TWO YEARS ago, the Bishop of Cashel Ossory, the Rt Rev Michael Burrows, embarked on a major fundraising endeavour by visiting every railway station in his diocese. Not only did this benefit an excellent cause but it also allowed him to meet huge numbers of people and it gave a sense of common purpose and unity to the scattered Church of Ireland communities in the southeast.
This year he is embarking on another similar effort. As well as being interested in railways, Dr Burrows is also interested in church organs and church music.
This time he plans to visit every church in the diocese, all 149 of them, to play whatever instrument is there and to lead people in singing a familiar hymn.
Not every church has an instrument or live music normally but if there is an ancient and little- used harmonium still there, he will play it, and if there is nothing at all to play, he will have a keyboard with him.
Since it is harvest time and since thanksgiving for the harvest should also put us in mind of the needy of the world, the bishop has decided that in every church he will lead the singing of the familiar harvest hymn Come, Ye Thankful people, Come.
This exercise will begin next Thursday at 10.15am in St Kieran’s Church, Seir Kieran, where, it is reputed, the diocese of Ossory began, and conclude on Sunday, September 13th, in St Canice’s Cathedral, Kilkenny, where the chair of St Kieran is placed.
The monies raised will be divided among three causes: a partnership between the Bishops’ Appeal and USPG Ireland concerned with food sustainability and agricultural training in Swaziland; support of the ministry of the former Archdeacon of Ferns, the Rev Paul Mooney, in building the ministry and outreach to English speakers in Seoul Cathedral, Korea; and Protestant Aid, which works quietly within the Church of Ireland dealing with situations where people are under stress.
Heritage Week is an opportunity for the church to showcase some of its finest buildings. For example, Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, will offer lunchtime tours on various aspects of the cathedral.
In St Patrick’s Cathedral there will be lunchtime talks on Monday by Patrick Lynch on Irish Great War veterans and on Wednesday by Canon Charles Mullen on the Reformation in St Patrick’s.
David Leigh will give an organ recital on Wednesday at 6.30pm.
St Doulagh’s medieval church, Balgriffen, will be open for tours and on Wednesday, Dr Peter Harbison will speak on images and stories of St Doulagh’s.
On Friday, a weekend commemorating the Talbot de Malahide family who lived in Malahide for almost 800 years will begin.
They provided the area with most of its civic buildings, including St Andrew’s church and school, and were generous benefactors of the parish. The last of the direct line, Rose Talbot, died earlier this year in Tasmania.
There will be an ecumenical service of remembrance for Rose Talbot and for the family at Malahide Castle on the Friday evening and a service of thanksgiving in St Andrew’s Church at 7pm on Sunday 30th.
The preacher at both services will be the Rev Anthony Talbot SJ, a member of the family.
On Friday evening, the Archbishop of Dublin will institute the Rev David Mungavin, from the Scottish Episcopal Church, to the parish of Greystones.