This year the material for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 January each year) was prepared by the churches in Germany and focused on the 500th anniversary of the German Reformation. The theme was reconciliation:  ‘Reconciliation: the love of Christ compels us’ (based on 2 Corinthians 5:14-20).

At the Ecumenical Service (l-r) were: the Rev. Tony Murphy, Richard Dring, the Rev. Elaine Murray, Fr Pat Fogarty, and Fr Con Cronin.

On Wednesday 25th, an Ecumenical Service was held in St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline, Co. Cork using these materials.  They were adapted for local use by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) called  ‘Crossing Barriers’.

Speaker at the Ecumenical Service, Dr Andrew Pierce (right) with parishioners of Our Lady and St John’s, Carrigaline.

The Church of Ireland Parish of Carrigaline Union has two churches , St Mary’s in Carrigaline and St John’s in Monkstown and in that context, the Service was a joint initiative of the clergy of Carrigaline Union, the Roman Catholic Parishes of Our Lady  and St John (Carrigaline), and the Harbour Parishes (Monkstown, Ringaskiddy, Shanbally and Passage West). We were delighted to welcome Dr Andrew Pierce, from the Irish School of Ecumenics, Trinity College Dublin, as the guest speaker. A time of hospitality and refreshments followed afterwards in Carrigaline Parish Hall.