Church Review notes September 2015

The Parish of Saint Catherine & Saint James with Saint Audoen
Canon Mark Gardner (Editor) Tel: 01 454 2274 Mobile 087 266 0228
The Revd Martha Waller (Curate-Assistant) Tel: 01 868 1655
Email: markgardner300@gmail.com
Review Distribution: Doris Brooks Tel: 01 453 0887
Website: cja.dublin.anglican.org

Service times every Sunday
10.00 Eucharist, St Audoen, Cornmarket. (Parking in Francis Street is free on Sundays)

11.30 Eucharist (and Sunday School, in term time) St Catherine & St James, Donore Avenue. (Family Service and Church Coffee, Second Sundays)

First Wednesday of the Month
11.00 Service of Wholeness and Healing, Laying-on of Hands and Anointing.

Sunday School
Volunteers and leaders recently met at St. Catherine & St. James Church. Plans for a fresh programme were discussed, and the encouragement of post Confirmation teenagers to take part in developing their leadership among younger children. We are grateful for the enthusiastic approach of all leaders of at St. Catherine’s Sunday School, founded by Arthur Guiness, resuming for the new term on Sunday 6 September.
Martha Waller
Holy Baptism
On Sunday 26 July 2015 we welcomed Harley Declan Graham together with parents Claire and Declan, Godparents and Grandparents, other family and friends to St Catherine & St James Church for his Baptism. We wish Harley every blessing as he begins his journey of faith.
Martha Waller

St Catherine’s National School
Staff, term beginning August – September 2015: Junior Infants: Karen Jordan, Senior Infants: Tracy O’Donnell, 1st Class: Catherine Gallagher, 2nd Class: Róisín Judge (neé Dexter), 3rd Class: Stephanie McSweeney, 4th Class: Jane Malone, 5th Class: Donal Mac Con Iomaire, 6th Class: Jane Honner. Gemma McColgan Maher and Andrea Brocklebank will be working in Learning Support roles. Sharon Healy will probably be back after Christmas and Caroline Brown at some stage later in the year.
Thanks to everyone for their terrific support at our two concerts. It’s really lovely for the children to be so encouraged and validated in their efforts. The Parents’ Association surpassed itself with the wonderful post-concert supper, which was a great occasion. Well done to the children, the staff and the PA committee for ensuring such a success, and to you the parents for supporting the event so whole-heartedly. We raised €1,450!
April Cronin
Found in a Dublin bookshop
St Catherine’s Church. Revd W. Whitelaw, Rector. Daniel Watson, William Ord, Churchwardens, 1823. Magnificent red leather and gold binding by Gerald Bellew, 79 Grafton Street; rare. A large copy of the Book of Common Prayer, from St Catherine’s Thomas Street. Bound with it, Nahum and Brady’s metrical Psalter. In addition to thanksgivings such the one appointed for the fifth of November (Guy Fawkes), a form for the visitation of prisoners, found only in the Church of Ireland, ending with a prayer for imprisoned debtors!

Anúna
Dónal Kearney of the celebrated choir Anúna arranged for them to be recorded recently on location in St Audoen’s. We were glad to welcome them back and they kindly gave us a copy of the CD. They love to be recorded in the historic and beautiful interior of St Audoen’s with its excellent acoustic, much admired by musicians.
Mark Gardner
Thanksgiving
An ecumenical service was held in St. Audoen’s to coincide with Dublin Pride. Thanksgiving was made for the work of volunteers in the marriage equality referendum. The service was led by Canon Mark Gardner and Leo Kilroy, of Co. Wicklow, supported by ‘Changing Attitude Ireland’, ‘Faith in Marriage Equality’, ‘Gay Catholic Voice Ireland’ and ‘We are Church Ireland’.
Leo Kilroy invited members of the congregation lead the thanksgiving. Dublin man Frank McMullen spoke from his vantage point in the US, followed by moving and prayerful input by Dora Clarke from Co. Roscommon, a mother of gay children. Moninne Griffith, former director of Marriage Equality gave thanks for the political will and the hours of dedication by volunteers. The Revd Brian O’Rourke of Portlaoise gave thanks for diversity and for the readiness of people to be supportive and inclusive.
Canon Dr Virginia Kennerley offered thanks for the courage of gay people, particularly clergy and asked for prayers for the work of the Select Committee on Human Sexuality. Dr Richard O’Leary, chair of CAI, was thankful for the campaign itself and the conversations it prompted. Aonghus Dwane spoke in Irish about the journey that the campaign had enabled. Fr. Martin Dolan was thankful for the acceptance of his own congregation in Francis Street during the campaign, his feeling of inclusion in Irish society and his hope that one day the church would be fully inclusive.
Scripture was read by Ruth Elmes and Garth Bunting, and a poem by Tony Regan. It was a prayerful and emotional event for those present, many of whom, including some members of the clergy (two from Iceland) marched in the parade behind the Changing Attitude Ireland and Faith in Marriage Equality banners.
Leo Kilroy
Jan Hus
The Lutheran Church, Adelaide Road, has paid tribute to Jan Hus, who 600 years ago, in 1415, was condemned by the Council of Constance and burnt at the stake. Jan Hus, a priest from Prague in Bohemia, had gathered quite a following, as a result of his call for the church to be purified of many abuses. The Council wanted to examine his teaching and the Emperor Sigismund granted him safe passage. For the sake of political advantage, the Emperor broke his word. With John Wyclif, who had influenced him, Jan Hus is widely seen as a precursor to the Reformation. Many of Luther’s demands for reform were already present in Jan Hus’ prophetic call one hundred years earlier. Today, 600 years later, we are grateful that we live in different times. Thanks to the work of the Holy Spirit, great strides have been made by the ecumenical movement. The service was held in conjunction with the Dublin Council of Churches. We commemorate Jan Hus as we look to the future with confidence that Christ is the Lord of all the Church and will lead it deeper in truth and love.
Martin Sauter