03 June 2019

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin
notes in ‘Newslink’ June 2019

Good Friday in a Greek Orthodox Church in Rethymnon in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford, 2019)

Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes

Rathkeale, Askeaton, Castletown and Kilnaughtin

Priest-in-Charge: Revd Canon Patrick Comerford,
The Rectory, Askeaton, Co Limerick.

Celebrating Pentecost:

Easter was late this year, and I had the opportunity to celebrate Easter twice, joining in the Holy Week, Good Friday and Easter liturgies in Crete at the end of April and beginning of May.

We are now moving towards the celebration of the Day of Pentecost or Whit Sunday (9 June) and Trinity Sunday (16 June 2019). The Book of Common Prayer describes Pentecost or Whit Sunday as one of the principal holy days to be observed throughout the Church, and one of the days on which ‘the Holy Communion is celebrated in every cathedral and parish church.’

The Day of Pentecost could also be described as the ‘birthday of the Church.’ In a previous parish, the rector asked everybody to ‘wear something red to church’ on this day.

Easter Vestries 2019:

This year’s Easter Vestries met in Kilnaughtin (Tarbert) on Sunday 5 May, for Askeaton and Castletown on Monday 6 May, and for Rathkeale on Tuesday 7 May.

The following elections took place:

Askeaton Select Vestry:

Churchwardens: Simon White (Rector’s), Ann Drew (People’s).
Glebewardens: Simon White (Rector’s), Ralph Drew (People’s).
Treasurer: Ralph Drew.
Secretary: Anne Drew.
Additional vestry members: Hilary White, Betty Cregan, Donogh O’Grady, Gerald Griffin, Richard Langford, Brian Fitzell, Ebie White, Pat Ruttle.

Castletown Select Vestry:

Churchwardens: Declan Shier (Rector’s), David Downes (People’s).
Glebe Committee: Thomas Downes.
Treasurer: Thomas Downes.
Secretary: Raylene Downes.
Additional vestry members: Valerie Downes, Linda Smith, Victor Gardiner.

Kilnaughtin Select Vestry:

Churchwardens: Eric Parkinson (Rector’s), Alan Fitzell (People’s).
Glebewardens: Alan Fitzell (Rector’s), Joe Gleeson (People’s).
Treasurer, Nikki O’Mahony.
Secretary, Margaret Fitzell.
Additional vestry member: Ajay Philip.

Rathkeale Select Vestry:

Churchwardens: Niall West (Rector’s), Daphne Casey (People’s).
Glebewardens: George Shorten (Rector’s), Niall Shorten (People’s).
Treasurer: Jennifer Shorten.
Secretary: Susan Shorten.
Select Vestry: Edward Buckingham, Jean Fitzell, Pearl Mitchell, Evelyn Lambert, Shirley Sheehan, Isaac Langford.

Group Treasurer: Victor Gardiner.

Church Services in June 2019:

Sunday 2 June (Easter 7):

9.30 a.m.: the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2), Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton.
11.30 a.m.: Morning Prayer, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert).

Sunday 9 June (The Day of Pentecost, Whit Sunday):

9.30 a.m.: Pentecost Eucharist (Holy Communion 2), Castletown Church.
11.30 a.m.: Pentecost Eucharist (Holy Communion 2), Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale.

Sunday 16 June (Trinity Sunday):

9.30 a.m.: Morning Prayer, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton.
11.30 a.m.: the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2), Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert).

Sunday 23 June (Trinity I):

9.30 a.m.: Morning Prayer, Castletown Church.
11.30 a.m.: the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2), Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale.

Sunday 30 June (Trinity II):

11 a.m.: United Group Service (The Parish Eucharist, Holy Communion 2), Saint Mary’s Rectory, Askeaton, with parish barbecue in the rectory garden.

Recent visits and visitors:

In May, the Rectory in Askeaton was the venue for the ‘end-of-term’ workshops for clergy and readers from throughout the diocese, with workshops on ‘Anglican Culture,’ looking at music, poetry, literature, architecture and the arts.

During the past month too, Patrick Comerford has also been invited to speak to Chareleville Heritage Sociey, lectured in Saint Editha’s Parish Church, Tamworth, at the invitation of Tamworth and District and Civic Society and took part in celebrations of Greek Orthodox Easter in Rethymnon in Crete, a one-day meeting in London of the trustees of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), and the three-day meeting in Derry of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland.

Canon Patrick Comerford and Dr David Biggs of Tamworth and District Civic Society at a reception in the Comberford Chapel, Tamworth

This is an edited version of the parish notes for the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes in the June 2019 edition of ‘Newslink,’ the magazine of the Church of Ireland United Diocese of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert (pp 25-26).