Two Significant Events on Founder’s Day at Midleton College, County Cork

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Midleton College, a Church of Ireland second level school in Cork, Cloyne and Ross, was founded on 23rd October 1696.  On Founder’s Day this year, 23rd October, two significant events took place in the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Minister David Stanton, T.D., and a large gathering of invited guests, including past members of staff, students and teachers, and former Principal, Simon Thompson.

The Cairns Playing Field, which was resurfaced in recent months, was re-opened by Mrs Katherine Cairns, wife of the late former Principal, Mr Brian Cairns.  First year students and some of the school’s star hockey players former a guard of honour.

Mrs Katherine Cairns, re-opens the Cairns playing field watched by students, Midleton College Principal, Dr Edward Gash, and Dr Paul Colton. Photo: Erich Stack

The guests then proceeded to the site of the new sports complex which the Board of Governors has decided to name in honour of the memory of, and contribution to the College of, the late Professor Trevor West.  Mrs Maura Lee West was in attendance and she turned the first sod of the project.  Bishop Colton blessed the project and the workers who will build the new Trevor West Sports Complex during the months ahead.  A guard of honour was formed by hockey and rugby players from the school.

Mrs Maura Lee West turns the first sod for the new Trevor West Sports Complex at Midleton College watched by invited guests, and Dr Edward Gash, Principal, and Bishop Paul Colton, Governor. Photo: Erich Stack

Afterwards everyone adjourned to the College Dining Hall for Founder’s Day lunch.

Mrs Maura Lee West (centre) on the site of the new Trevor West Sports Complex with the Bishop, the Principal, representatives of C Field Construction, and Mr Ken McIlreavy, Chairperson, Midleton College Boards. Photo: Erich Stack

Posted in Education, Midleton College, Schools in the Diocese, Special Events, Sport | Comments Off on Two Significant Events on Founder’s Day at Midleton College, County Cork

An Invitation to Remember as First Peal is rung on Sam Maguire Community Bells in Dunmanway

Posted on November 8, 2017 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

The first peal attempt on the recently installed Sam Maguire Community Bells in St Mary’s Church, Dunmanway, County Cork, will take place on Sunday coming, 12th November, beginning at 2.30pm.  It is also Remembrance Sunday.

While this peal is being rung, there is an open invitation to people to come along to St. Mary’s Church in Dunmanway between 2.30pm and 5pm to listen to the bells, and to remember anyone from their family or from their community who served in or suffered as a result of any conflict or war.  People will be able to write the name of the person being remembered on a stone, and it may be placed at the base of an Olive Tree (symbol of peace) outside the Church.  It doesn’t matter who the person was or for whom they served, just that they are remembered for their contribution towards freedom and justice in our world and in our country.

A peal is the ringing of all the possible combinations on 7 bells, with the 8th bell sounding a steady beat at the end of each round.  The peal will take about two and a half hours and will have 5,040 different combinations of bells rung.

Olive Tree at St Mary’s Church, Dunmanway

Posted in Bells, Community Involvement, Justice and Reconciliation, People from Cork, People from the Diocese, Reconciliation, Remembrance Sunday | Comments Off on An Invitation to Remember as First Peal is rung on Sam Maguire Community Bells in Dunmanway

Bishop of Cork to lead Diocesan Group to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

On All Saints’ Day, 1st November, a group from the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, led by their Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, will fly out of Dublin to Helsinki to make a visit to the Diocese of Borgå, the Swedish speaking Diocese in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.  The group has been invited by the Bishop of Borgå, the Right Reverend Dr Björn Vikström, who visited Cork with his Diocesan staff in June 2016.

The Cork group will visit Helsinki, Porvoo, Tampere and Turku.  Porvoo is the Finnish name of the city and diocese that gave its name in October 1992 to the Porvoo Common Statement resulting in the Porvoo Communion of Churches, and, as a result, creating the largest ecclesial grouping of Christians in northern Europe:  four Anglican churches from these islands, as well as the Nordic and Baltic Lutheran Churches (except Latvia which has observer status).  Bishop Colton was involved in the process, on behalf of the Church of Ireland, that led to that international agreement.

Bishop Paul Colton preached in Porvoo Cathedral in October 2002 on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the Porvoo Common Statement.

The group from Cork, Cloyne and Ross have a busy week ahead.  They will meet with the Church Council and Swedish Speaking staff of the Diocese of Borgå.  When they meet the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland they will be joined by the Irish Ambassador in Finland, Maeve Collins and some of her colleagues at the Irish Embassy in Helsinki.  There will be a meeting in Helsinki about Church music in the Swedish speaking parish as part of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocesan Church Music Scheme and creating connections between church musicians. There will be visits in Helsinki to the Cathedral and to the Church of the Rock.

A full day will be spent in Porvoo where, as well as visiting the famous cathedral, there will be a visit to the Chapter to meet the co-workers in the Diocese, and a briefing from the Rev. Tuomas Mäkipää, from the Anglican Chaplaincy of St. Nicholas, Helsinki.  There will be an evening reception as guests of Bishop and Mrs Vikström in Bishop’s House.  Bishop and Mrs Susan Colton will reciprocate hospitality later in the visit whiel staying in the city of Turku.

Bishop Paul Colton and Bishop Björn Visktröm
Picture: Jim Coughlan.

One of the other highlights will be a visit on Saturday 4th November to Toijala where there is a church day for teenagers “Höstdagar” , approximately 500 16-18 year old.  (It’s an annual camp  for teenagers, for those participating in confirmation education and for their leaders).  Afterwards a courtesy visit will be made to the Bishop of Tampere, the Right Reverend Dr Matti Repo, before the group continue to the city of Turku (Åbo). 

On Sunday morning, 5th November, Finnish National Television will broadcast the national Finnish Reformation 500 Service from Turku Cathedral at which the Cork group will be present.  Afterwards they will receive a briefing from a representative of the Åbo Akademi, ThD Mikael Lindfelt, at the faculty of Theology.

The busy schedule will conclude on Monday, 6th November with a visit to the meeting of the General Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, which Bishop Colton has been invited to address.

Visitors from the Diocese of Borgå (Porvoo) during their visit to Cork, Cloyne and Ross in 2016.
Picture: Jim Coughlan.

 

 

Posted in Bishop, Church in Society, Diocese, International Church Relations, Porvoo Communion, Youth Work | Comments Off on Bishop of Cork to lead Diocesan Group to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

New Chaplain for Bandon Grammar School in Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on October 31, 2017 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

On Tuesday, 31st October, 2017, Reformation Day, also this year the 500th anniversary of the start of the Reformation in Germany, the Reverend Anne Skuse was licensed by the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, to serve in a new post in the Diocese: whole-time chaplain at Bandon Grammar School.  Bandon Grammar School is a substantial and multifaceted community within the Diocese, with about 670 students (from approximately 400 families), 56 teachers and another 40 employees (non–teaching and coaching).

The photograph shows the Reverend Anne Skuse at the licensing by Dr Colton watched by Mr Billy Skuse, Diocesan Secretary and Anne’s husband.  Also ‘watching’ on Reformation Day from his portrait was Bishop William Lyon, first Reformation Bishop of the Diocese (Ross in 1582, and Cork and Cloyne in 1584).  William Lyon died 400 years ago this month and was buried in a tomb he had built for himself in the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace.  His bones were found by accident in 1846 and were moved to the crypt of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral when it was being built in 1865.

(l-r) Dr Paul Colton, Mr Billy Skuse, the Reverend Anne Skuse (and in the portrait, Bishop William Lyon)

A Service of welcome and commissioning of the Reverend Anne Skuse as Chaplain will take place at a special school assembly at Bandon Grammar School on Tuesday, 14th November at 10 a.m.  All are welcome, however, please notify the school office in advance of your intention to attend

Posted in Bandon Grammar School, Chaplaincies, Education, LIcensing, Schools in the Diocese | Comments Off on New Chaplain for Bandon Grammar School in Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Dean Alan Marley to move to University College Cork as Church of Ireland Chaplain

Posted on October 21, 2017 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

It is announced today that the Dean of Cloyne, the Very Reverend Alan Marley, is to be the new Church of Ireland Chaplain at University College Cork.  Alan will leave Cloyne Union of Parishes after Christmas to take up his new position.

Alan Marley started in full time ministry with the Church Army; commissioned to be Chaplain to the Oxford House in Bethnal Green, East London in 1982. He then moved to France and lived and worked for two years as a volunteer at the Taizé Community. Returning in 1987, he trained for ordination at the Queen’s College, Birmingham, completing his degree in Theology at the University of Birmingham. Ordained in 1989, he served his curacy in the parish of Blandford Forum, Dorset, in the west of England. He then moved into sector ministry becoming the Chaplain at Aylesbury Prison, a long-term institution for Young Offenders.

In 1997 he moved to Cork, Cloyne and Ross and became Rector of the Fermoy Union. In 2003 he was appointed as the Rector of Cloyne Union and Dean of Cloyne. Within the Diocese Alan has served as Bishop’s Chaplain, Rural Dean and is currently the Director of Ordinands. He is married to Anne and they have 5 children.

The Very Reverend Alan Marley

Alan said:

We are sad to leave the Cloyne Union, where we have enjoyed such a happy and important time in our lives; and at the same time I am excited by the opportunity, and challenge, to serve as Chaplain amongst the students and staff at University College Cork. As Archbishop Richard Clarke noted in a recent article, the role of a chaplain is … “to be an active and visible presence of the Church as a whole in that place, among those who may or may not have any interest or engagement in faith of any kind”. I look forward to exploring all that this entails in this next step of ministry.

Commenting on the news of Alan Marley’s appointment, the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, said:

Alan Marley is an ideal person for this work of the Church in University College Cork.  He brings to this important post in the Diocese diversity of experience, insight, pastoral compassion and the ability to communicate warmly and in a challenging way with people of all ages.

University College Cork, founded in 1845, has more than 20,000 students (including 14,000 undergraduates) and 2,800 members of staff (of which nearly 800 are faculty).  In 2017 it was named as the Sunday Times Irish University of the Year.  It is situated on the south bank of the River Lee close to Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, in that part of the area where it is said that St Fin Barre founded his monastery, around which the town and city of Cork grew.

 

 

Posted in Announcements, Appointments, Chaplaincies, Education, University College Cork | Comments Off on Dean Alan Marley to move to University College Cork as Church of Ireland Chaplain