Church of Ireland - Diocese of Dublin
Parish News
Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla
October 2003 |
Previous issues of The Parish News
Contents of this issue
The Parish News will be published monthly and will usually be available by the first Sunday.
Copy Deadline Organisation reports should be sent either in written format to Martha Waller, C/O The Parish Office, or by email to: MarthaWaller@Hotmail.com. These should be submitted by the 10th of the preceding month, no matter what day of the week.
THE RECTOR WRITES
Dear Friends,
Harvest is of course one of the big events of the Church year, as we give thanks to God for the gifts that He gives us. While we traditionally remember, with the decorations to help us, the food from our own country, we also have to remember that we are very much part of the "global village", and that what we buy in our supermarkets has come from all over the world.
So harvest time is a very good moment to think about our own collective responsibility to the people of the world, on whom we depend, especially those in developing countries. The collapse of the World Trade talks in Cancun happened primarily because developing countries refused to be pushed into what they saw as unfair trading arrangements. "Fair Trade" has become a serious political issue and a focus for action and protest in our own country and beyond.
This means calling for an end to trade rules which benefit rich countries and harm the poorest. It means calling for an end to quotas, tariffs and subsidies which prevent poor countries from gaining access to the developed world markets.
Two examples: a cotton farmer in Mali is paid 18c per kilo for his cotton, but US subsidies ensure that their farmers are paid 80c per kilo. Chicken farming in Ghana has been almost destroyed by the dumping of 23,000 tonnes of cheap chicken parts from Europe - but the World Bank and International Monetary Fund prevent the Ghanaian government from stopping such imports.
Harvest time should make us stop and think about what we are doing to our world, its ecology and its poorest people. We have a responsibility to make a difference. That's why in this magazine we are including a Bishops' appeal envelope. The Bishops' Appeal is the Church of Ireland's response to the needs of the developing world: providing emergency relief but also long term funding to aid agency projects around the world. Last year, it donated €424,000 and £172,000 to these projects. Give them your support. Please fill the envelope and put it on the Church plate or send it back to the Parish Office.
We look forward to seeing you at our harvest services on Sunday 12th October:
11.30am Castleknock:
Preacher Rev. David Oxley (Finglas group)
7pm Clonsilla:
Ecumenical Harvest
Songs of Praise: come and sing the old favourites and some new ones!
Yours in Christ
Andrew
Harvest Festival
St Brigid's will celebrate their Harvest Festival on Sunday 12th October at 11.30 am and we are delighted to welcome as our preacher, our neighbour from the Parishes of Finglas, Santry and Glasnevin, the Rev. David Oxley.
St Mary's will be holding a service of Songs of Praise for Harvest at 7 pm, also on 12th October, when there will be an opportunity to sing old favourites and maybe learn a couple of new hymns.
All are welcome to both events.
Announcements
Parish Walking group:
Next walk on Saturday October 11th. Meet at St. Brigid's at 9.30am. Surprise venue!!
Churchyard clean up:
We're holding a general clean up of St. Brigid's Churchyard on Saturday October 4th at 10.30am. Help is most definitely needed!! Bring your own tools.
Help with Harvest decorating:
We'll be decorating our Churches for Harvest on Saturday 11th October from 10am. Volunteers and donations of fruit, flowers, greenery etc. would be very welcome. Thanks!!
Organist:
As our organ scholar, Maedhbh Daltuin, is in Japan for a year, a vacancy has arisen for an assistant organist. So if you play the organ or you're a pianist who would like to learn, this is your chance! Our organist Raymond Russell will provide tuition, and your commitment would be for six Sundays in the year and some of Holy Week. Our payment is in accordance with the Diocesan scale. Contact Rev. Andrew (820 0040/821 3083) for more details.
House of Bishops pastoral letter on sexuality:
The House of Bishops has recently issued a letter on Human Sexuality, which seeks to examine all of the viewpoints in a considered way in the light of the controversies which have affected the whole Anglican Communion. The letter doesn't reach any conclusions, reflecting differences between the Bishops themselves, but does set out the parameters for debate. The letter is too long to reproduce here, but can be read at www.ireland.anglican.org/latest.
Ecumenical Activity:
The aim of a Hospice in Dublin 15 is backed by an ecumenical project, involving the whole community, through the vision of the clergy at the church of St Thomas the Apostle, Laurel Lodge, and in conjunction with St Francis Hospice in Raheny. Although it is still at a very early stage, three representatives of our parish are actively involved - the Curate, Pat Gray and Stella Obe.
Rehearsal for Songs of Praise:
There will be a rehearsal for the Songs of Praise on Tuesday 7th October at 8pm. in St. Mary's. Please come - it can be fun!!
Summer Bible Club
A hugely successful "Ground Breakers" Summer Club in the last week of August was greatly enjoyed by 46 of our young people aged between 5 and 12. With crafts, games (including the notorious flour game!), artwork, cooking (for the boys as well as the girls!), singing, a treasure hunt, and worship, the week focussed on five different Ground Breakers from the Bible - people who did something new for God. This great week was rounded off on Sunday 31st August with a wonderfully imaginative Service of the Word in St Brigid's, drawing on the themes from the week. Many of the children led the various parts of the service, and the church was decorated with banners made by them. Afterwards there was coffee in the Parish Centre where mums and dads were able to look at all the artwork and crafts. Many thanks to the many volunteers who either organised the week, worked behind the scenes, helped the groups during the week, inspired the craft sessions, or cleaned up afterwards. Well done all of you!
Harvest
Thanksgiving for the bread of life, the water of life, and the fruit of our lives
In this autumn season of mists and mellow fruitfulness, our thoughts turn to Harvest, that beautiful western tradition where we decorate our churches with an abundance of fruit, vegetables and flowers. Many of you will have been at St Thomas' Mulhuddart last month when the pretty little church was made even more special, and we heard our visiting preacher, the Rev. Alan Rufli, talk about our calling to see God's providence all around us, not just in the obvious gifts. And we look forward this month, on 12th October, to a traditional Harvest celebration at St Brigid's (with the Rev. David Oxley as our preacher) and a special Songs of Praise for Harvest at St Mary's.
Harvest decorations tend to focus on the 'bread of life' aspect of thanksgiving, meaning all our physical food. And that is right and proper in a society where we take so much for granted - like our daily bread, the houses we live in, the clean air we breathe, comforts we think are necessities - while many in the world go without. That is why this year we are asking you to give generously to the Bishops' Appeal - to remember those in this generation who lack the basic necessities of life. And we should also think of the generations to come, for whom we should be stewards of the environment; this requires us to try not to act selfishly in using up the world's resources by thoughtless extravagance and waste, and to determine that we will support the changes necessary in our own country to protect the environment.
Usually lacking in our church harvest decorations, though, is any reference to another fundamental human need - the 'water of life'. How often do we complain about the rain? And which of us has never left a tap dripping? This year at harvest-time, Christian Aid is challenging us with a campaign "Give water, celebrate life", reminding us that around 1.2 billion people in the world lack access to clean drinking water. This means that for one-sixth of all humanity, life is very difficult: little food can grow, leading to malnutrition and starvation and, with no sanitation, health is at risk from disease and epidemics. Christian Aid projects, like one operating in Mali, show that for only €120 a village well can be built, transforming the desert of people's lives.
But what about the fruit of our own lives: we surely need to include these in our Harvest thanksgiving prayers to God? A few years ago at a church in London, we came up with the idea of asking people at the Harvest Festival to come and place around the altar something representing the fruit of their own life - it was very moving to see what a range of things were carried forward: a photograph of the children (by a parent), a painting (by an amateur artist), a floppy disc (by someone working with computers), some school work (by a child), a football (by a keen player), a pen (from a writer), a treasured family prayer book (representing faith handed down the generations), and so on. We look forward to celebrating Harvest this year with our prayers of thanksgiving for the gifts of creation and intercessions for justice for all. But let us also be generous, bringing forward our decorations for the church (the fruit and flowers, especially greenery), giving imaginatively of our wealth using the opportunities provided, and above all prayerfully thanking God for the richness of his fruitfulness in our own life, our own family, our own work place, our own home.
Rev. Sandra Pragnell
Curate
BOYS BRIGADE NEWS
10th Dublin Company reopened for another action packed year on 16th September. We are delighted to report that numbers of boys has increased across all sections this year. As a result of this increase in numbers, any boys who are interested in joining 10th Dublin, now or in the future, are invited to come along to the Parish Centre on a Tuesday night to fill in an application form. The Company will then make contact with you at a later date.
If you would like any further information about 10th Dublin Company please contact Robert Lawson.
Martha Waller, Secretary
Mother's Union
The opening service in September was well attended. The Curate, Rev. Sandra Pragnell, was the celebrant at Holy Communion and the Rector, Rev. Andrew Orr, who preached, enrolled two new members, Stella Obe and Susan Green. He also dedicated a new bible for use at Mothers' Union meetings which was presented by Ruth Ryan in memory of her father, Walter Wilkinson.
We have had a "Knit In" to get us started on Simon's Accessories - needles clicked and fingers worked the wool as we followed instructions. The Diocesan project of providing warm hats and scarves for the many homeless in our city was underway. Knitting was interspersed with chat and liquid refreshment!
To anybody out there feels inclined to help, we say, if you have the needles and the wool, we have the pattern! Help us make this as successful as the Baby Bonnet and Blanket Project. Little white blankets are still needed but our Diocesan President tells us that we have sufficient baby bonnets in stock for the moment.
Pat, Ada and Valerie G attended the Mothers' Union General Meeting in Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. They were in the company of 17 other Dublin & Glendalough members and also other members from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, America, Central Africa, Southern Africa - in fact about 1,500 members from many corners of the world where Mothers' Union is serving God and giving Christian care for families worldwide.
Valerie Greene, Hon. Secretary.
Tiny Tots
We re-opened on Friday 5 September and welcomed back Mums and children from last year along with some new additions this year. Our programme for the winter term includes:
October 3 Apple Tree Day
October 10 Postman Pat Day (Mums Night Out)
October 17 Halloween Craft
October 24 Halloween Party
October 31 Closed
November 7 Christmas Gift Idea Day
November 14 Fimbles Day
November 21 Bear in the Big Blue House Day
November 28 Sale Day (Mums Night Out)
December 5 Trip to Zoo at Leisureplex
December 12 Christmas Craft
December 19 Christmas Party
For further information contact Leader Susan Green
Read a Different Book
If you always read romances or meaningful stuff, try something different. Too much of anything is not good whether in books or life, it dulls the spirit.
CLONSILLA PROJECT
DUBLIN WELSH MALE VOICE CHOIR
On Saturday 20th September we held a Concert in St. Brigid's Church Castleknock given by the Dublin Welsh Male Voice Choir. This was a great success and we would like to thank Pat Gray, Leslie McCauley and all who organised this event. Over 1400 was raised for the Clonsilla Project and a great night was had by all, with wonderful singing!
GOLF CLASSIC
On Friday 26th September we held our now annual golf classic in Westmanstown Golf Club. This was another superb day. Many thanks to all who put in teams, and gave sponsorship. Special thanks to Gum Busters for sponsoring the event, and to Spar in Carpenterstown and Park West for supplying all the 'Goody' bags. Thanks also to Meryl Coade who ran the event on the day and to Charles Seaman for all the tremendous work he put into getting teams and sponsorship. We also very much appreciate the prizes and raffle prizes that were donated to us. The extra bonus of the evening was a rugby ball signed by the 2001 Irish Lions players which was auctioned on the evening and helped to boost our funds. The total so far for this event is over 7,000. Again many, many thanks to everyone who contributed by playing, giving and working.
GIFT FAIR
Our next event will be the Gift Fair on Sunday 16th November in the Parish Centre. Ms. Elizabeth Fleeton and her team have already started working on this event. Please see notices for further information.
Valerie Fildes
Congratulations
JONATHAN FILDES WINS THE CLIO RENAULT SPORT UK CUP
We congratulate Jonathan Fildes of Clonsilla who has won the Clio Renault Sport UK Cup Championship for 2003 with a race in hand. Referred to as "the Rookie" by the UK media, Jonathan has overwhelmed the organisers of the Championship as he is the only rookie ever to win the Clio Championship and (even more impressively) has had no damage to his car all season in the high contact class. This achievement adds to his string of wins which include the Irish Dunlop RT2000 championship (2001 and 2002) and the Dunlop Motorsport Ireland Driver of the Year Award.
P.S. Jonathan won the last race in Oulton Park last weekend with a 7.1 second lead over the 2nd placed driver.
Pathfinders
(MORE HELPERS NEEDED)
Pathfinders begins again on 6th October, providing a variety of activities and games (within a Christian environment) for the young people of the parish aged between 12 and 14. Meeting usually on a Sunday evening from 6.15pm to 7.30pm, there is also the occasional outing on a Saturday (on 8th November we will join others from the parish on a visit to the Dublin Synagogue) and we are also planning a fun weekend away in Glendalough later in November.
BUT in order to run Pathfinders securely, we must have more over-18 helpers. We must have enough Helpers to ensure that 2 or 3 are there on any given evening, assisted by the enthusiastic band of older teenagers acting as Junior Helpers. If you are over 18 and able to commit to no more than one Sunday evening per month, please contact me (Sandra) or the Rector as soon as possible. We want Pathfinders to be able to continue - it can't operate securely without more help. We owe it to our young people, who are today's church as well as the future!
Sandra Pragnell
AT A GLANCE
REMEMBER: SUMMER TIME ENDS AT 02.00 A.M. ON SUNDAY 26TH OCTOBER
Looking forward to November and beyond:
Sunday 2nd November: The annual Ecumenical Service of Remembrance and Blessing of the Graves will be held in both St Brigid's and St Mary's (simultaneously) at 3 pm.
Monday 3rd November: Eucharist of Remembrance St. Mary's Clonsilla.
Sunday 16th November: the popular and now annual GIFT FAIR in aid of the Clonsilla Project will be held in the Parish Centre.
Make sure that these dates are in your diary.
A Little Bit of Heaven in Durham
by the Curate
'Celebrating Creation - the Glory of God Revealed' was the title of the Conference I attended in Durham from 11th-14th September. It was a large gathering of Anglicans from around the world, joined by Lutherans from Germany, Norway and Sweden, all of whom describe themselves as Affirming Catholics (AC), trying to make sense of and to be faithful to our Scripture and our Catholic Christian heritage and Reason in our modern world.
To give you a flavour of the atmosphere, I quote from an article by Gerry Lynch, a London member of AC though originally from Belfast. Gerry writes:
"Despite having been involved with AC in one way or another since 1997, and an Executive Committee member for over a year, I have somehow contrived never to be at a conference. This year I made it to St Chad's College, Durham for Celebrating Creation. So what did this unrepentantly untheological but committed layman make of it all? The first thing that struck me was how, well, nice everyone in Affirming Catholicism is. If heaven is a place of unending joy, then in Durham we had a little glimpse of heaven. We ate, drank and were merry, just as the good book commands. We affirmed our belief in strong lay ministry working in parallel with the Catholic threefold orders of deacon, priest and bishop. Lay and ordained, young and old, men and women, debated, worshipped and socialised together as equals. (…) The liturgy realised the highest standards of Catholic worship without the stiffness and stuffiness that too often accompanies it. All was carried out in an atmosphere of deepest prayer and fervent praise. The sense of love for our Churches was a beacon, at a time when some seek to divide through brinkmanship and fundamentalism. For me, our devotion before the Sacrament on Saturday night, with meditations led by Jeffrey John, was one of the most moving religious services I have ever had the privilege to attend."
To add to Gerry's notes I would want to say how excellent the speakers were, profound and entertaining, learned and yet accessible: the religious broadcaster Angela Tilby (on the glory of God revealed in Creation); Dr Fraser Watts (a scientist and Church of England priest) speaking on the glory of God revealed in the Natural Sciences; David Brown on the glory of God in Artistic Creativity (using illustrations from art and music); the Very Rev. Victor Stock on the glory of God as revealed in Durham Cathedral (as we walked around that great house of prayer); the Rev. Kate Tristram from Lindisfarne on Celtic Spirituality; and Prebendary John Gaskell on the glory of God revealed in Humanity. It would be impossible to do justice to any of them in a few lines, so you will need to wait until the book Celebrating Creation is published!
I conclude with Gerry's final points: that the gathering seemed to be "unrepresentatively middle-class and, for somebody coming from the Diocese of London, astonishingly white. While there were plenty of other 20- and 30-somethings there, the lay people tended to be older. For me, that says we must challenge other church people to join us, get involved, pray and celebrate with us. Please do so, even if you are elderly, white and middle-class! Help us realise the vision of a Church which is truly Catholic - inclusive, open, thoughtful and serving Almighty God ."
For further details, do look at the website: www.affirmingcatholicism.org.uk
A Centenary and two dates in the Park by Derek Russell Hill
August 16th & 17th were two important dates in the Parish calendar - but perhaps not everyone noticed them as such! I am referring of course to the Phoenix Park Motor Races, two days of excitement and fun with a great history and tradition dating back to the earliest days of motoring in Ireland.
The Park Races are truly an Irish and a Dublin tradition, and to mention them will bring smiles to the faces of car enthusiasts young and old. 2003 is the centenary year, as in 1903 the first Speed Trials were held there. Between 1929 and 1931 it was the home of the Irish International Grand Prix, and while those heady days are sadly past, there have been events there virtually every year since with some great names-Birkin, Campbell, Caracciola, Moss, Hill, Villeneuve to name just a few.
And just how have these events affected our parish? Well, parishioners of all ages (indeed even entire families) have been involved in all aspects for years, from selling programmes, marshalling, organising, preparing cars and competing. This is quite apart from those who simply turn up on the day to enjoy the spectacle.
This year was as good as ever, the sun shone, and as well as the home. Formulas racing, we had pre-war and post-war historic racers and a Schumacher F1 Ferrari demonstration.
And for those parishioners who can afford it there was even a demonstration run by a €1 million plus Ferrari Enzo - mind you, you have to be invited to purchase one. If we do have anyone in this league, do spare a thought for the parish funds.....
An Inclusive Church?
For many of us as Christians, it is important that the church reflects the inclusive love which Jesus showed in his life, teaching, death and resurrection. The current debates within the Anglican Communion have focussed the minds of those who believe that the church should show a loving acceptance of all people, and not exclude anyone on grounds of gender, race or sexual orientation. In advance of the pre-Lambeth meeting of the Anglican Primate on October 15-16, there is an opportunity for those who want to to register their support for an inclusive church by signing the following statement:
A Declaration of Belief
"We affirm that the Church's mission, in obedience to Holy Scripture, is to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every generation. We acknowledge that this is Good News for people regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation. We believe that, in order to strengthen the Gospel's proclamation of justice to the world, and for the greater glory of god, the Church's own common life must be justly ordered. To that end, we call on our Church to live out the promise of the Gospel; to celebrate the diverse gifts of al the members of the body of Christ; and in the ordering of our common life to open the ministries of deacon, priest and bishop to those so called to serve by God, regardless of their sex, race or sexual orientation."
Individuals and parishes who agree with this statement are invited to sign on the website: www.inclusivechurch.net or, for those without access to the internet, postcards are available at the back of church, or simply write to Inclusivechurch.net at All Saints Church Office, 70a Fulham High Street, Fulham, London SW6 3LG, giving your name, address, and church attended. Both of our clergy have signed, and it is encouraging to see the level of support from Anglicans all over the world. Thank you for reading this.
The Rev'd Andrew Orr, and the Rev'd Sandra Pragnell.
FROM THE REGISTRARS
Holy Matrimony:
Saturday 23rd August 2003 at St Thomas' Church, Mulhuddart - Mark Wilkinson and Olive Smith (of Tyrrelstown).
Friday 19th September at St. Mary's, Clonsilla - Peter Whitehead and Catherine Butler (of Lohunda, Clonsilla).
Grant O Lord that their home may be a place of love, security and peace.
Christian Funeral and Burial:
On 9th September 2003 at St Brigid's Church, Castleknock - Dorothy Sarah Hannah Stafford (nee Grandpierre), late of Blackhorse Avenue.
In Memoriam:
Dorothy Stafford (24th April 1906 - 31st August 2003). Dorothy died very peacefully on 31st August in her 98th year at the home of her daughter Enid in Scotland, where she had been lovingly cared for by Enid and George for the last 4 years. Previously Dorothy lived for over 60 years in Blackhorse Avenue, raising a large family with enormous love and care, often in difficult circumstances. In the address at the funeral, the Curate paid tribute to a lady who was a devoted wife to William, a loving mother to Clive (who died 4 years ago), Cyril, the twins Derek and Robin, Enid, and Gerry, and a very special neighbour to those who lived around her. A creative soul, Dorothy was renowned for the beautiful crochet lace she made, including some for the church. For many years the family worshipped at Kirwan House (an orphanage for girls at Hanlon's Corner, which was closed in the late 1950s). Thereafter St Brigid's became Dorothy's spiritual home. Widowed in 1991, in her later housebound years she greatly appreciated the visits of the then Rector, Paul, and Curate, Lynda, who regularly took her the Sacrament of Holy Communion at home. After the sudden death of her eldest son Clive in 1994, Dorothy could no longer cope on her own and so eventually Enid took her to her home in Scotland, and cared for Dorothy to the end, filling her last years with the same love and care that Dorothy had always lavished on others. Dorothy was clearly at peace with her God - her last words were that she was going home. She was laid to rest in Castleknock Churchyard with her husband and son. May she rest in peace.
Congratulations:
To Edwin and Elaine Watters on the birth of their daughter Lucy on 12th August, a sister for Eva.
Readings for Sunday Services
SERVICES FOR OCTOBER
Every Wednesday: Holy Communion at 10.30 a.m. in Parish Centre
Sunday 5th October - Trinity 16 Proper 22
8.30 a.m. Eucharist [BCP] St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
Sunday 12th October - Trinity 17 Proper 23
HARVEST THANKSGIVING
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Said Mattins St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Harvest Thanksgiving St. Brigid's Castleknock
7.00 p.m. Songs of Praise for St. Mary's Clonsilla Harvest
Sunday 19th October - St Luke [transferred]
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Eucharist St. Mary's Clonsilla with laying on of hands
11.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock with laying on of hands
8.00 p.m. Night Prayer St. Thomas' Mulhuddart
Sunday 26th October - BIBLE SUNDAY 5th before Advent
8.30 a.m. Eucharist St. Brigid's Castleknock
10.00 a.m. Service of the Word St. Mary's Clonsilla
11.30 a.m. Service of the Word St. Brigid's Castleknock
