The Church of Ireland Bishops’ Appeal has released €10,000 in emergency funding to support Covid relief efforts in India. Individuals and parishes are invited to contribute to support these efforts. Funds will be channelled to partner agencies working on the ground in communities in India providing vital support and supplies.

More than 200,000 lives have been lost to the pandemic in India. The pandemic has spread from large cities to smaller cities, towns and villages where its impact is largely under-reported, and the peak of the outbreak may still be two to three weeks from now.

Bishops’ Appeal’s Diocesan Representative for Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, the Revd Albert Dawson, says: “As we look at the news bulletins over the last few weeks, the situation that has evolved with Covid-19 in India is very distressing to watch. We can only imagine the distress the doctors and nurses are working in to care, as best they can with extremely limited resources, for the sick and the dying in the hospitals.

“Let us remember the doctors and nurses who have travelled to our country from India and provided care for our citizens over the last year in the hospitals and nursing homes throughout Ireland. These are very valued members of our healthcare staff and it would be one way of showing them how much we value their contribution to our society.”

Donations can be made online or by post using the reference ‘CIBA India Covid Relief’ and all details about how to contribute can be found here: https://store.ireland.anglican.org/donations/the-bishops-appeal

There are lots of legends and misconceptions about who Saint Patrick was and what his mission was. However, we are privileged to have the real Patrick preserved for us in his own words in two writings: his ‘Confessio’ and his ‘Epistle to Coroticus’, both of which are readily accessible (https://confessio.ie/).

To celebrate Patrick and the biblical Gospel he believed and preached, and also to make people — young and old — more familiar with the truth about him and the Lord he served, over 30 young people from the majority of parishes in the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh recorded themselves reading a section of the Confession (based on the translation by Pádraig McCarthy and published by the Royal Irish Academy, as found at confessio.ie). The completed video will be available to watch (from 7 pm on 16th March) at this link: https://youtu.be/kb7WnhYcV3I.

This video was created for Saint Patrick’s Day 2021, when, in the midst of continuing Covid-19 restrictions, the usual events and celebrations for this day cannot happen. We hope that it will be an encouragement to all who watch it, and that they, like Patrick, will know personally the difference the Lord makes to those in difficult circumstances.

The Revd. Mark Smith has been appointed as Bishop’s Curate of the Kildrumferton Group in the Diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh. Mark has previously been serving as Curate in the parish of Holy Trinity, Frogmore (just south of St Albans over in England) since 2017, and had several years working for a church in London in a lay capacity before that. 

Mark is married to Ruth, a chartered accountant by training, but currently working full time as a Mum, looking after their 16 month old daughter, Martha. Ruth is originally from the other side of Castleblayney and so is looking forward to moving back to a good Irish border county after a longer-than-expected stint in England!

This is obviously a somewhat difficult time to be moving country and to be beginning ministry in a new place. But Mark is nevertheless very much looking forward to getting to know the parishioners, community and schools in the local area; and throwing himself into life both within the churches and beyond.

Mark has a passion for good engaging preaching, for visiting and spending time with individuals, for children’s and youth work, and for reaching out into the community with the good news of the Lord Jesus. He also enjoys playing and watching sport, reading and watching a good box set. Mark and Ruth love people and are looking forward to their home in Ballyjamesduff being a place of hospitality, fellowship and friendship (when restrictions permit!)