Cork, Cloyne and Ross at the General Synod of the Church of Ireland – Day 1

Posted on May 13, 2023 by mediaccr

The General Synod of the Church of Ireland is held in the Clayton White’s Hotel, Wexford, over two days in person concluding on Saturday 13 May and then members will meet in an online evening session on Tuesday May 16.

Some Cork, Cloyne and Ross Synod members in front of St Iberius Church, Wexford at the General Synod of the Church of Ireland 2023

The beginning of the General Synod was marked with a service at St Iberius Church in the town centre. The preacher was the local Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, the Rt Revd Adrian Wilkinson, former Archdeacon of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. His full sermon can be read here. 

Following the service, members walked to the Clayton White’s Hotel and the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev John McDowell, delivered his Presidential Address. You can find the full speech here. 

The Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland, John McDowell

Two new Dignity in Church Life Policies were presented to General Synod in Wexford today (Friday May 12).

Nine Bills have been presented for consideration by the members of General Synod. Apart from bill 3, all bills have passed their first and second stages and will receive their third reading when General Synod meets online on Tuesday May 16.

Each is outlined in full in the Bills pamphlet available at www.ireland.anglican.org/synod/2023/bills

Issues facing education were highlighted at General Synod on Friday 12th May when the report of the Board of Education was presented. The Church of Ireland Marriage Council has launched a new video and leaflet to highlight its marriage preparation and counselling services. 

The Liturgical Advisory Committee has had a busy year with almost a dozen resources being worked on. Seconding the report, Dean Susan Greene (Cork Cloyne and Ross) said that the committee had a wide range of topics to focus on in the future. The LAC’s new Honorary Secretary, the Dean of Cork, the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne has been welcomed following the retirement of Dean Gerald Field last year.

The activities and deliberations of the Commission on Ministry were also brought to the attention of General Synod that afternoon. The Commission on Ministry has sought the feedback of synod members on the options for changing the tenure of archdeacons. Three options were put in the form of a motion to Synod members. Finally, the Commission of Christian Unity and Dialogue presented their report on a busy year to General Synod.

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Appointment of New Incumbent for Fanlobbus (Dunmanway), County Cork

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Latest News and Photos from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, is pleased to announce the appointment of the Reverend Adam Pullen to the incumbency of Fanlobbus Union of parishes in the Diocese. Fanlobbus Union of parishes is centred on the town of Dunmanway, County Cork and also includes churches in Drimoleague, Drinagh, Coolkelure and the surrounding areas.

The Reverend Adam Pullen

The Reverend Adam Pullen is currently Incumbent of Stranorlar in the Diocese of Raphoe and has served there since 2013. He is an experienced rector with more than 14 years of parish ministry in diverse contexts, from thriving suburban and deprived inner city settings, as well as rural framing communities. He describes himself as ‘passionate about whole-life discipleship and faith formation in children, young people and adults leading to faith in action in the community.’

Originally from Dublin, Adam studied for a Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Wales (Aberystwyth) in microbiology. He trained for ordination at St John’s Theological College, Nottingham, did a post-graduate diploma in theology with the Open University, and then completed a Master of Arts in Mission and Ministry at the University of Nottingham. He was ordained deacon in the Cathedral of Saint John, Brecon, in the Church in Wales in 2006 and, a year later in 2007, was ordained there to the priesthood. He served in parishes in the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon, and in what was the Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry in the west of Ireland, before his move to Derry and Raphoe in 2013.

Speaking about his appointment as Incumbent of Fanlobbus Union, Adam said:

I look forward to new opportunities and new pastures in West Cork amongst the people of the Fanlobbus Union of parishes. Although it will be difficult to leave behind friends in Donegal as I take this next step, I am looking forward to connecting the families of my new home through the mother and toddler group , school and Joy Club. Moving to Dunmanway will also give me an opportunity to return to bell ringing. This will be my first time being a rector of a church with a full ring of bells.  

In my free time I am a bit of a foodie and moving to culinary Cork will open up new menus. I will also be sad to leave the art group in the Twin Towns but hope that I can take up the brushes anew in Cork. 

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National Schools form across the Diocese performed for the Cork International Choral Festival

Posted on May 4, 2023 by mediaccr

Six Primary Schools from the Diocese took part in the Cork International Choral Festival’s opening gala concert on Wednesday 26th April in Cork City Hall. They formed just over half of a 300 strong choir made up of children from across the county. The project was masterminded by the Artistic Director of the Festival Peter Stobart, who is also Director of Music at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. 

Day 1 of Cork International Choral Festival 2023 – Cork, Ireland / Photograph Jed Niezgoda – jedniezgoda.com

The schools had been rehearsing individually as part of the Diocesan Church Music Scheme for several months, and came together four times before the day itself. The piece that they sang was a set of six ‘Nonsense Songs’, written for the occasion by Peter Stobart and accompanied by a brass quartet. 

Day 1 of Cork International Choral Festival 2023 – Cork, Ireland / Photograph Jed Niezgoda – jedniezgoda.com

The stage of city hall was full to bursting and many of their parents were cheering them on in the audience. As part of the concert day timetable, the Choral Festival had organised a Ceilidh, which made for an evening full of fun before going on stage. 

The six Church of Ireland Schools were St Fin Barre’s N. S., St Michael’s N. S. Blackrock, St Luke’s N.S., O’Mahony’s Ave., St John the Baptist N.S., Midleton, Templebreedy N. S., Crosshaven, and Bandonbridge N. S., Bandon. 

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MindMatters CoI: Mental Health and Suicide Seminar in Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on April 25, 2023 by mediaccr

Last Saturday, 22nd April 2023, the second seminar of the Diocesan MindMatters programme was held at the Rochestown Park Hotel. Professor Ella Arensman and Dr Eve Griffinn from the National Suicide Research Foundation spoke on the subject of mental health and suicide.

The Rev. Terry Mitchell, Dr Eve Griffin, Professor Ella Arensman, and the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton.

Professor Arensman highlighted significant trends and the importance of dealing with the causes of suicide. Dr Griffin spoke on the experience of people whose family members, friends and colleagues who had taken their life and the different support opportunities that are available.

The Rev. Terry Mitchell, Diocesan Further Education Officer commented:

I would like to thank all those who were able to attend as well as Professor Arensman and Dr Griffin for an informative and stimulating seminar that raised a lot of important questions around the subject and was helpful in looking at different ways we can respond to those impacted by suicide.

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Cathedral Choir Tour to The Netherlands

Posted on April 20, 2023 by mediaccr

The Cathedral Choir have just returned from a five day tour to The Netherlands. The first of three services was in Haarlem on Saturday Evening at St Bavo’s Cathedral. The vast size of this building was very different to the scale of most of the churches in Ireland but the choir of thirty-eight singers with Peter Stobart conducting and Matthew Breen at the organ were more than capable of filling the space. 

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir at St Bavo’s Cathedral, Haarlem. Eoin Murphy @artfotoglobal
Assistant Director of Music Matthew Breen at the organ in St Bavo’s Cathedral, Haarlem. Eoin Murphy @artfotoglobal

They sang in the Basilica of St Nicholas in Amsterdam on Sunday morning to a full church of appreciative worshippers. It was remarked by the Dean of the Basilica that the parts of the service which had to be sung in Dutch sounded as if the choir were fluent! The music was Kodály’s ‘Missa brevis’ and ‘Surgens Jesus’ by Peter Philips, the text of which reflected the Gospel passage for the day, that of Jesus saying ‘peace be with you’ to the disciples. 

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir at St Nicholas Basilica, Amsterdam with their Dean and Organist. Eoin Murphy @artfotoglobal

From there the choir travelled by coach to the ancient university city of Leiden where they sang Evensong in the central church, the Hooglandse Kerk. They hold a monthly service in English and consequently, the people in the congregation had travelled some distance to hear it.  Over two hundred people joined in with the singing of ‘Thine be the glory’ at the end of the service, which also included the ‘Canticles in A’ and ‘Ye choirs of new Jerusalem’, both by C. V. Stanford. 

St Fin Barre’s Cathedral Choir at the Hooglandse Kerk in Leiden. Eoin Murphy @artfotoglobal

The thirty-one younger choristers and their supervisors visited Anne Frank’s House and the Rijksmuseum as well as the Royal Zoo and the historic area Zaanse Schans, which is full of windmills and craft centres making clogs and cheese. There were some very tired children on the return journey to Cork airport, but there were plenty of experiences and happy memories formed along the way.  

The Choir at Schiphol Airport saying Goodbye to their bus driver Ghokan.
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