club takes place this year from Monday 18th to Friday 22nd August 2003 from 10am– 1pm. Owing to the retirement of two of our main leaders Sheena Cadoo and Jillian Connolly after years of great service, we urgently need more leaders for the week.
If you are a student, a parent or can spare the 5 mornings of that week, please contact Rev. Andrew as soon as possible. This is a great ministry to our parish and community and is a tremendously fulfilling experience for the leaders as well as the children. We will train you in what is needed, so don’t feel out of your depth….
We would also like to hear from Junior leaders 14+ who could help us for the week...
EASTER EGG AND POETRY CORNER
A little history on the Easter Egg.
Every Easter Children expect and receive Easter eggs. Nowadays they are usually chocolate eggs. At one time they were ordinary eggs that had been decorated. The egg has always been regarded as a symbol of resurrection and new life and it is easy to see how eggs become associated with Easter.
But Easter goes back long before Christian times. The name Easter come from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring. The hare, which was the sacred animal of Eostre, was probably the origin of the Easter Bunny, popular in America. So the very old pagan spring customs were adopted by the Christian church as the symbols of the resurrection of Jesus.
The rejoicing over the new birth of the world at springtime became the joyful Christian festival of Easter. Happy Easter to you all.
The Map to Happiness ( By Jim Hall )
Along with the Bible I say:
God delights in me!
I am the salt of the earth
I am the apple of His eye
I am the light of the world
I am a beloved child of God.
Say this every day
And chase depression away.
Say this every night
And chase away the fright
Of nightmares and fears
Of bitterness and tears.
At the heart of Christianity
Is a blood-splattered cross.
We can’t imagine the agony
We can’t imagine the loss.
You can’t laugh off
The pain and suffering of life.
But on Easter morning our laughter,
Love and victory run rife.
The love of our Lord, Jesus,
Is the map to happiness.
HOLY WEEK AND EASTER
On Palm Sunday (13th April) at the main services (10 am and 11.30 am) the children will enact the procession of palms.
There will also be a Hunger Lunch in the Parish Centre organised by the MU in aid of St Anne’s Hospital, in Liuli, Tanzania.
Each of the 5 nights in Holy Week at 8pm, Sandra will preach on the theme “Love and Betrayal”;
On Good Friday (18th April) Children’s way to the cross a morning of activities with refreshments all welcome
A Liturgy at the Cross (a service of reflection) at 2 pm in St Mary’s.
Easter Eve (Sat 19th April) at 6 pm the Easter Vigil takes place at St Thomas’ Mulhuddart, with the Lighting of the Paschal Fire and Renewal of Baptismal Vows. As usual this is proceeded by an Easter Egg Hunt in the church grounds – all children welcome.
Easter Day – Services at St Brigid’s 8.30 am and 11.30 am, St Mary’s 10 am.
FROM THE REGISTRARS
Holy Baptism:
On 2nd March at St Brigid’s, Castleknock: Alan George (son of George and Carol Reid of Phibsborough).
On 16th March at St Mary’s, Clonsilla: Matthew Louis (second son of Jeremy and Cristina Russell of Castlefield Woods).
May they shine as lights in the world to the glory of God the Father.
Holy Matrimony:
Sat 22nd February 2003: St Mary’s – Melanie Ellis and Garland Drake in St. Peter’s Church Drogheda.
Grant O Lord that their home may be a place of love, security and peace.
Readings for Sunday Services in April
Sun 6th April (Lent 5)
Jeremiah 31: 31-34,
Psalm 51: 1-12
Hebrews 5: 5-10,
John 12: 20-33
Sun 13th April (PALM SUNDAY)
Isaiah 50: 4-9a,
Psalm 31: 9-16
Philippians 2: 5-11,
Mark 14: 1—15: 47
Sun 20th April (EASTER DAY)
Acts 10: 34-43,
Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15: 1-11,
John 20: 1-18
Sunday 27th April (Easter 2)
Acts 4: 32-35, Psalm 133
1 John 1: 1—2: 2,
John 20: 29-31
SERVICES FOR APRIL
Every Wednesday: Holy Communion at 10.30 a.m. in Parish Centre
Fri. 4th April
07.30 Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Sun. 6th April Lent 5
8.30 a.m. Eucharist [BCP] St. Brigid’s Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary’s Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Mon. 7th April
08.00 a.m. Morning Prayer St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Fri. 11th April
07.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Sun. 13th Palm Sunday
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist and Passion Gospel St. Mary’s Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Eucharist and Passion Gospel St. Brigid’s Castleknock
19.00 p.m. Healing Service St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Mon 14th April HOLY WEEK
07.30 Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
20.00 Evening Prayer St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Tues 15th April
07.30 Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
20.00 Evening Prayer St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Wed. 16th April
07.30 Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
10.30 Eucharist Parish Centre
20.00 Evening Prayer St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Thurs. 17th April
07.30 Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
20.00 Liturgy of Last Supper St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Fri. 18th April GOOD FRIDAY
10.30 Children’s Way of the Cross—Parish Centre
14.00 Prayers at the Cross St. Mary’s Clonsilla
20.00 Liturgy of Last Supper St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Sat 19th April EASTER EVE
18.00 Easter Vigil St. Thomas’ Mulhuddart
Sun 20th EASTER DAY
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Family Eucharist St. Mary’s Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Family Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
Sun 27th EASTER 2 [Low Sunday]
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid’s Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Short Mattins Easter Vestry St. Mary’s Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Service of Word St. Brigid’s Castleknock
BE CONTENT
Does a robin complain of the size of a worm?
Does the grasshopper moan about the colour of his grass?
Learn to be content with such things as you have.
Your acceptance will bring contentment and interior quiet.
Here is the power of happiness.
