The Most Reverend Dr Fintan Gavin and the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton write:
Christmas 2022 is here. Yet another year has passed with all its many changes and immense challenges. Yet, the Christmas message remains timeless. ‘The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.’ God is with us. Jesus Christ is the light who shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not put out that light.
More than that, in a time of so many threats to our humanity and our well-being – the continuing pandemic, war in Europe and conflicts around the world, poverty, famine, migration on a massive scale, poverty, homelessness – the Christmas Message speaks pointedly and timelessly once more into these and many other situations too.
What could be more challenging to us all individually and as a society at this time than the experience of the Holy Family? ‘There was no room for them at the inn.’ In their country at the time the whole world was in upheaval and on the move. The lives of Mary and Joseph were turned upside down by the unexpected. Their baby was born in a vulnerable and unsuitable place. Many wondered what was going on and what it all meant. Many still struggle to understand. That young family had to leave in a hurry to escape the threat of violence and death. They were given safety and shelter in a neighbouring country. All of this, seems to speak to so much in our own time and context still.
Our calling as followers of the baby born that Christmas Day in the manger is to love the baby born in the stable and the adult he became, to love God whose love for us is unending and never limited, and, because of that love, to love our neighbour. As an adult Jesus taught us that our neighbour isn’t just the familiar person next door. Again and again, we are called, by him whom we follow, to love and to respond to the needs of strangers and to offer hospitality to them. The generosity of so many Irish people at Christmas time is inspiring as we reach out to support those who are most vulnerable in our society. As we respond to the seemingly timeless challenges of people in our communities we become instruments of God’s timeless love and presence.
Together, at this Christmas, we pray for God’s blessing on you all and thank you for all that you do as neighbours to and for each other, friend and stranger. May the peace of the Christ-child be yours this Christmas.
+Fintan Gavin
Bishop of Cork and Ross.
+Paul Colton
Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross
The Bishops of Cork out and about this week at the blessing of the SHARE Crib in Cork with the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde. Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross (left) and Bishop Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross (right). Photography By Gerard McCarthy
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The United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross will hold over 130 services throughout the 12 Days of Christmas and the days leading up to the Christmas Festival. Announcing the schedule of Services for the Christmas season, the Bishop, Dr Paul Colton said:
Given the disruption of our Christmas celebrations in recent years caused by the Coronavirus Pandemic, I hope that everyone in the Diocese, as well as visitors to our City and County during the holidays, will take the opportunity to reconnect with each other in Church this Christmas, and join us in celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This schedule, from north to south and east to west in our Diocese, offers countless choices and opportunities to do just that throughout the 12 days of Christmas.
I wish everyone a blessed, safe, joyful and peaceful Christmas.
The following list gives details of church services in the parishes and chaplaincies across the diocese. The list is organised by parish/location. If you would like to see a list organised by date/festival please visit our website.
For further information on specific services contact the local clergy HERE.
Abbeystrewry (Skibbereen)
Saturday 24th December ~ Christmas Eve
04.00pm Family Crib Service, Abbeystrewry, Skibbereen Church
The 53rd year of the S.H.A.R.E. Cork collection was inaugurated on Wednesday, 14th December by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Deirdre Forde, and with the annual blessing of the S.H.A.R.E. Crib on St Patrick’s Street, Cork by the two bishops: Dr Paul Colton and Dr Fintan Gavin.
Almost all of Cork’s 5th Year Students will take part at some stage in this year’s S.H.A.R.E. collection in aid of older people. The collection continues throughout the streets of the city until Christmas Eve, with many of the 5th year students fasting during that time also.
Leah Braham Regina Mundi College, Bishop Fintan Gavin, Bishop of Cork and Ross, Cllr Deirdre Forde The Lord Mayor of Cork, Bishop Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross and Daniel Prestwich Chair Share Executive at the lighting and blessing of Cork’s Iconic SHARE Crib. Photography by Gerard McCarthy
S.HA.R.E., which stands for Students Harness Aid for the Relief of the Elderly, was founded in Cork in 1970. This year’s Chairperson of the S.H.A.R.E. Executive, Daniel Prestwich, welcoming everyone, told how driving with his mother earlier in the day she said to him that ‘Christmas starts in Cork when the yellow jackets of S.H.A.R.E. appear on the streets.’
S.H.A.R.E. has 140 housing units for older people throughout Cork City and also a wide range of support services for older people, and it is noted for the inter-generational nature of its work between young and old of the schools in the City.
Oisin Wrixon Presentation Brothers College and Aryan Nesser Christian Brothers College at,Cork’s Iconic SHARE Crib. Photography by Gerard McCarthy
Bishop Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Bishop Fintan Gavin Bishop of Cork and Ross and Daniel Prestwich Chair Share Executive. Photography by Gerard McCarthy
The blessing of the SHARE Crib on Cork’s St Patrick’s Street. Photography by Gerard McCarthy
S.H.A.R.E. are on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @sharecork
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Deirdre Forde, recently hosted a reception in the Concert Hall at Cork City Hall ‘to recognise and build on the collective efforts of all Community Response Partners in supporting our most vulnerable people and communities over the past few years.’
Among those recognised for ‘outstanding service to the community’ during the years of the Coronavirus Pandemic to date was the Church of Ireland in Cork Cloyne and Ross. The Bishop, Dr Paul Colton, who is a member of the Community Response Forum in Cork City and Cork County was present to receive the certificate on behalf of everyone in the Diocese who served, volunteered and worked in so many ways to maintain and support community life during the pandemic, and especially those who are most vulnerable.
With Bishop Paul Colton, at Cork City Hall for the recent awards ceremony were (l-r) Valerie Kirby, Kate Durrant (Blarney Parish) and Councillor Dr John Sheehan.
Introducing an ecumenical and interfaith minute’s silence of remembrance and thanksgiving, Bishop Colton told the gathering that in his nearly 24 years as Bishop of Cork he had never seen such a diverse partnership of individuals and groups in both the City and County who mobilised across many boundaries and differences in order to do what needed to be done in recent years in response to the current needs of society. ‘Quite simply’ the Bishop said, ‘these have been among the most potent partnerships I have ever seen here. People who are very different in outlook and worldview have worked across their differences for the common good.’ This observation struck a chord with those present and was greeted with spontaneous applause.
Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross addressing the Community Response Partners at Cork City Hall recently.
The Lord Mayor called the evening ‘Glance Back – Look Forward’. It is planned to build on these community partnerships which have also been to the fore in responding to the needs of Ukrainians fleeing the war in Ukraine. More recently the Community Response Forum in Cork City has broadened its brief to harness the collaboration, in support of all of the most vulnerable in the City.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Deirdre Forde, accorded Saint Luke’s Home Cork one of the highest honours the Lord Mayor of Cork may bestow on individuals or an organisation in the City: a Civic Reception.
Volunteers of the Charity, which marks its 150th anniversary this year, together with management, staff, fundraisers, board members, and the President of the Charity, the Bishop of Cork, Dr Paul Colton, were welcomed to the Council Chamber on Tuesday 6th December. In her speech, the Lord Mayor paid tribute to the work of the Charity, since its foundation in 1872 by Miss Frances Fitzgerald Gregg, in caring for older people, in daycare services, in education, and in specialist dementia and Alzheimer care.
To mark the occasion, on behalf of the City and its citizens, the Lord Mayor presented the Charity with Cork silver embossed with the arms of the City of Cork and especially engraved to mark the anniversary. Bishop Colton, thanked the Lord Mayor and City Council and said that he wished, in that civic context, to thank all the stakeholders and partners for all their work for the Charity throughout the years. The CEO of Saint Luke’s Charity and Home, Tony O’Brien, paid tribute to today’s residents and their families, as well as all the team at St Luke’s for their untiring and faithful work.
The Lord Mayor of Cork, Councillor Deirdre Forde, presented Bishop Paul Colton, President of Saint Luke’s Charity, Cork (accompanied by Mr Tony O’Brien, CEO) with Cork silver to mark the 150th anniversary of Saint Luke’s Home.
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