Coffee Time –

This will be a “drop – in” type of morning and new faces are beginning to appear!! Your are invited – all of you – to drop into the Rectory on Saturday, 22nd August 2009 between 10.00am – 12.30pm. The idea is to facilitate parishioners meeting each other over a cup of tea or coffee. There will be a biscuit and, if your lucky, maybe a scone and jam! There will be a jam-jar for anybody who might like to make a donation to the Hall Restoration Fund – no obligation! This invitation includes all of all ages

Whist Drives –

The new season will begin in September. Contributions to raffles and suppers will be most appreciated. These take place on 2nd Friday of the month.

Licensing @ Lismore Cathedral

The Bishop has asked me to convey his thanks to the parish for the enormous support you gave to Rev James Mulhall at his licensing in Lismore Cathedral on 24th June.
I want to thank everybody also, but, also, for your enthusiasm and the encouragement you showed in helping to make Sunday, 28th June a memorable day for the Mulhall family and for the parish. It wasn’t just those of you who could be present on both occasions, but the many people who contributed although they could not be present on both occasions.
The Rev James’ licensing to serve in this parish for, at least, a year is a landmark in the life of our parish. The numbers of Anglicans living within our parish boundaries far exceed any estimates that have been made to date. Each person is entitled to the type of pastoral care that has not been possible during the last few years. The workload is too much for one person to accomplish to the type of standard that I expect to provide.
No consideration has been given to the increase in time required in the hospital chaplaincy since St. Joseph’s became a General Hospital. This is the largest unit in area in the diocese, but the numbers returned in censuses has given the impression of a very small population. Having three towns and many villages in our parish demands a greater presence than one person could possibly manage.
Having an assistant will lighten the load and help us move forward in a more positive way. But, beginning things which may be limited again in a year’s time is not something I want to embark on. I hope that by initiating new aspects in ministry will put us in a position for our present level of “manpower” to continue into the future. Rev James and I cannot do this by ourselves – we need your help and co-operation.
With Fas no longer requiring, at least, one room in the tower, we will, after the end of this month, have a further facility for activities. We also need to utilise the Butler/Charteris Hall in Cahir. And we could use our other buildings to better advantage.
I know we want to move forward, and where many put their hands to the wheel there is better and more efficient and each carries a much lighten burden than when there are only a few willing people.

Link Diocese –

The Rector, as the new co-ordinator of our new Link with the diocese of Sodor & Mann visited the Isle of Man with the bishop and other members of the new committee. We met with Bishop Robert Paterson and his new committee having been met at Douglas Airport by the diocesan outreach mini-bus. Our day included a visit to the tynwald, the oldest parliament in the world and had a tour of the island.
Each of us had time to chat with our counterpart. My role as well as being co-ordinator will be to interact with the Warden of Lay Readers, Rev John Gulland. The Sodor and Man co-ordinator is Gill Poole, bishop’s Chaplain and Mission Adviser.
Our next meeting will be here in our diocese and I hope to bring my counterparts to clonmel to visit in the very near future.
Please pray for us all as we seek to broaden all our outlooks and to truly work together towards the completion of god’s Kingdom here on earth.

Organ Marathon

Our bishop has a new Project to raise funds for charity. The
beneficiaries of his latest “scheme” receive their donations from an Organ Marathon in which he will play “Come Ye Thankful People Come” in every church in the diocese between 27th August and 13th September. He expects to find some people present when he arrives at each church to sing along with him!!!
The beneficiaries of his efforts will be Bishops Appeal and USPG (to share40%), Protestant Aid (40%) and the Rev Paul Mooney’s (former Rector of New Ross) Outreach Initiative to Anglicans in Seoul, South Korea (20%).
To raise funds we will give all our Collections on Sunday, 23rd August 2009 to this project.
And the date and times to sing “Come Ye Thankful People ,Come” with our Bishop here in this parish are:
Date: Saturday, 29th August 2009
Times: Holy Trinity, Fethard – 12.30pm
Old St. Mary’s, Clonmel – 2.00pm
St Patrick’s, Inislonaght (Marlfield)– 2.45pm
Tullaghmeelan - 3.15pm
St Paul’s, Cahir - 4.15pm
Please try and attend at least one of these venues!

School Parents Day

Parents Day was a wonderful occasion.The day began with a science display. We were treated to learning and with the anticipation of the bomb going off – it didn’t quite work but the fun was really good! Parents and teachers watched the children perform, in the open air, in drama, verse, song and music. Our children have such talent and it’s great that they have the confidence to share their talent for the enjoyment of others.

Diocesan Childrens’ Festival Service

Teachers and children travelled to Templemore on 12th June for the Diocesan Childrens’ Festival Service. The day included sports and our pupils excelled themselves.

Diocesan Childrens Festival Service

Teachers and children travelled to Templemore on 12th June for the Diocesan Childrens’ Festival Service. The day included sports and our pupils excelled themselves.

School Board of Management

Some members of the board of Management attended the training on Legal issues and Child Protection modules in early June. Other members attended the training evening presented by the Roman Catholic manager’s association, which is mandated by the Department of Education and Science to do this. By having member attend all available training, which is part of being a Board member, we receive as much information as possible in the most responsible task of ensuring that our staff and pupils work and learn in a safe and compliant environment.

School News –

Our Assistant Teacher, Mrs Brennan, is taking a year’s Leave of Absence for the School Year 2009/10. A Selection Board, which met recently, has appointed Miss Yvonne Kenny to act a Temporary Assistant for the coming academic year. We welcome Ms Kenny to our school and look forward to her contribution to our childrens’ education.

June 24th -

On that date the Rev James Mulhall was licensed by the bishop to serve as
a priest in the Church of Ireland. Many people are confused by what appear to be the niceties of who is allowed do what during worship etc. What we do in worship is governed by a combination of Scriptural, Traditional and Doctrinal prescriptions that our Church is governed by. And it is confusing for lay people; especially where tradition has been confined to a few specific areas in which all who conducted worship were ordained.

We wlecome Rev James to the ministry of the Church in our parish, we should pray for him and his family constantly. He has now forfeited all his lay status which includes him now being a member of the Select Vestry as a member of the clergy, membership of Diocesan Synod as a member of the clergy and will no longer be available to read in Church as a lay person – the normal rotas have now become for him areas where he will help me and those organising the rotas to encourage the laity to serve in the life and worship of our parish. We will all get used to these changes which are for the betterment of our parish.

Ordinations –

Ivan Dungan, Ruth West & Christine Smyth were ordained Deacon in Waterford Cathedral on Monday, 8th June. The Rev Ivan is now serving in Bunclody Parish part-time, the Rev Ruth is serving as full time curate in Waterford with special responsibility for Tramore & Dunmore and the Rev Christine is serving part-time in Lismore Group. The part-time non-stipendiary clergy do not receive a stipend, but get a contribution to their travelling expenses from the diocese.
Our diocese is one of the few which has students in the Theological Institute constantly. It is very encouraging that have people doing the Foundation Course and in the Fellowship of Vocations and others investigating whether they have a vocation to ministry at the moment. The first step is to have a chat or two with the Rector.

Baptisms, Marriages & Funerals –

The correct procedure for arranging these is to contact the Rector. The Rev James will not be added to the state’s List of Solemnizers until he completes his 1st year of ministry – he cannot officiate at weddings until such time as he is added to the list.

Charles Agar Weekend –

Archbishop Agar was the Archbishop of Cashel who completed the present Cathedral in Cashel. This year is the 200th anniversary ofhis death. Next Sunday, 12th July, Archbishop Alan Harper, Armagh, will preached at the celebration of this aniversary in Cashel Cathedral at 7.30pm. Archbishop Agar is buried in Westminster Abbey and he is depicted on the memorial tablet holding Cashel Cathedral in his arms. His wife played the organ for the 1st time in September 1785 when the Cathedral was opened for public worship.

Welcome –

Canon Paul Draper will be instituted as Rector of lismore Group Parishes and installed as Dean of the Cathedral on 30th July 2009 @ 8.00pm.

Shrapnel Fund -

I hope you haven’t forgotten about the shrapnel fund which is part of our initiative to pay off our debt. We have asked that as many of you as possible would put your loose change into a jam jar and give the proceeds to us to help with our effort to get rid of the debt. Shirley Clooney has taken charge of the counting etc. Over €800has now been returned through this project.

Concert –

Martin Hayes & Denis Cahill performed with fiddle and guitar in Old St. Mary’s on Wednesday, 8th July @ 8.00pm. It an exhilerating performance of traditional music presented to an appreciative and enthusiastic capacity audience.

Mariancourt –

The staff and residents would like to thank all those who supported their Coffee Morning. They also thank us for contributing to their tea on the evening of the 28th June.

Fas –

Our parish Fas scheme will finish on 31st July. Five of the present workers will be re-assigned to the Tourist & Fisheries Scheme, whose supervisor is Mr Simon Molloy. Their duties will be at Old St. Mary’s only. There are health and safety reasons why we can no longer expect participants to service multi-sites.

Mr Nagle has been re-assigned to a Fethard scheme and, when his time is up will be replaced. Fas are in the process of arranging for a participant to be assigned to St. Paul’s and Kilcommon under a Cahir Scheme.

Other arrangements will have to be made for Tullaghmeelan and Marlfield. The company will be wound up. Thank-you, particularly, to Gwen Morgan & Bob Savage who have not only served as Directors, but who willingly went gaurantor for the annual overdraft facility that was required for each scheme.

Bereavement

Elspeth Wynn (nee Parker) – The death occured recently in Coventry of Elspeth Wynn who grew up in Mitchelstown Road, Cahir. Her mother, Eileen, was organist in St. Paul’s for many years. Her father, Merith, was a keen fisherman. Elspeth was predecesaed by her husband and our sympathy goes to her son, Tony, and her brothers Bertie and Tommy. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.

Bereavement –

We offer our sympathy to Paddy Magner and his family on the death
of his wife, Winnifred (Winnie) who died on 3rd July in the General Hospital after a short illness. Her funeral will take place in St. Paul’s, Cahir this Sunday with internment immediately afterwards in St. Mary’s Cemetery.