AN ECUMENICAL END TO SUMMER At the end of August, the Rector joined with Fr Donal Coakley to lead an ecumenical service in the now-deconsecrated church in Kilshannig as part of Heritage Week events. It is almost half a century since an act of worship was held in the church (now a community heritage centre). The evening was organised by Councillor John Paul O’Shea and, as well as the service, there was an historical tour of the graveyard in which the shared story of the parish’s past, both Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland, was imaginatively told by Donie O’Sullivan. At the beginning of September, the Rector welcomed members of the Syrian Orthodox community, who worship in St James’s Church, Mallow, as they made their annual cycling pilgrimage from Cork city to the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock in Co Mayo. The Rector blessed the cyclists and encouraged them on the next stage of their journey. Later the same day, the Rector attended the Induction of the Reverend Jackie McNair as Minister of Adare Methodist Church in Co Limerick, where he met up with friends who form part of the Charleville Ecumenical Group that meets monthly.
THANKSGIVING FOR RESTORATION OF BELLS At the time of writing, we are looking forward to the Bishop being with us in St Mary’s, Doneraile, to preside at a service of Thanksgiving and Rededication of the peal of bells in the church tower on Sunday 15th September. We are hoping this will be a good occasion to welcome friends from other Christian churches, as well as people in the wider community, along with parishioners of Mallow Union and bell-ringers past and present.
JAZZ AT ST JAMES’S – SAYING ‘THANK YOU’ TO MALLOW Many businesses and organisations in the town (and further afield) have given us generous support during our bi-centennial year of celebrations, along with many other individuals. As a way of saying Thank You to them all, we are looking forward to a free lunchtime event on Saturday 21st September, falling between Culture Night and our Harvest Thanksgiving celebrations: Jazz at St James’s. We have booked the ‘Underscore Orkestra’ from Cork to offer a couple of hours of jazz (hopefully in the Community Garden, but in church if the weather is wet), to which anyone and everyone is welcome. We are encouraging people to bring a picnic lunch, and to wear fancy dress, if they wish. Above all, we hope they will simply enjoy relaxing to great music in and around the church as our way of expressing our gratitude to them all.
HARVEST THANKGIVING We are looking forward to welcoming parishioners and friends to our services this year, beginning with an ecumenical celebration in St James’s, Mallow, on Sunday 22nd September. The preacher will be the Reverend Ted Ardis, formerly Dean’s Vicar of St Fin Barre’s Cathedral. On Sunday 6th October at 3.30pm, there will be a service in St Mary’s, Castletownroche, at which the preacher will be the Reverend Elise Hanley, Rector of Cobh and Glanmire Union of Parishes. On Sunday 13th October, there will be a service in St Mary’s, Doneraile, at 3.00pm, at which the preacher will be the Reverend Peter Tarleton, Chaplain of Kingston College, Mitchelstown. All are welcome to the services – and to the refreshments that follow.
TOGETHER FOR MICHAELMAS By longstanding tradition, there is only one act of worship in the Union when there is a fifth Sunday of in the month. In September, this was the feast of St Michael and All Angels. We are looking forward to all three churches of the Union gathering in St James’s, Mallow, for a festive celebration of the Eucharist.
SUMMER FÊTE The Union’s annual Fête, which took place in early August, raised over €10,000. We are grateful to everyone who attended on the day, supported us by donating produce and prizes, gave their time and energy to prepare for the fête in many other ways, helped it to run like clockwork on the day – and joined in the great clear-up afterwards.
OUR YOUNGER PARISHIONERS have reconvened after the summer break and are meeting each week in the Parish Hall at 11.30am each Sunday. After enjoying an hour of activities and learning, they join their families back in church towards the end of the Eucharist, where they enjoying sharing with the rest of us what they have been doing.
HOSPITALITY & REFRESHMENT A reminder that our Community Café is in full swing during the Farmers’ Market in the grounds of St James’s Church, Mallow, every Friday from 9.00am to 12.30pm. As well as great coffee and tea, you can sample St James’s Cake and other treats.