Music for Centenary of End of First World War at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork

Posted on November 7, 2018 by

On Sunday, 11th November, the centenary of Armistice Day 1918, marking the end of the First World War, the first sounds will be of a bell and silence.  On each of the four minutes leading up to the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month – one minute for each year of the four year war (1914-1918) – a bell of the Cathedral will toll once followed by a minute’s silence.  At 11 a.m. the traditional two minutes’ silence will be observed, after which, as bells of churches did in 1918, all 12 Cathedral bells will ring out before the morning Service – a Requiem Eucharist, at 11.15 a.m.

The names of all those on the Cathedral memorial and names that have been handed in by Cork people of all nationalities will be read out at that morning Service.  That Service will begin with the choir singing words in German of an introit by Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672): Selig sind die Toten, die in dem Herren sterben – words from the Book of Revelation ‘Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.’

The setting of the music of the liturgy will be Requiem by Gabriel Fauré.   Sung in Latin the texts are supremely appropriate to the occasion, such as ‘Rest eternal grant unto them, O Lord…’ and ‘Lord, have mercy’.  Following the reading of the names, Libera me is sung: ‘Free me, O Lord, from everlasting death …’   During Holy Communion, Pie Jesu is sung: ‘Merciful Lord Jesus, grant them rest.’  In addition some traditional hymns will be sung at the Service, which will conclude with In Paradisum: ‘May the angels lead thee into paradise.’  And the bishop, clergy and people will leave in silence.

In the afternoon, at 3.30 p.m. on Sunday 11th November there will be a Service to Commemorate the End of the First World War. Music and symbolism, as well as silence, will be at the heart of this Service which will be attended by representatives of other churches, public representatives, members of the Defence Forces, community representatives, veterans, and the consular corps.

An original First World War wooden cross, which was a temporary marker on a grave on the Western Front, ordinarily on view in the Cathedral, will be placed centrally to symbolise the 10 million of the war of all nations who died, and the Easter candle, speaking of the hope of resurrection, will light beside it.  At the heart of this Service will be ‘Lord, thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams. As it is sung, young people from the three second level schools in the Diocese will carry forward the facsimile First World War telegrams they have written – all 4,200 of them – containing the names of people from Cork who died.  These will be poured out at the foot of the Cathedral’s war memorial column.

The Director Music at the Cathedral, Mr Peter Stobart explains his choice:

The central musical item at the Commemoration is a setting of text from Psalm 90 by Ralph Vaughan Williams Lord, thou hast been our refuge. It combines the words of the psalm with passages from the hymn O God, our help in ages past which is traditionally used at times of Remembrance. The hymn tune is quoted in the choir, in the  organ and in a part for solo trumpet. This brings to mind the role of the trumpet or bugle playing The Last Post , which will also feature in our liturgy. In 1914, Vaughan Williams at the age of 42 signed up to the Royal Army Medical Corps and acted as a stretcher bearer in France. In 1917 he transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery.

In addition to the canticle ‘Hail gladdening light’, the hymns chosen are ‘All my hope on God is founded’, ‘Rejoice, O land…’, and, especially appropriate given the theme of reconciliation and peace, and remembering those from all nations who died – ‘Christ is the world’s true light’ which includes these words:

In Christ all races meet,
their ancient feuds forgetting,
the whole round world complete,
from sunrise to its setting: …
The world has waited long,
has travailed long in pain;
To heal its ancient wrong,
come, Prince of Peace, and reign.

The Service will conclude with the organ music Marche Hèroïque by Herbert Brewer.

The weekend of remembrance will begin in the Cathedral with a very different event hosted by the Cork Branch of the Western Front Association on Friday, 9th November at 7.30 p.m. – ‘An Evening of Remembrance in Music, Song and Story.’ The Barrack Street Band will take the lead with familiar music from many nations.  Timothy O’Sullivan will sing ‘Oft in the stilly night’, and Emily Rose Doyle will sing ‘In the arms of an angel’ .  Sarah Barry will sing ‘Willie McBride’.  2018 is the 200th anniversary year of the first performance in Austria of the carol ‘Silent Night’ and all three vocalists will sing it.  Jimmy Crowley will perform ‘The Gallant Munsters’ and ‘I know my Love’.  A guitarist, Liam Hutchinson, will play ‘The Green Fields of France’.  Before ‘The Last Post’ and ‘Reveille’ played by a trumpeter, a piper will play a lament.

The choir of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork under the direction of Mr Peter Stobart, Director of Music.

Posted in Cathedral, Cathedral Choir, Centenaries in Ireland, Centenary, Church in Society, Church Music, Church Services, Civic Service, Community Involvement, Contemporary Issues, Cork, Reconciliation, Remembrance, Remembrance Sunday, Schools in the Diocese

Faces of Victims, Olive Trees, Telegrams and Pilgrimage ~ Cork, Cloyne and Ross commemorates the end of the First World War

Posted on November 5, 2018 by

In common with churches, community groups, regions and nations around the world, the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross will be commemorating the end of the First World War in the coming days.

The following information is provided for the interest of members of the public and the media.  Planning the commemorations in partnership with others in the Diocese and in Cork, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, said that:

the primary function is to remember those who died, who were wounded, or who, either themselves, or with others, lived with those wounds well into the Twentieth Century.  100 years is not a long time; I am 58.  We are still living with the outcomes of that war, and in our remembering we do well also to reflect on the challenges facing our world today which, in many places, is still crying out for justice and peace.

There are a number of key elements in the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Remembrance Programme.

Olive Trees

Bishop Colton is making a gift of an olive tree (symbol of peace) to each school in the Diocese, and materials for a special school assembly of remembrance with prayers for peace have been prepared by Jacqui Wilkinson.  Bishop Colton said ‘I was given the idea of the olive tree by Eunice Jeffers from Dunmanway, who is one of the people involved in our Diocesan Centenaries Commemoration and Reconciliation Project.’

The trees, sourced by Olive Burns, will be delivered on Tuesday 6th November.  In  addition, students are being encouraged to look for war memorials in their churches and communities, and to find out about the people being commemorated.  Alternatively, the suggestion is that children research flags and badges around the world that incorporate the olive branch, or that they research the story behind the flag of the United Nations.  Students are asked to find out what the Quakers teach about war and peace, and to look into some of the winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. Prayers will be written for use at the assemblies, and a reading list for children about current areas of conflict in the world is suggested. Bishop Colton will visit a number of the schools to attend those assemblies.

Most of the schools are holding their special assemblies on Friday morning, 9th November.

Olive trees ready for distribution

Telegrams

‘Unlike other parts of the world, and indeed some other counties in Ireland, in Cork,’ said Bishop Colton, ‘there is no one memorial to all of the people – approximately 4,200 of them  – from our city and county who died in the First World War.’

This set the Bishop thinking and so he came up with the idea, for this centenary commemoration, of the telegram – the means by which so many received the devastating news of the loss of their loved one.  The Bishop has had 4200 blank facsimile telegrams printed.

Facsimile Telegram

The young people in the three second level schools in the Diocese – Ashton School, Bandon Grammar School, and Midleton College – are each, with the support of school chaplains and history teachers, writing one name on each of the 4,200 telegrams of a Cork person who died in the First World War. Bishop Colton will be visiting the students in some of the schools to see the work in progress.

Students from the schools will be at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, for the Service of Commemoration of the End of the First World War to present these as an act of remembrance, on Sunday afternoon, 11th November at 3.30 p.m.  The Service is open to everyone and will be attended by people from throughout the City and County, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Cork, public representatives, members of the defence forces, veteran organisations, community groups and the consular corps in Cork.

Putting Faces on the Names

Names engraved on stone only tell part of the story. But, what did they look like?  In 2014, Bishop Colton and the Dean of Cork, the Very Reverend Nigel Dunne, had a very strong response to their request for photographs that had been hidden away in family albums or even attics.  A visual display – ‘Putting Faces on the Names’ – has been running for the last four years.  Tens of thousands of visitors to St Fin Barre’s Cathedral (where it is placed) have been to see it.  The former British Ambassador to Ireland, Sir Dominick Chilcott, described it as ‘mesmerising’.  ‘We deliberately scanned the photos just as they were given to us, with no enhancement,’ explained the Bishop – ‘this is all that remains of what these people looked like.’

One of the images from the visual memorial – Putting Faces on the Names – which has been running in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork since 2014.

This weekend will mark the last opportunity to visit and see this visual memorial before it is closed and archived.  It will be closed by the Bishop at the Service of Commemoration on Sunday afternoon at 3.30 p.m. in St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

Pilgrimage on Saturday, 10th November

Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork will be open as a place of pilgrimage and prayer beginning with Morning Prayer at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 10th November and ending at 5 p.m.  Prayers of remembrance and for peace will be said on the hour each hour.  The Bishop himself, together with the Dean of Cork, will be present throughout the day to greet pilgrims and visitors.  The visual memorial will be available for all to see.

Sunday, 11th November

On Sunday, 11th November there will be special Services throughout Cork, Cloyne and Ross.  In Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork on each of the four minutes (one for each year of the First World War) before 11 a.m. a bell will ring once and silence will be kept.  At 11 a.m. the traditional two minutes silence will be kept following which, at 11.02 a.m. the bells of the Cathedral will ring out.  The Sunday morning Eucharist will be a Requiem with the music Requiem by Gabriel Fauré.  Instead of a sermon the names of those who commemorated in the Cathedral memorials will be read out – nearly 400 of them.

Bishop Colton has been invited by the Royal British Legion to give an oration at the War Memorial at the Grand Parade at the annual Act of Remembrance there at lunchtime.

A Service of Commemoration to mark the end of the First World War will take place on Sunday  at 3.30 p.m. in Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

All are welcome at all these events and Services.  Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, on behalf of the Diocese, has published a full list of the events:

Media – for further information, please contact:

Sam Wynn ~  Church of Ireland Diocesan Communications Officer
Telephone:   +353 (0)86 813 7659
 mail:  media@corkchurchofireland.com

 

Posted in Announcements, Ashton School, Bandon Grammar School, Cathedral, Centenaries in Ireland, Centenary, Church in Society, Community Involvement, Contemporary Issues, Cork, Decade of Centenaries, Diocese, Education, Remembrance, Remembrance Sunday, Special Events

Flower Festival adds to 150th Anniversary Celebrations of Crosshaven Church, County Cork

Posted on October 26, 2018 by

As part of the 150th anniversary celebrations in Templebreedy Parish Church in Crosshaven, County Cork, a wonderful flower festival was held recently.

Flower Festival in Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven celebrating 150 years.

There were amazing displays of flowers put together on the theme ‘in Praise and thanksgiving’.

The festival was officially opened on Friday evening by Mrs. Mary C. O’ Keefe former president of A.O.I.F.E (Association of Irish Floral Artists).

Flower Festival in Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven celebrating 150 years.

The Church was truly transformed and amazed all who came to see and enjoy.

The Church porch was decorated beautifully by the Templebreedy School children, gorgeous displays by parishioners, friends and flower club artists from across the county.

Flower Festival in Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven celebrating 150 years.

The festival was aptly closed with a Harvest Thanksgiving Service Sunday afternoon.  A former rector, Canon Dr Daniel Nuzum, was welcomed back as guest preacher.

Canon Dr Daniel Nuzum with the rector, the Reverend Isobel Jackson.

With the backdrop of the beautifully decorated church from the Flower Festival the full congregation raised the roof with wonderful praise and singing.

Flower Festival in Templebreedy Church, Crosshaven celebrating 150 years.

Posted in Anniversaries, Churches in Cork, Festivals, Sesquicentenary

‘Curry in a Hurry’ from the Mothers’ Union to the National Maritime College of Ireland

Posted on October 24, 2018 by

The National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) is located in Ringaskiddy, County Cork.  It provides training and education for the Merchant Marine and the non-military needs of the Irish Naval Service.

The National Maritime College of Ireland in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork

The local Church of Ireland rector, the Revd Elaine Murray, from Carrigaline Union of Parishes, is also the Church of Ireland Chaplain to the National Maritime College of Ireland.

‘Curry in a Hurry’ by the Mothers’ Union – just what every first year student away from home needs.

In that capacity Elaine recently dropped in for a visit and to deliver the ‘Curry in a Hurry’ books produced by the Mothers’ Union to all of the NMCI 1st year students. With this super little book they won’t have to rely on fast food and tins and will be cooking for themselves in no time.

The Reverend Elaine Murray visits the first year students at the National Maritime College of Ireland.

Posted in Chaplaincies, Community Involvement, Education, Five Marks of Mission, Making Connections, People from Cork, Students

Leader of Corrymeela Community – Pádraig Ó Tuama – inspires Cork Church of Ireland Clergy at Ballylickey

Posted on October 22, 2018 by

The annual gathering of the clergy of the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross at Ballylickey, near Bantry, County Cork, took place from Monday, 15th October to Wednesday, 17th October.

The visiting speaker this year, the latest in a long line of distinguished speakers at Ballylickey, was the Leader of the Corrymeela Community, Pádraig Ó Tuama.  Originally from Carrigaline, County Cork,  Pádraig Ó Tuama is a poet and theologian based in Belfast. Since 2014 he has been the leader of the Corrymeela Community, Ireland’s oldest peace and reconciliation witness dedicated to transforming conflict through human encounter.  His interests encompass poetry, religion, conflict and storytelling.

Pádraig Ó Tuama with Bishop Paul Colton.

At Ballylickey this year, for the clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, he took the theme of ‘Borders and Belonging in the Biblical Witness.’  His addresses were engaging, inspiring, thought-provoking and motivating.  Rooted in familiar bible characters, there was a strong contemporary feel to the four talks, which were:

  • ‘Ruth, the border crosser’
  • ‘Tamar, the tamer of the Lion of Judah’
  • ‘Jesus and Gentiles: an exploration of friendship.’
  • ‘Jesus in the wilderness: loneliness and leadership.’

Some of the clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross at Ballylickey with Pádraig Ó Tuama and Bishop Paul Colton.

Posted in Ballylickey, Clergy Conference, Contemporary Issues, Continuing Ministerial Education, Cork

‘Need for structured dialogue towards separation of Church and State’ ~ Bishop Paul Colton

Posted on October 21, 2018 by

Speaking at the City Service in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick, the Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, said there was a need, in Ireland, for a structured approach to the current informal debates about separation of Church and State.  Setting out how, in his view, ‘separation of Church and State is a good thing – good for the State and good for the Church’ he said:

Facilitated by the Department of the Taoiseach, there are, as required by the Lisbon Treaty, dialogues between the government of the day and religious entities about issues of mutual interest.  What is needed, I believe, and paradoxically, in order to achieve separation of church and state, is a structured dialogue about the more fundamental question of the Church-State relationship itself: an all-embracing, intentional, formalised, multilateral dialogue about this very fundamental and contemporary question and the dilemmas it is constantly throwing up.

This intentional dialogue is needed, he suggested, because too much of the ‘discourse is bluntly, or simplistically driven by megaphone non-dialogue on social media.  There the cry goes up ‘get the churches out of it all; it’s none of their business. But that is not what Separation of Church and State means.’  He continued:

My concern in Ireland is about how change is effected.  We tend, too often, to drift reactively into it. Typically, aggrieved people identify an injustice about which they feel strongly, and they protest and pursue change: a good example is the issue of admissions to schools and religious patronage of schools. Our institutions respond by finding a partial, often interim solution, but the underlying and fundamental approach, rationale or philosophy remains undefined.  

He underlined that separation of Church and State, ‘does not, of course, mean no religion in the public space’:

It does not mean that services and encounters like this stop happening. It does not mean that religious bodies stop engaging in national debate or conversation, formal or informal, with civic authorities. It does not mean that religious entities should not be engaged politically; few religious leaders were as political as Jesus was and is. 

We live in times of diversity, plurality  and freedom. Throughout Europe States have varieties of forms of relationship, formal and informal, with religions and religious institutions.  As has been pointed out by the European Consortium for Church and State Research, in the EU ‘there is always some form of cooperation or constructive co-operation.’  Some have formal concordats or agreement, many, such as Ireland do not, but in each one there is dialogue.

Concluding his address, Bishop Colton, referred to the linguistic origins of the word ‘minister’:

It is called ‘service’ – and that, of course, is the origin of the word ‘minister’ whether in the church or in the state – servant, even, in some translations – ‘inferior servant’  How far removed have we come from that?

This he said is the theme of the Gospel set for today when Jesus said:

‘But it is not so among you;

but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant,

and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.

For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.’ ~ Mark 5.43-45

The full text of Bishop Colton’s sermon is here: Limerick City Civic Service 2018

The Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, with two members of An Garda Síochána who attended the Limerick City Civic Service today in St Mary’s Cathedral, Limerick

Posted in Civic Service, Community Involvement, Contemporary Issues, Limerick, Separation of Church and State

New Partnership between Midleton College, County Cork and the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross is Inaugurated

Posted on October 19, 2018 by

A new stage in the long history of connections between Midleton College (founded in 1696) and the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, has been inaugurated with the arrival of the Reverend Andrew Orr to serve as Chaplain to the College, and also as Priest-in-Charge in the adjoining small parish of Youghal Union.

The Reverend Andrew Orr, with his wife, the Very Reverend Susan Green, Dean of Cloyne, and their family, with the Bishop following the Service in Youghal.

On Sunday afternoon, 14th October, Andrew was licensed and commissioned at a Service in the Collegiate Church of St Mary the Virgin Youghal, attended by representatives of Midleton College, the parish, the local community, the Diocese, and many guests who had travelled from Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, especially Tullow Union of Parishes.  Among the guests were Councillor Mary Linehan-Foley representing the Mayor of Cork County, and Minister David Stanton, T.D.  Dr Edward Gash, Principal of Midleton College, led a group of teachers and students, and a large number of the College Governors were present.  The parish primary school, South Abbey National School, was represented by teachers and parents, led by the principal, Ms Sinead Solleveld.

Following the Service in Youghal were (l-r) John Jermyn (Diocesan Registrar), the Reverend Sarah Marry (Bishop’s Chaplain), the Reverend Andrew Orr, the Bishop, Bishop Walton Empey (Preacher), the Reverend David Bowles (Deacon at the Service), and the Venerable Adrian WIlkinson (Archdeacon).

The Reverend Andrew Orr with the Churchwardens of Castlemartyr, Youghal and Ardmore.

Andrew Orr’s arrival was completed the following Thursday, 18th October, at a full school assembly held at Midleton College at which he was introduced to the whole school by the Bishop, and welcomed by the Principal, staff and students.  The Bishop paid tribute to Dr Edward Gash whose vision it has been, from the outset of his time as Principal, to have a Church of Ireland priest as Chaplain to Midleton College, and who took the initiative in entering into this partnership with the Diocese.

Following the whole school assembly at Midleton College, first and second year students gathered with the Principal, Dr Edward Gash and the Bishop, to welcome the new Chaplain, the Reverend Andrew Orr.

Posted in Bishop, Chaplaincies, Commissionings, Education, Installations, LIcensing, Midleton College, Schools in the Diocese