The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, is delighted to announce that he has appointed the incumbent of Abbeystrewry Union of Parishes, the Reverend John Ardis, to be the new Diocesan Director of Ordinands. John Ardis will take over from the Reverend Peter Rutherford, who has fulfilled this role, but who will retire from stipendiary ministry in April.
Bishop Colton said:
I am immensely grateful to lay people and clergy who take on additional roles voluntarily in the Diocese. One such crucially important role is that of Diocesan Director of Ordinands, nurturing vocations, accompanying people on their journey of testing a vocation to ordained ministry and their training.
I am delighted that the Reverend John Ardis has agreed to take on this task. During my years as chairperson of the Bishops’ Selection Conference John has accompanied me as chaplain to some of those conferences. I also warmly thank the Reverend Peter Rutherford for all he has done during his term as Diocesan Director of Ordinands.
Three refugees from Ukraine have thanked Andrew and Caroline Coleman, parishioners of Bandon Union, who welcomed them into their home, making their remarks days ahead of the first anniversary of the start of the conflict.
Lisa Fagan from Christian Aid writes:
Andrew and Caroline Coleman hosted Victoria and her son Vlad in their Bandon home from May until November last year. When the mother and son moved into a nearby apartment to get some additional living space, Tetianna moved in and is staying with the couple to the present.
Victoria, who comes from the central city of Kropyvnytskyi, paid tribute to Andrew and Caroline:
“I like Andrew’s family and their traditions. They know how to welcome guests by making parties and picnics. At first, my parents didn’t support me coming but after telling them about the peaceful situation here, they are praying for the kind Irish people who offered me a home.”
Tetianna, who comes from Kyiv, thanked the Colemans and added:
“I don’t feel alone and I am happy here. Irish people are very merry, always smiling and laughing. They are very hospitable, welcoming, helpful and open-hearted.”
Andrew, who works as Church and Community Officer at Christian Aid Ireland, spoke of his hopes for the future:
“Tetianna and Victoria are part of our family now. We are looking forward to visiting them in Ukraine when the war is over.”
L-R, Andrew Coleman and his wife Caroline (wearing orange) have been hosting Ukrainian refugee Tetianna (2nd from left) since November. From May until November last year, they hosted Victoria (wearing glasses) and her son Vlad.
Victoria, Vlad and Tetianna are among more than 6,000 Ukrainian refugees living in County Cork and among nearly 8 million people who have crossed Ukraine’s borders to reach safety. Another 5.5 million remain displaced within the country. Many initially abandoned their homes with only a few days’ worth of clothing and possessions. Across Ukraine, people have had to cope with the bombing of residential areas, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and a winter without reliable heat or electricity.
Working through local partner organisations, Christian Aid has reached around 800,000 people within Ukraine as well as Ukrainian refugees in Hungary and Romania. As well as providing frontline medical support and support to shelters housing displaced people, the charity has also distributed cash so that people have the money to pay for essentials and handed out grants to community groups to give them the freedom to decide for themselves what needs to be prioritised in their local area.
The Dean of Cloyne, the Very Rev. Susan Green has travelled to Ghana to be one of the representatives of the Church of Ireland at the Eighteenth Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council (ACC). The role of the ACC is to facilitate the co-operative work of the churches of the Anglican Communion, exchange information between the provinces and churches, and help to co-ordinate common action.
Dean Susan Green writes:
Being at the Anglican Consultative Council is a fabulous experience, I have been amazed and energised by meeting so many fabulous people who share the same values as myself yet work them out in different contexts and different ways to me.
Seeing so many others doing what we do as clergy and laity, responding to Christ’s call, is deeply affirming and today the report on Gender Violence had me cheering internally. It’s also fabulous to see so many women bishops, I sat next to the Canadian Primate on the very first day!
It has been wonderfully refreshing, though really full on in terms of very full days and very little space in the timetable. I will fill you in when I get back but ‘wow’ is the basic response.
Yesterday, Sunday 19th February 2023, the ACC18 closed with a service in Accra, Ghana, and we are looking forward to Dean Susan’s return and her full report. In the meantime, you can watch a video of the Dean of Cloyne being interviewed for Ghanian TV.
2023 marks the 250th anniversary of “Amazing Grace” – the world’s best-loved hymn and one of the most recorded songs of all time, and The Carraig Centre is delighted to host a performance of the brand-new stage play “Forever Mine” as part of its all-island tour.
At its heart, Amazing Grace tells the dramatic story of its author John Newton. The original stage play and costume drama, Forever Mine, explores this powerful story through the lens of the two great loves of John Newton’s life – his love for God and his love for “Polly” (his nickname for his wife Mary).
Based on Polly and Newton’s love letters and on letters, diaries and authentic historical writings, Forever Mine is a true story of separation and reunion, death and new life, love, loss and redemption. Although set in the 18th century, this moving narrative will resonate with modern audiences.
The drama also looks honestly at John Newton’s role in the slave trade. It traces his slow journey to repentance and his later work supporting the campaign for abolition as mentor to William Wilberforce. Forever Mine also elevates the lesser-known voices of the abolition movement such as former slave and writer Olaudah Equiano and the poet William Cowper.
Forever Mine is brought to life by a stellar cast of professional actors starring Ellis Wells as John Newton, Susie Garvey-Williams as Polly Newton, Gideon Assuming as Olaudah Equiano and Ryan Moss as William Wilberforce.
With venues in Munster, Leinster, Connacht and Ulster, the debut tour of Forever Mine will have its finale in Buncrana, on the shores of Lough Swilly, in County Donegal, where John Newton’s ship The Greyhound, dropped anchor after a ferocious Atlantic storm in 1748 – the Irish connection to this global story that inspired the play.
On Tuesday, 7th January 2023, St Mary’s Church marked the beginning of their 200th Anniversary Celebrations with an Opening Service at which the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross preached. St Mary’s has curated a Programme of Events for the coming year as part of these celebrations.
The Rev. Canon Elaine Murray, Rector of Carrigaline Union, said:
On behalf of Carrigaline Union, I am delighted to launch the celebrations for the Bicentennial year of St Mary’s Church. We decided to spread out the celebrations across a 12 moths for two reasons; firstly while the stone above the entrance door of St Mary’s Church is inscribed 1823, the building was not actually consecrated until 7th February 1824, and secondly, we felt there was so much to be grateful for, coming out of our recent socially distanced Covid years, that no single event would suffice. We would be truly delighted to welcome you to any of our events and to our parish community.
A list of events can be found below, or in the Diocesan Diary on our website. For more information please contact Carrigaline Union.
February 2023
Saturday 18th: Parish Auction in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark
Friday 24th to Sunday 26th: Parish Retreat to Mount St Anne’s, Laois
March 2023
Friday 10th to Sunday 12th: Photo Exhibition/Competition of 200 photos of St Mary’s Church in Parish Hall
April 2023
Friday 14th to Sunday 16th: Dorothee Roberts Exhibition of Paintings with wine&cheese in St Mary’s Parish Hall
May 2023
Saturday 27th: Parish Fête in St Mary’s School, Waterpark
June 2023
Saturday 24th: Mid-Summer Garden Part with St Nicholas Band at St Mary’s Church, Carrigaline
July 2023
Friday 14th to Sunday 16th: Flower Festival in St Mary’s Church
August 2023
Sunday 27th: Family BBQ after the Service in St Mary’s Church grounds
September 2023
Saturday 23rd: Musical Evening in St Mary’s Church, Refreshments in Parish Hall
Sunday 24th: 11am Animal Blessing Service in St Mary’s Church, with outdoor pen for farm animals
October 2023
Saturday 7th: Harvest Supper and Ceilidh in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark
November 2023
Friday 24th to Saturday 25th: Play/Pageant in Canon McCrea Hall, St Mary’s School, Waterpark
December 2023
Friday 15th: Community Carol Service at St Mary’s Church, with mulled wine and mince pies afterwards
Friday 15th to Sunday 17th: Crib Festival in Parish Hall
January 2024
Friday 19th: Launch of History Booklet, Talk, and Raffle in St Mary’s Church Parish Hall
February 2024
Wednesday 7th: Closing Service. Preacher: Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev. John McDowell. Dedication of the Reredos and the Bicentenary Patchwork Quilt, Refreshments in the Parish Hall.
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