On Saturday, 2nd March 2024, members of ‘The Cork Deaf Club’ visited St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. They were welcomed by the Dean’s Vicar, the Rev. Martin Steele during a celebration of the Eucharist, which was held in the Dean’s Chapel. During the Eucharist, the Rev. Steele was assisted by Ms Veronica White, who interpreted the service for the deaf community present.
After the service, the members received an outline of the ‘accessible future’ vision of Saint Fin Barre’s by the Cathedral Operations Manager Eoin Murphy and took a tour of the historic building.
Speaking after the event, the Rev. Steele said:
It was an absolute joy to welcome the members of The Cork Deaf Club to Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral. It was a wonderful experience to have an interpreter assisting in the celebration. As liturgy involves all the senses, it was sublime to see how the sacrament can be communicated in very different circumstances. I am also delighted that the Cathedral has, as part of its mission of outreach to the wider community, made this connection with The Cork Deaf Club.
Photos: Eoin Murphy
Posted inCathedral|Comments Off on ‘The Cork Deaf Club’ visits St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork
The Civic Service and Festival Eucharist at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral as well as the Reception at the Bishop’s Palace to celebrate St Patrick’s Day took place again this year. As in previous years the Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton and Mrs Susan Colton, invited nearly 300 representatives of civic and community life in Cork City and County to their home to celebrate St Patrick’s Day.Â
The civic attendance was led by Cork’s first citizen, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, who is joined by Councillors, former Lords Mayor of Cork, and representatives of the City Council. Also represented were the Defence Forces, the Naval Service, and An Garda SÃochána.
To commemorate Bishop Colton’s 25th anniversary as Bishop this year, he and the Lord Mayor also planted an oak tree in the Bishop’s Palace grounds.
Carrigrohane Union organised a family event to prepare for St Patrick’s Day at which everyone could do arts and crafts and bake biscuits for the day.
In Youghal Union of Parishes, parishioner Ken Brooke was the Grand Marshall of the Youghal St Patrick’s Day Parade.
For the fist time in it’s 200 year history, the St James’ Church in Mallow joined the St Patrick’s Day Parade in Mallow. Parishioners walked behind a new banner, which was blessed at the Eucharist earlier that day.
Carrigaline Union joined their local St Patrick’s Day Parade and the Rev. Canon Elaine Murray blessed the Shamrock in Crosshaven.
Photo: Siobhan Russell
In Kilgarriffe Union, the Rev. Kingsley Sutton showed everyone how to make St Patrick’s Day cookies with only three ingredients at their Family Fun Service for St Patrick’s Day.
The 2024 ‘Confirmation Morning with the Bishop’ was held at Ashton School in Cork on Saturday morning 4th March. Every year, Bishop Paul Colton invites all the young people who hope to be confirmed in the year ahead to meet him near the start of the year. This happens at a morning of fun, games, activities, singing and refreshments.Â
The 2024 Cork, Cloyne and Ross Confirmation Group
After the ice breaker and a game organised by the young leaders in the Cork Diocesan Youth Council (CDYC), the confirmands took part in four different groups and activities.
Peter Stobart, Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, who heads up the Diocesan Church Music Scheme, taught everyone the hymn the Bishop chose to be sung at each of the Confirmation Services in the Diocese this year.
Intentional Discipleship is very much on the Anglican agenda since the meeting of the ACC in Lusaka in 2016. In Cork, Cloyne and Ross this is being integrated in the Diocesan programme Charting a Future with Confidence. At the Confirmation morning, the Very Reverend Cliff Jeffers, Dean of Ross, with the help of two ladders, explored with the young people what it means to be a disciple.
The Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Venerable Andrew Orr, who is chairperson of Eco-Congregation Ireland introduced the young people to another idea of the Anglican Communion of churches: ‘The Communion Forest is about energising local initiatives, not only in tree-planting, but also undertaking activities to restore eco-sytems of many kinds in order to safeguard creation. This year each young person planted their own rocket plant or parsley plant to take home and grow in their garden. The Diocese has also entered into partnershiup with Reforest Nation to plant a forest of 300 trees in Ireland between 2023 and 2024 on behalf of this year’s group of people being confirmed, and for his 25th anniversary, Bishop Paul Colton planted one Oak tree for each confirmand, for which the participants also received a certificate.
Matt Gould, Church Army Lead Evangelist and Community Leader at the Carraig Centre, used a twisty path laid out with masking tape to help participants think more about what ‘voices’ we listen to in Christian discipleship and the importance of listening out to the lead of the Holy Spirit who helps us understand God’s word in scripture. Lots of fun was had trying to follow a path when blindfolded, relying on the whole groups instructions – quite challenging! Participants then had a chance to walk the same path with a ‘helper’ to guide them, which was much easier.
This activity helped participants appreciate from experience what Jesus said in John 14, where he promised ‘another helper to be with you forever… the Spirit of Truth’. Each participant was also given a bookmark with Psalm 119.105 printed on it: ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path’.
For many years, Bishop Colton, has spoken to each group of confirmands about prayer. Through his work in partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden he discovered, several decades ago, the ‘Wreath of Christ’, a bracelet with prayer beads. Each year he has given a gift of one of these to each young person in the Diocese who has been confirmed to provide one way to help them with their praying.This year, the Bishop addressed all one hundred confirmands together and they watched a message from Bishop Johan Dalman, Bishop of Strängnäs, in which he explained everything about the prayer beads.
Posted inConfirmation, Diocese, Special Events|Comments Off on The 2024 Confirmation Morning with the Bishop in Cork, Cloyne and Ross
The Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, has announced that he has appointed three new Honorary Canons to Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork.
Bishop Colton said that he is delighted to have made the appointments following consultation with the Dean of Cork, the Very Reverend Nigel Dunne:
Mrs Gillian Kingston has been appointed as a lay Ecumenical Canon.
The Reverend Robert Ferris, Rector of Carrigrohane Union of Parishes has been appointed as Honorary Canon Missioner.
The Reverend John Ardis, Rector of Abbeystrewry Union of Parishes has been appointed as Honorary Canon with responsibility for vocations in the Diocese.
Gillian Kingston was born in Cork, but spent childhood years moving between Bandon and Nigeria where her father was a civil engineer and her mother had been a nurse. Returning to Ireland, she was educated in Rochelle School, now part of Ashton School, and then obtained a degree in English Language and Literature from Trinity College, Dublin. A teacher for some years, more recently she served on the chaplaincy team at University College, Dublin. While there, she led student walks on the Camino de Santiago in support of the Peter McVerry Trust.
Gillian is a member of the Methodist Church in Ireland and, in 2010, she was elected the first Lay Leader of the Conference of the Methodist Church. She is a long-time member of the Covenant Council.
A past President of the Irish Council of Churches and of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, she is currently Vice President of the World Methodist Council and served on its team for theological dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church for twenty years.  Gillian is married to Tom, a retired Methodist minister; they live in rural Co. Offaly, but spend as much time as possible in West Cork. They have four adult children and eight grandchildren.
Canon Gillian Kingston
In response to her appointment, Gillian said:
I am delighted and honoured to be appointed Ecumenical Canon at the Cathedral Church of Saint Fin Barre and I look forward to renewing associations with this beautiful place and its community. The Cathedral played a significant role in life at Rochelle School, and it was, and is, a joy to worship there.Â
Robert Ferris serves as the Incumbent of Carrigrohane Union of Parishes since 2020. Within the wider Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross he chairs the implementation Group for “Charting a Future with Confidence. Additionally, Robert holds the position of Diocesan Advocate for Pioneer Ministry, advocating for innovative approaches to ministry within the diocese.
Prior to his current role, Robert served as a Curate Assistant at St. Columba’s Knock in the Diocese of Down from 2009 to 2012, followed by his tenure as an Assistant Priest in Carrigrohane Union with particular responsibility for Blarney from 2012 to 2020.
Robert, originally from Seapatrick Parish, Banbridge Co. Down was ordained as a Deacon in the Diocese of Down in 2009, and subsequently ordained as a Priest in the same diocese in 2010. His educational background features a Bachelor of Science (First Class Honours) with a Diploma in Industrial Studies in Computer Science from the University of Ulster Coleraine, a Post-Graduate Certificate in Education from Queens University Belfast, and a Bachelor of Theology from the University of Dublin, Trinity College. In 2019, he earned a Master of Arts in Mission Pioneer and Fresh Expressions of Church from Cliff College (University of Manchester).
Speaking about his appointment, Robert said:
I am surprised, delighted, and honoured to be appointed as Honorary Canon Missioner of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork. It will be a privilege to serve the Diocese and Cathedral in this particular role. I hope that working together as the Diocesan family we can be encouraged as we look forward with Confidence to a hopeful future. As I step into this new role I hope that it will enable helpful conversations around the Cathedral and Diocese with a focus on the 5 Marks of Mission in their fullness namely Sharing the Good News of Christ, Intentional Discipleship, Responding to community needs, Challenging injustice and Tending Creation.Â
Canon Robert Ferris
John Ardis grew up in rectories in a number of places around Ireland: Dublin, Wexford and spent his formative years in Mayo. Prior to ordination, John studied Archaeology and Medieval Studies at University of Wales, Lampeter. After his degree he worked as an Archaeologist on various sites around Ireland and then worked as a virger in Canterbury Cathedral. After training in the Church of Ireland Theological College he was ordained Deacon in 2006 and Priest in 2007, serving as curate in Christ Church Cathedral Group of parishes in Dublin Diocese. After two years, he moved to Cork Diocese where he has served ever since, working as Dean’s Vicar at St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral, then Church of Ireland Chaplain at UCC and then in his present position as Rector of the Abbeystrewry Union of Parishes. John has served in the Diocese in a number of ways in being a former Bishop’s Chaplain. He is the current Diocesan Liturgical officer and was recently appointed the Diocesan Director of Ordinands. John is also a Minor Canon and Chapter Clerk of St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral. John is married to Jane, and they have four boys ranging in ages from 9 years to 16 years.Â
John reacted to his appointment saying:
I am humbled and delighted to have been appointed an Honorary Canon of St. Fin Barre’s. I look forward to helping the Dean and Chapter in any way I can, and to work to the best of my ability to foster vocations in the Diocese.
Canon John Ardis
Honorary Canons are non-voting members of the Cathedral Chapter and serve for an initial 5 year term.
On Sunday evening, 3rd March 2024, the Rev. Clodagh Yambasu was instituted as the new Rector of Fermoy Union of Parishes by the Bishop, the Right Rev. Dr Paul Colton, at Christ Church, Fermoy.
The Rev. Clodagh Yambasu and Bishop Paul Colton after Clodagh’s licensing in February.
Christ Church, Fermoy – a very large Church built to accommodate, not only the local population, but a military garrison in the past – was full for the occasion with parishioners, clergy and readers from the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, as well as Clodagh’s family and friends. Also present were the Deputy Mayor of County Cork Cllr John Healy, other local councillors, ecumenical guests, and representatives of the community. The Reverend Dr Sahr Yambasu, Clodagh’s husband, was in attendance, as was the Reverend Andrew Doughtery, District Superintendent of the Methodist Church in Ireland.
The Rev. Clodagh Yambasu was presented to the Bishop by the Archdeacon, the Venerable Andrew Orr and the preacher at the service was the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne, Dean of Cork and member of the Church of Ireland/Methodist Church in Ireland’s Covenant Council. After the service speeches were given by the Bishop, as well as Ian Fleming on behalf of the parishioners of Fermoy Union. In response Clodagh expressed the hope that everyone would work with her to explore what God wants to do in Fermoy Union of Parishes.
In his speech, Bishop Colton welcome Clodagh and underlined that as she comes now to ministry in Fermoy and in the Church of Ireland she brings immense and diverse life and ministry experience as well as the many charisms of Irish Methodism which, he said, ‘will empower her ministry among us and from which we will all be enriched and blessed.’
Early in February, Clodagh was licensed by Bishop Paul Colton to serve in the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne during the Eucharist at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. In the month since she has been settling in to life and ministry in both the Diocese and the Church of Ireland.
RSS - Posts