26.09.2013
Hundreds of Children Attend Diocesan Primary and Junior Schools Service
Pupils from schools in every corner of the dioceses flocked to Christ Church Cathedral today (Thursday September 26) for the annual Dublin and Glendalough Service for Primary Schools and Junior Schools. The theme of the service was ‘Harvest for the World’ and children brought food which will be donated to Trust, a charity which helps homeless people in Dublin city.
The Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, presided at the service which was led by the Revd Sonia Gyles, Rector of the Grouped Parishes of Sandford and St Philip’s, Milltown.
Special guests included Secretary General at the Department of Education and Skills, Sean O Fhoglú; Past President of the INTO, Noreen Hayes; Assistant Chief Inspector at the Department of Education and Skills, Margaret Condon; Dr Susan Parkes of CICE; and Secretary to the Church of Ireland Board of Education (RI), Dr Ken Fennelly.
Welcoming everyone to the cathedral, Dean Dermot Dunne paid tribute to Sonia Gyles who has completed her last year as chair of the organising committee for the service on which she has served for 12 years.
There were almost 400 pupils in attendance and they were well represented with children from all over the dioceses taking part in the prayers and readings. Springdale National School performed a drama entitled ‘A Harvest Tale’ in which they expertly conveyed the message that you reap what you sow.
Gospel singer, Nono Madolo, had everyone singing ‘Ahuna ya tswana li Jesu’ in Susutu and English.
In her sermon and with the help of two volunteers, Ms Gyles focused on the amount of food typically eaten here in a day in comparison to a child from Sahale in Africa who might have to walk miles for a small bit of rice and some dirty water.
She urged the children to be grateful for what they have and remember that there are millions of people throughout the world who have less food than they do. However, she reminded them that many people in our own country don’t have enough to eat either and said the food they had brought would help homeless people in the city.
Closing the service, Archbishop Jackson thanked all the pupils for filling the cathedral with the sound of enjoyment. He thanked Sonia Gyles and her volunteers for helping the congregation to get the message about food and the Dean for allowing the service to take place in the cathedral.
The service is organised annually by a small committee set up by the Diocesan Board of Education.
Photo caption: The Revd Sonia Gyles illustrates her sermon with the help of two volunteers at the annual Dublin and Glendalough Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools in Christ Church Cathedral today (September 26).