05.04.2023
‘The Kingdom is here and now – sit up and respond’ – Quiet Morning in St Ann’s
Clergy from Dublin and Glendalough met in St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, on Friday last (March 31) for a quiet morning organised by the Archbishop. The morning began with a Service of Holy Communion, celebrated by the Archbishop, after which those present gathered in the parish centre to consider how the diocese can build on its friendship and link with the Diocese of Jerusalem. Clergy were joined by lay people who have an interest in the link with Jerusalem.
During the service Fr Tom Layden SJ, an Ecumenical Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, led those present through Luke 10 – the Sending out of the 70 – and explored what the Gospel had to teach those in ministry.
Firstly, he observed that the 70 were not sent out alone but in pairs. So it is for those in ministry who are supported by fellow clergy, archdeacons, bishops, church wardens and parishioners. The 70 were sent out as lambs among wolves and Fr Layden pointed out that those in ministry were always vulnerable. “We have to be aware of the challenges in the contexts in which we carry out our ministry and beware of burnout,” he observed.
He noted that the 70 were encouraged to travel light and unencumbered and said that psychological and spiritual baggage could
weigh people down and get in the way of recognising the presence of God in the midst of the everyday. Jesus told the 70 to be focused on the mission and not to be distracted from the central task of pointing out God’s presence in people’s lives. The 70 were also called to be carriers of peace. Fr Layden said that this peace marked Christians out and was “a gift in the times in which we live”.
The 70 were also called to be a consistent presence and were called to a ministry of healing and care for the sick. Fr Layden assured clergy that people really appreciated a visit in hospital, as did their families. He observed that often healing came from listening to people with care and respect.
When the 70 were sent out they were asked to proclaim that the Kingdom of God was very near to them and today those in ministry were asked to do the same. “The invitation is to sit up and respond to the Lord with us every day. The Kingdom is here and now. The mission of the 70 calls us to remember God’s closeness to us in our time and our place in our own dioceses and in the Diocese of Jerusalem,” he noted. “We pray for ourselves that these gifts may be bestowed on us and help us to share the good news in our place and our time.”
Gathered in the parish centre afterward, five clergy who had recently returned from a joint retreat with clergy of the Diocese of Jerusalem in Jordan shared their impressions while all present shared thoughts on how they would like the link to progress.
The Revd Rob Clements, chairperson of the Council for Mission which coordinates the link with Jerusalem, said those who travelled to Jordan heard from clergy there about their daily lives and about how tensions in the region affect them. They heard stories of struggle and strain from clergy of the diocese, which covers Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Israel. “For me it was about solidarity – standing shoulder to shoulder with our fellow clergy,” he commented.
The Revd Ása Björk Ólafsdóttir spoke of the uniqueness of Jordan where Christians and Muslims work side by side with respect. She said that the unity was a blessing and said that there was a huge opportunity to strengthen the bonds between both dioceses.
Canon Peter Campion said it was interesting to see Christians working in a Muslim country and reiterated the respect the traditions have for one another. As a school chaplain, he was interested in the schools they visited and while they were run by Anglicans they mostly served the Muslim community and were highly respected. “They don’t preach. Their mission is by their incredible kindness,” he commented. “Going forward we can learn a lot from them, from the work they do and their outreach and the humility they have.”
The Revd Colin McConaghie observed that Anglicans in the Middle East were very much to be found in the middle ground with the Church trying its best to minister in this situation. He said the retreat was all about building relationships and learning of each other’s stories. They focused on 1 Peter and the Living Stones and he noted that everywhere in Jordan there were massive stones. He also observed that loneliness was a big issue among clergy as they were so separated.
Archbishop Michael Jackson explained that one of the reasons he was so keen to develop the link between the two dioceses was that almost every day there were stories about the Holy Land in the news. “The land – being on Mount Nebo and at the River Jordan – enabled us to connect with the contexts. We have a responsibility to share our energy for the engagement of the people of our dioceses with the people there,” he said.
The Revd Rob Clements said that to develop the link, it needed to be owned by the dioceses and people here needed to inform themselves about issues in Jerusalem and the Middle East and what is going on in the diocese and its parishes. He suggested that it was not just enough to go to a retreat centre but that for the link to grow the relationship had to be between parishes. He hoped to be able partner clergy and parishes which had common areas of interest. He said there were opportunities for primary and secondary schools to engage and there may be projects that Dublin & Glendalough could get behind.
