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The annual Citizenship Service will be held on All Saints' Day, 1 November. A decision has been made not to broadcast the event and so the service will begin at 11 a.m. The confines of radio have in the past left the service rather constricted for time (despite the generosity of RTÉ in giving us an extra fifteen minutes) and have also limited the scope for innovation. Don't expect major change this year but the entire structure will have to be looked at for future services. The dean has not preached at the service since 1989 but plans to do so this year. Members of the congregation with reserved tickets are asked to be seated not later that 10.50. After that hour empty seats in the nave will be allocated to worshippers seated in the side aisles.
Exactly one week after the tragic bombing of Omagh the plain people of Dublin came to Christ Church to say their prayers for those who had been killed or injured. 60 came to the 12.45 p.m. Eucharist and 600 to the 3 p.m. Act of Commemoration at which the names of the dead were read out and at which the archbishop gave the blessing. The choir of Saint Mark's church, Winshall, Burton-on-Trent, with us for the weekend, sang for this service and again at 5 p.m. Evensong. A book of condolences was opened in the cathedral on Monday 17 August and by the time it was closed on Monday 31 August some 4,278 people from all over the world had expressed their sympathy. Orders of Services marking the commemoration were bound with the book and it was presented to the Lord mayor, Senator Alderman Joe Doyle to be brought by him to Omagh with similar books.
On Tuesday evening, 15 September, Fr Jim Caffrey of the Catholic Youth Council and the dean led a group of young Dublin members of the Rome based lay youth community of Saint Engiddio (Saint Giles) for a "month's mind" prayer service in the cathedral at the chapel of Saint Laurence O'Toole.
You can find full details of the lecture series: "The Vikings and Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin" at its webpage. Suffice it to say here that each lecture will be given on the Tuesdays of October at 1.15 p.m. by eminent scholars in their field: Dr Marie Therese Flanagan, Linzi Simpson, Dr Seán Duffy and Dr Patrick Wallace.
Sympathy is extended to Canon Bartlett, our precentor, on the death of his father Ronald Bartlett who was buried on Monday 14 September. He had been in declining health for some considerable time and Canon Bartlett's visits to England had been on a regular basis. Our prayers and concern also go out to Mrs Bartlett in her illness which she is bravely battling, as one might expect of Jan. They will both still be involved in the cathedral's worship and committees but may have to ease up on some of the work undertaken. Canon Bartlett preached at Killiney (Holy Trinity) harvest recently on behalf of the Christ Church 2000 appeal.
Our good wishes are extended to Canon Kennerley who has been awarded the degree of Doctor of Ministry (D. Min.) from the pretigious Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. Princeton is no "hick" seminary such as flourish in certain parts of the world. Its degrees are reckoned among the best in the academic world.
For this event - always the first Sunday in October - we are joined by the congregations of the cathedral grouped parishes. They show their interest in the event by arranging a harvest display of fruit and vegetables in addition to the normal flower arrangements. Canon Pierpoint should be in residence this year and so the voice of the preacher will be a familiar one. One says, "should be" because the poor man has been on the flat of his back since attempting to lift a barbecue some weeks ago. It has, however, enabled the dean on two successive Sundays to visit Saint Michan's, Saint Werburgh's and All Saints.
Some 380 people, including a goodly number of children, came to the cathedral for the ordination to the priesthood of The Reverend Lynda Peilow who is curate-assistant of Castleknock, Clonsilla and Mulhuddert. This, we think, is the largest number of people recorded attending the ordination of one person - certainly within the incumbency of the present dean. Clergy attendance was disappointing. Had it not been for the attendance of the members of the delegation of the "Porvoo Communion" in session in Dublin there would have been few enough to join in the laying on of hands with the archbishop. All good wishes go to Lynda, at twenty four the youngest priest in the Church of Ireland. The bishop of Porvoo, Dr Erik Vickströmm, preached a splendid semon on compassion.
What a pleasant young man Ian Delinger was. He came representing the dean and cathedral authorities of San Jose, California and gave a fine impression of their diocesan outreach to the needy - whether those needs were spiritual or material. We look forward to building up a relationship with San Jose and then, by mutual visits, cementing the relationship at some stage in the near future. The cathedral authorities in San Jose would like the new link to begin on Advent Sunday and that the same day each year be observed as link Sunday. We shall keep each other informed of events in our cathedrals.
Normally held in Spring, this year's party for the voluntary helpers of 1997 is running late. They will all be entertained, superbly as ever, by Miss Stella Mew at Rathdown School on Tuesday 29 September at 4 p.m. Without our helpers the running of the cathedral - open for nearly seventy hours a week throughout the year - would be a far more onerout job than it actually is.
As part of the new fire regulations the "oculus" - the circular opening in the central tower (popularly known as the 'moon') - must be fireproofed to prevent chimney effect. It is proposed to "front" it with a layer of copper on which will be embossed and enamelled in brillian colour the symbol of the Holy Trinity (see head of webpage to see what it might be like)
The mahogany gilded candlesticks which adorn the high altar on weekdays need renewal. The gilding is very dirty and a little colour might be added to enhance the gilding. Are there any kind people who might undertake either of these two beautifying projects?
Members of the congregation may have thought the dean has taken extended holidays. On 20 and 27 September he was undertaking duties in the Cathedral Grouped Parishes (Saint Werburgh's, Saint Michan's and All Saints' Churches) during Canon Pierpoint's indisposition. On 4 October he will preach at 11.30 mass for peace in the Franciscan church, Merchant's Quay. That Sunday is the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi who prayed, after having spent a period as a soldier, that he might be made an instrument of God's peace. 1998 is the thirtieth anniversary of the beginning of the troubles and also, we hope the beginning of their end. On 10 October he will preach at the Rathfarnham parish harvest. And this doesn't include afternoon harvests at Coolcarrigan (Co. Kildare) on the 10th and at Calary on the 17th. Normal services will be resumed as soon as possible.
People regularly comment on the sparkling cleanliness of the cathedral and it is certainly a credit to Angela and to Leslie who keep all things bright beautiful. An example of this is that each evening from 5-10 October, after the cathedral closes, they are planning to wash, seal and polish the entire cathedral floor - all 180,000 tiles! - for the annual citizenship service. This still leaves small areas where the strong new lighting is revealing dust that is normally invisible. To ensure the best possible cleanliness for the citizenship service we are now inviting as many able-bodied friends as possible to come to the cathedral on Saturday 24 October from 10 a.m. and to an "autumn cleaner". Just bring a couple of dusters each and a soft cleaning brush if you have one. This is not just for the ladies - the men, led by the dean, will be equally welcome.
Ite O'Donovan's choral group sang beautifully for us on Sunday 27 September. Our own choir was having a weekend workshop in Galway and singing in Saint Nicholas' Church for the Sunday Eucharist during their flower festival. They also managed, in addition to enjoying themselves - as only they can do - to break the back of much new music to be included in the services for the coming year. No choir in Ireland, and few in Britain, has as wide a repertoire as ours, but it is only by hard work and much learning of new music that this achieved. Like the liturgy itself, it just doesn't happen - only constant perfecting of the services and the music produces that Christ Church rhythm.
Malcolm Proud will give a concert on the organ and harpsichord in Christ Church on Saturday 17 October at 8 p.m. in association with Christ Church Baroque. Works will include pieces by J.S.Bach, Couperin, de Grigny & d'Anglebert, some of which will be sung by the gentlemen of the cathedral choir.
This group will meet on Monday 12 October 1998 at 8 p.m. in the chapter room The talk, on the subject of "What is worship?", will be given by the Chancellor, Canon Billy Marshall.
Material for the November Church Review must reach the dean by 12th October
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