Lent, traditionally a period of self-denial, is an appropriate time for the Church of Ireland world aid and development programme, Bishops' Appeal, to issue its annual newsletter. Under the headline, "Giving People a Future", the newsletter reveals that in 1999 £231,230 was made available for development projects and £238,637 was given to emergencies.
Development projects in Africa, Asia, South America and Europe, in medical health, rural development and education were assisted. For example, among grants given were £5,000 for a school in Ethiopia £10,000 for a landmine programme in Cambodia, and £20,000 for seed production and distribution in the Sudan. As the newsletter says: "Thank you. The need is great. Please keep giving."
The Bishop of Kilmore, Rt Rev Michael Mayes, is the new chairman of the Bishops' Appeal and the new honorary secretary is the Rev Olive Donohoe, Rector of Mountmellick.
Today the participants in the Mothers' Union Millennium Journey will arrive in Kilkenny where they will be received by the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Rt Rev John Neill. Among their other stopping points next week will be Collooney, where there will be a festival service.
Tomorrow RTE will televise a celebration of the Eucharist by the Rev Scott Peoples with the parishioners of Leixlip and Lucan. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, will preach in Belfast Cathedral. In Dublin, Dr Andrew Pierce, lecturer in systematic theology and church history in the Church of Ireland Theological College, will give the address in St John's Church, Sandymount.
In Christ Church Cathedral evensong will be sung by the combined choirs of the cathedral and St Catherine's College, Cambridge, and in St Patrick's Cathedral the Rt Rev Samuel Poyntz will give the Lenten Episcopal address on the Apostles' Creed.
At 7.30 p.m. tomorrow St Patrick's Cathedral will host an ecumenical service celebrating St Patrick's life and legacy, organised by the Dublin Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Advisory Committee on Ecumenical Affairs of the Archdiocese of Dublin. The liturgy has been devised by Dr Alan McCormack, the cathedral's succentor. The theme will be the welcome of the stranger in our midst.
On Wednesday evening in St Andrew's School, Malahide, the second in a Lenten series on "The Celtic Tiger and ..." will focus on refugees. In St FinBarre's Cathedral, Cork, the study programme on Christ the Healer will continue with a session on "Public Health and the Gospels".
The Church Missionary Society Ireland will hold a spring sale on Thursday morning in the Royal Hospital, Donnybrook, in aid of Dr Rajkumar's medical work in south India. In Rathfarnham parish church the first in a Lenten series of talks, which have been organised by the Church of the Holy Spirit, Ballyroan, and Rathfarnham Parish, will be held at 8 p.m.
The speakers on "Faith and Society, the Challenge of Living in Modern Ireland, Rural and Urban" will be the Dean of St Patrick's, Dr Robert MacCarthy, and Father Harry Bohan, director of Rural Resources Development Ltd, Shannon.