Church Of Ireland Notes

Many people will have seen or have heard of the magnificent restoration of the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, which…

Many people will have seen or have heard of the magnificent restoration of the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, which has opened up to public gaze one of the most important medieval spaces in Ireland.

As part of the planning of the restoration, consideration was given to incorporating a permanent display of the cathedral's treasures but financial considerations dictated this development would have to be postponed.

However, the delay has proved to be more short-lived than had been anticipated due to the generosity of two friends of Christ Church.

Mr Christopher Sheil, the former administrator of the cathedral and his wife, Heather, have offered to finance the creation of a cathedral treasury and preliminary work on this project has already begun.

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For the first time it will be possible for visitors to see, in a controlled environment, the cathedral's treasures. Among these may be the royal plate presented to Christ Church by King William III, the tabernacle and candlesticks which were used during the Jacobite interregnum and the cathedral's archives.

Treasuries are a regular feature of English and continental cathedrals but the Christ Church project will be the first of its kind in Ireland.

Today, the Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh Diocesan Synod meets in the Slieve Russell Hotel, Ballyconnell, Co Cavan, while in Holywood, Co Down, the Bishop of Meath and Kildare will address the Church of Ireland Men's Society on "The Church of the Future."

In Dublin, the Church Missionary Society Ireland will hold an autumn fair in aid of the work of Dr Raj Rajkumar at the Dr Christine Matthews Medical Centre, south India, in Raheny parish hall, beginning at 10.30 a.m.

In Foxrock community centre there will be an exhibition on "South County Dublin's Christian Past" which will continue tomorrow.

Today, the Bishop of St Andrew's begins a short visit to the Diocese of Meath and Kildare which twins with St Andrew's. The Right Rev Michael Henley will preach tomorrow morning in Slane parish church, which is being rededicated after restoration and in the evening he will be the preacher at the harvest festival in Carnalway.

Tomorrow, the Rector of Skerry, Broughshane, Co Antrim, Canon John Bond, will be the preacher at the harvest celebrations in St Mary's Cathedral, Limerick. At Evensong in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, the Rev Charles Mullen will be installed as Dean's Vicar. Mr Mullen, who has been Rector of Gorey since 1995, succeeds the Rev Peter Campion who has returned to Canada. The service will be attended by the Friends of Cathedral Music on their first visit to Dublin.

On Monday, the Annual Law Service will be held in St Michan's Church, Dublin, and from Monday until Thursday the Celtic Bishops will be meeting in Newcastle, Co Down.

A new series of lunchtime talks on the theme "I Believe" begins in St Thomas's Church, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin, on Thursday. The first address will be given by the journalist and art historian Bruce Arnold. On the following three Thursdays the speakers will be Mr Ferdinand von Prondzynski, president of DCU, Senator Mary Henry and Archdeacon Gordon Linney.

On Friday, the Archbishop of Dublin will institute the Rev Robert Deane to the incumbency of Swords, Clonmethan, Kilsallaghan, Donabate and Lusk. Mr Deane, who began his clerical career as curate of Raheny and Coolock, has been Rector of Clonsast in the Diocese of Kildare since 1988 and a Canon of St Brigid's Cathedral since 1997.