Following the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, was re-invented as a national cathedral for the whole church. Each of the 12 dioceses was assigned a prebendal stall and elected or nominated one of the clergy of the diocese to be a representative canon.
This situation continues and each of the representative canons come to Dublin twice yearly to preach in St Patrick's and to take part, for a week, in the daily round of worship. This can be an invigorating experience both for country canons, who may not have much opportunity to enjoy choral worship, and for the cathedral community, who can benefit from fresh prophetic voices.
Following the retirement of the Venerable Ralph Stratford the prebendal stall of Kilmactalway, assigned to the Diocese of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, became vacant and the Bishop of Tuam has nominated the Rev Maureen Ryan. Mrs Ryan was ordained in 1998 and serves in Galway as an auxiliary priest. She is the first woman to be appointed to the chapter of St Patrick's and will be installed at Evensong on December 10th.
Today Affirming Catholicism Ireland will hold a conference on "Sexuality, Gender and the Gospels" in the Theological College. In St Macartan's Cathedral, Enniskillen, the Rev Alec Motyer will continue his series of talks on "Falling in Love with the Old Testament". In St George's Church, Belfast, the Harlandic Male Voice Choir will give a concert in aid of the restoration fund.
Tomorrow morning a new series of chapter sermons on "The Bible and its Challenge Today" begins in St Finbarre's Cathedral, Cork. In the chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, theologian Anne Thurston, will be the preacher at the Sung Eucharist.
At Evensong in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, the Bishop of Meath and Kildare will preach at the Diocesan Healing Service, while the Bishop of Cork will be the preacher at the Wexford Opera Festival Service. In St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, at Evensong, the address at the annual Swift Commemoration Service will be given by Dr Bruce Arnold. A farewell service for Bishop and Mrs Mayes, who will shortly move to Limerick, will be held in St Fethlimidh's Cathedral, Kil more.
The third in the "Episcopal Episodes: Some Archbishops of Dublin and Glendalough" series of lunchtime lectures in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, will be given on Tuesday at 1.15 p.m. The speaker will be Dr Anthony Malcomson, former director of the Public Record Office in Belfast.
The Derry and Raphoe Diocesan Synod will be held in Conwal parish hall, Letterkenny, on Wednesday. In the chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, at 5.15 p.m. the university chaplaincy will experiment with "dance worship" which was a feature of Ceiliuradh, the recent international celebration of liturgy in Christ Church Cathedral.
The opening of the academic year will be marked on Thursday at Evensong in the Chapel of Trinity College where the address will be given by the Rev Patrick Comerford of The Irish Times.