The cancellation of traditional St Patrick's Day parades, in response to the foot-and-mouth crisis, will be disappointing to many but it does, in an increasingly secular society, provide an opportunity to concentrate on the religious dimension of our national patronal festival.
As usual in the Church of Ireland, St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, is a major focus for celebration. Today the Eucharist will be celebrated in Irish at 9 a.m., and at 10.30 a.m. there will be a Sung Eucharist, which will be attended by the Friendly Brothers of St Patrick. The preacher at the Sung Eucharist will be Canon Bruce Ruddock, who is a residentiary canon in Worcester Cathedral.
Tomorrow at the Sung Eucharist, a bronze figure of St Patrick will be dedicated. This is a gift to St Patrick's from Bishop Edwin Owen, a former succentor in the cathedral, in thanksgiving for 50 years of ministry. The figure is the work of Melanie Le Brocquy and will be unveiled by the Earl of Rosse.
This morning RTE will broadcast Holy Communion from the Church of Ireland College of Education with the college's students and members of the Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise. The celebrant will be the rector of Tullow, the Rev David Oxley, and the former Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Donal Caird, will preach. The Bishop of Cork will preside at a St Patrick's Day Civic Service in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, which will be followed by a reception in the palace.
Tomorrow RTE will broadcast Morning Prayer from St Patrick's Church, Jordanstown, where the rector is the Rev Arfon Williams. In St Macartan's Cathedral, Enniskillen, there will be a Festival of Hymns in the evening to introduce the new Church Hymnal.
In response to the foot-and-mouth crisis the Bishop of Cork has rescheduled the institution of the Rev Eithne Lynch to the incumbency of the Kilmoe union of parishes. This will now take place tomorrow in the context of a Parish Eucharist and is intended to discourage travel from other parishes and counties.
Mrs Lynch was ordained in 1997 for the curacy of Douglas and Frankfield and she succeeds the Rev Hilary Wakeman, who has retired.
Among the Lenten events this week are an address at Evensong in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, tomorrow from Sister Geraldine Smyth OP on "A Time of Growth in Our Understanding of the Church". On Tuesday evening in Howth, Canon W.J. Marshall, vice-principal of the Theological College, will tackle the thorny problem of "The 39 Articles - a Hindrance to Unity?" and on Wednesday in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork, the psychiatrist Dr Ann Schofield will speak on "The Cost of Discipleship". On Thursday evening in Rathfarnham parish church the Rev Michael Begley, of the Siritan Asylum Seekers Initiative, and Mr Terence Read, of the Anglican Communion Refugee and Migrant Network, will speak on "Racism or Integration?"
CMS Ireland will hold its spring sale on Thursday in the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, Dublin. The sale, which is in aid of the Dr Christine Matthews Medical Centre in south India, begins at 10.30 a.m. and lunch will be available from noon.
This day week is the feast day of St Macartan, to whom the cathedral of Clogher is dedicated. On Friday, the eve of St Macartan's Day, the renowned Harlandic Male Voice Choir will give a recital in the cathedral.