Praying in Lent and Easter 2021: 14, Saint Anne’s Church, Cappoquin

Saint Anne’s Church, Cappoquin, Co Waterford, was built in the 1820s on a site donated by Sir John Keane of Cappoquin House (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

During Lent and Easter this year, I am taking some time each morning to reflect in these ways:

1, a photograph of a church or place of worship that has been significant in my spiritual life;

2, the day’s Gospel reading;

3, a prayer from the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society, Partners in the Gospel).

This week I am offering photographs from seven churches I recall from my childhood. This morning’s photographs (2 March 2021) are from Saint Anne’s Church, the Church of Ireland parish church in Cappoquin, Co Waterford, which I have known since childhood days on my grandmother’s farm outside Cappoquin.

Matthew 23: 1-12 (NRSVA):

1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3 therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practise what they teach. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves are unwilling to lift a finger to move them. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. 6 They love to have the place of honour at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues, 7 and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have people call them rabbi. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all students. 9 And call no one your father on earth, for you have one Father – the one in heaven. 10 Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.’

Prayer in the USPG Prayer Diary:

The Prayer in the USPG Prayer Diary today (2 March 2021) invites us to pray:

Let us pray that the same love we have for Christ might show to those we walk beside each day.

Yesterday’s reflection

Continued tomorrow

Saint Anne’s Church (Church of Ireland) and Saint Mary’s Church (Roman Catholic) were built side-by-side on a shared site in Cappoquin in the 1820s (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition copyright © 1989, 1995, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. http://nrsvbibles.org

March 2021, Holy Week and Easter in the Rathkeale and Kilnaughtin Group of Parishes

‘Mother and Child’ by Anna Raynoch-Brzozowska, a sculpture in Auschwitz … the Fourth Sunday in Lent is also marked as Mothering Sunday (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

The Covid-19 pandemic restrictions make it difficult to know when Church services with congregations are going to resume. Should restrictions ease during Lent or in time for Holy Week and Easter, these are the times of planned services:

Sunday 7 March 2021 (Lent III):

9.30, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2)

11.30, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Morning Prayer

Readings: Exodus 20: 1-17; Psalm 19; John 2: 13-22.

Hymns:

336, Jesus, where’er thy people meet (CD 20)
343, We love the place, O God (CD 20)

Sunday 14 March 2021 (Lent IV, Mothering Sunday, Laetare Sunday):

9.30, Castletown Church, the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2)

11.30, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, Morning Prayer

The Readings: Numbers 21: 4-9; Psalm 107: 1-3, 17-22; John 3: 14-21.

Hymns:

352, Give thanks with a grateful heart (CD 21)
227, Man of sorrows! What a name (CD 14)

Wednesday 17 March 2021 (Saint Patrick’s Day):

11, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, the Festal Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

Readings: Tobit 13: 1b-7; Psalm 145: 1-13; John 4: 31-38.

Hymns:

611: Christ be beside me (CD 35)
322: I bind unto myself today (CD supplied)

Sunday 21 March 2021 (Lent V):

9.30, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Morning Prayer

11.30, Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

Readings: Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Psalm 51: 1-13; John 12: 20-33

Hymns:

125, Hail to the Lord’s anointed (CD 8)
656, Nearer, my God, to thee (CD 38)

Thursday 25 March 2021 (The Annunciation):

11, Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, the Festal Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

The Readings: Isaiah 7: 10-14; Psalm 40: 5-10; Luke 1: 26-38.

Hymns:

133, Long ago, prophets knew (CD 8)
704, Mary sang a song, a song of love (CD 40)

Sunday 28 March 2021 (Palm Sunday):

9.30, Castletown Church, Morning Prayer

11.30, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, the Parish Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

The Readings: Isaiah 50: 4-9a; Psalm 118: 1-2, 19-29; Mark 11: 1-11.

Hymns:

134, Make way, make way for Christ the King (CD 8)
231, My song is love unknown (CD 14)

‘Woman, here is your son … Here is your mother’ (John 19: 26, 27) … a Pieta image in the Chapel in Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Holy Week:

Monday 29 March 2021:

8 p.m., Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, Evening Prayer.

Readings: Psalm 36: 5-11; Hebrews 9: 11-15; John 12: 1-11.

Hymn: 217, All glory, laud and honour (CD 14).

Tuesday 30 March 2021:

8 p.m., Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), Late Evening Office.

Readings: Psalm 71: 1-14; John 12: 20-36.

Hymns:

66, Before the ending of the day (CD 4)
218, And can it be that I should gain (CD 14)

Wednesday 31 March 2021:

8 p.m., Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, Compline.

Reading: John 13: 21-32.

Hymn: 247, When I survey the wondrous cross (CD 15)

Maundy Thursday 1 April 2021:

8 p.m., Castletown Church, Maundy Eucharist, with Washing of the Feet

Readings: Exodus 12: 1-4; Psalm 116: 1, 10-17; I Corinthians 11: 23-26; John 13: 1-17, 31b-35.

Hymns:

431, Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour (CD 26)
515, ‘A new commandment I give unto you’ (CD 30)

Good Friday 2 April 2021:

12 noon to 3 pm: Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, The Three Hours.

Easter:

Saturday 3 April 2021, Easter Eve:

7 pm: Saint Brendan’s Church, Kilnaughtin (Tarbert), the Easter Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

9 pm: Saint Mary’s Church, Askeaton, the Easter Eucharist (Holy Communion 2).

Readings: Jeremiah 31: 1-6; the Easter Anthems (sung as Hymn 286, CD 17); Colossians 3: 1-4; Matthew 28: 1-10.

Hymns:

260, Christ is alive! Let Christians sing (CD 16)
258, Christ the Lord is risen again (CD 16)

Sunday 4 April 2021, Easter Day:

9.30, Castletown Church, the Easter Eucharist (Holy Communion 2)

11.30, Holy Trinity Church, Rathkeale, the Easter Eucharist (Holy Communion 2)

Readings: Acts 10: 34-43; Psalm 118: 1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3: 1-4; John 20: 1-18.

Hymns:

286, The strife is o’er, the battle done (CD 12)
78, This is the day that the Lord has made (CD 5)

On-line sermons:

Meanwhile, during the lockdown, while church buildings remain closed, the Parish Eucharist continues to be celebrated, and the Sunday sermons and the intercessions go online through the Parish Facebook page and through Patrick’s blog (www.patrickcomerford.com). The sermons are also available on YouTube.

The Crucifixion and the Harrowing of Hell, depicted in a chapel in Saint John’s Monastery, Tolleshunt Knights, Essex (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)