At evensong in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, tomorrow there will be a farewell service for the dean, Dr Maurice Stewart, who is to retire from the stipendiary ministry. Dr Stewart will preach at the service, after which there will be presentations to the dean.
Dr Stewart has been Dean of St Patrick's since 1991 when he was elected to succeed Dr Victor Griffin, who had retired. In his 8 1/2 years at the head of one of the most distinctive ministries in the Church of Ireland, he has among other achievements overseen a major overhaul of the great Willis organ, the restoration of the Boyle and Jones monuments, and the bringing to fruition of a standing exhibition, Living Stones, which will interpret St Patrick's to the ever-growing volume of visitors.
The role of St Patrick's as a national cathedral in which all parts of the Church of Ireland are represented and where many special services with a national and international flavour are held presents its dean with many challenges, which by background, training and temperament Dr Stewart was well equipped to handle.
A native of Belfast, his pastoral experience in that city and in Newcastle, Co Down, developed his innate understanding of the Northern church while his period on the staff of the Theological College in Dublin from 1969 to 1991 reacquainted him with life in Dublin and forged close bonds with generations of clergy, whom he helped to train.
Together with the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Rev John Paterson, Dr Stewart was a regular participant in the annual meeting of deans and provosts of the English cathedrals.
There was always something new to be learned about cathedral administration, liturgy, outreach and hospitality which could be adapted to the life of St Patrick's where he presided with great dignity over many important occasions.
A calm and genial manner frequently masked an acute intelligence and a considerable intellect which, after tomorrow, will no doubt be gently exercised in the calmer atmosphere of Greystones.
Tomorrow RTE will broadcast Morning Service from Ballyclare, Co Antrim, where the rector is Canon John Bond. The Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames, will be at Derrygortreavy and Moneymore while the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey, will visit the trustee church of Crinken.
In the Chapel of Trinity College Dublin the preacher at the Sung Eucharist will be Canon Victor Stacey, rector of Dun Laoghaire and provincial and diocesan registrar of Dublin.
The first event in the current Christ Church Cathedral arts programme will be held in the cathedral tomorrow at 5 p.m. The recital, by Maya Homburger (baroque violin) and Malcolm Proud (harpiscord), will feature the music of Corelli, Beber and Bach. Tickets may be obtained from Opus II, 24 South Georges Street, or at the door.
On Wednesday evening in Wesley House, Leeson Park, Dublin, the Mothers' Union in the dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough will host a seminar on Marriage and Family Life. The panel, which is to be chaired by Mrs Justice McGuinness, will consist of the Rev John McCullagh, Mr Robert Lawson, the Rev Gillian Wharton and Ms Margaret Watchorn.
There will be a festival of flowers in Abington Church, Co Limerick, from Thursday until Sunday which will include among many others a display devoted to John Jebb, Bishop of Limerick, 182333.
In association with the festival, there will be a historical lecture on Friday by Father Mark Tierney OSB.
On Friday the Representative Church Body Library will remain open until 7.30 p.m.