On Sunday, 26th May 2024, the Rev. Elise Hanley, Rector of Cobh & Glanmire Union of Parishes, joined the Very Rev. Tom McDermott of Cobh Parish in blessing a new pilot boat for the Port of Cork. The festivities were held at Quay’s Bar in Cobh and included Port employees and their families. A competition had been held for the children to choose the name of the pilot boat, and the winning submission was Solas.
May God bless all who sail on Solas, and all who work in our ports and on the sea.
A Quiet Day Retreat will be hosted by the Church of Ireland United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross on Saturday, 15th June 2024 at St Mary’s Collegiate Church, Youghal. The retreat will be lead by Brother Tobias of the Society of Saint Francis and everyone is welcome to attend. However, please book a place before 10th June using this email rsvp@corkchurchofireland.com.
The day will start with coffee at 10.00am and the retreat will take place from 10.30am until 1.30pm. A light lunch will be served afterwards.
The title of Brother Tobias’s retreat talk is “Sharing Christ’s Peace in a Conflicted World”, and he writes:
Peace be with you! It’s a phrase we’re familiar with at Holy Communion, something we share with one another during worship. How can we truly respond to this peace in our daily lives? How can we help it flourish in a world torn apart by division and conflict?
In this day retreat, Brother Tobias will be exploring the deeper implications of “peace be with you”, going beyond the nice words and discovering an active challenge for all of us. It’s the challenge that led Saint Francis of Assisi to declare “the peace that you proclaim with your mouth you must have even more abundantly in your hearts”.
Tobias will be offering reflections and insights, and also sharing the space for participants to pray and enjoy the beautiful environment of Saint Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal. The event will be on Saturday 15th June, beginning at 10am with coffee. Prayers and reflections will commence at 10.30am. Concluding prayers will finish at 1.30pm.
Brother Tobias
Tobias is a friar in First Profession with the Society of Saint Francis, an Anglican religious order. He has been in vows for six years and currently lives at Glasshampton Monastery in Worcestershire. He has a passion for sharing the gospel and the values of a truly inclusive faith. Before becoming a Franciscan he had a twenty-year career on the railway. He has strong connections with Ireland, having lived for many years in Derry.
On Thursday, 16th May 2024, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy hosted a civic reception to honour Bishop Paul Colton on his 25th anniversary as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. Bishop Paul is the longest-serving Church of Ireland bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in 400 years and the second longest serving in history, having been elected on January 29, 1999.
Photo: Darragh Kane
Speaking at the reception, Mr McCarthy said:
Bishop Colton has led a significant contribution to civic, community and charity life over the last 25 years. This work has been crucial to building and strengthening communities in our city. Even against a backdrop of challenges in recent years, he has remained steadfast in his leadership and wise council. I am delighted to be hosting this reception tonight and to be able to acknowledge the dedication and contribution of Bishop Colton to this city.
Chief Executive of Cork City Council Ann Doherty said:
Over 25 years, Bishop Colton has worked in partnership with Cork City Council on a whole range of issues but the community leadership he demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic and again during the Ukrainian crisis stands out. Bishop Colton was a key leader in our community response forum and actively contributed to supporting our most vulnerable communities at times of significant need. On this special occasion I extend warm wishes and congratulations to Bishop Colton and his family.
Responding to the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive, Bishop Colton, expressed thanks for the honour accorded to him by the Lord Mayor and the City Council, and also for the gift of an engraved silver salver and embossed with the coat of arms of the City of Cork. Bishop Colton also said:
No one serves or ministers alone. I wish, therefore, to thank all who I have served alongside and with in ministry over the years here in Cork, Cloyne and Ross, as well as those who we have worked in partnership with throughout the city and community, especially in the Community Response Forum. Facing the challenges first of the pandemic and then the consequences of the war in Ukraine, we discovered that people of many different outlooks and backgrounds can make common cause together in confronting the greatest challenges we face.
I thank especially my wife Susan, Adam and Vera, Andrew and Annie and everyone in my family circle, remembering, of course, with gratitude and affection, my late parents and Susan’s late parents on this special occasion. I dedicate this honour to them and to you all and I thank God for the opportunities we have to serve together.
Earlier in the year, the Lord Mayor and the Bishop planted an oak tree in the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace to mark the Bishop’s 25th anniversary, as part of the annual Civic Service and Festival Eucharist at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral on St Patrick’s Day.
Photos: Darragh Kane
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At the most recent Diocesan Council meeting, Melvin Beamish was appointed as new Diocesan Honorary Treasurer, in succession to Graham Garland, who stepped down from the post earlier in 2024. The Honorary Treasurers are ex officio members of the Diocesan Council, and there are three treasurers in Cork, Cloyne and Ross: the Bishop (ex officio), Helen Arnopp and Melvin Beamish. Melvin is also the Head of Finance & Facilities at Bandon Grammar School.
Melvin Beamish, Diocesan Honorary Treasurer
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At the Church of Ireland General Synod 2024 Diocesan members of Synod elected four representatives to the Standing Committee of the Church of Ireland, and two members have been elected to the Representative Church Body at Diocesan Synod.
Hilda Connolly, Helen Arnopp, the Rev. Canon John Ardis and the Archdeacon, the Ven. Andrew Orr have been elected to the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee carries out the functions of the General Synod which have been delegated to it by the Synod, while the Synod is not in session. The business of the Standing Committee is varied and includes consideration of state legislation affecting the Church, financial matters, appointment of delegates to conferences etc., appointments to sub–committees, receiving reports from sub–committees on social and other issues, Anglican Communion matters and inter–church business.
Helen Arnopp, and the Dean of Cork, the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne have been elected to the Representative Church Body (RCB). The RCB is the Church of Ireland’s central trusteebody, responsible for its finance, property, investments, and other central services serving the Church.
This year, Wilfred Baker, Diocesan Lay Reader and former Diocesan Secretary, announced his retirement from General Synod after 41 years. Wilfred has also served on the Standing Committee since 1985.
Diocesan Lay Reader and former Diocesan Secretary, Wilfred Baker
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