06.02.2026
Racial Justice Sunday Services in Dublin and Glendalough
This Sunday, February 8, is Racial Justice Sunday. Racial Justice Sunday was first marked in Britain in 1995 as an initiative of the Methodist Church, in response to the murder of Stephen Lawrence, and has subsequently been promoted by Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). Since 2017, it has been held on the second Sunday of February.
This year’s theme is ‘Love Your Neighbour’ and resources are available from CBTI. For the first time the Church of Ireland’s Liturgical Advisory Committee has prepared A Service of the Word for Racial Justice Sunday which is available to print and download from the Church of Ireland website at www.churchofireland.org/prayer-worship/worship-resources/racial-justice-sunday
The 2025 Church of Ireland General Synod, meeting in Naas, Co. Kildare, approved a resolution encouraging each diocese to hold one Racial Justice Sunday service in a format and venue of its choosing.
In Dublin and Glendalough Kilternan parish will mark Racial Justice Sunday this weekend. Their main services at 9:30am and 11am will focus on the parish’s ongoing commitment to fostering a spirit of welcome and hospitality in the context of both the church and wider community outreach. “Kilternan parish is a faith community where all, and particularly newcomers, are unequivocally welcomed, explains the Curate the Revd Caroline Brennan. “It is a place where the Christian faith is lived out in worship and in community. We are a congregation which is both traditional and contemporary, local and diverse. From Australia to Zimbabwe, we are young and not so young and in–between! Most importantly we are Christ–followers, and we are deeply committed to loving our neighbour and promoting justice and equality in our world.”
She added: “On Racial Justice Sunday we will remind ourselves once again of our Saviour’s commandment – that wonderful mandate to love our neighbour– and as we do so we will embrace and engage the words of the new liturgy offered to us by the Church of Ireland Liturgical Advisory Committee. Our church and parish centre next Sunday will be festooned with flags from across the world– a reminder of the diversity of our congregation and the breadth of God’s creation. All are invited to bring desserts – cookies, biscuits and cakes– all sorts of goodies to share after our services, which remind us of both home and of our places of origin, as well as those places in the world where we may have visited”.
All are welcome to join them.
The liturgy produced by the LAC will also be used in the Holmpatrick Group of Parishes, in Kenure and Balbriggan, where the Revd Dr Norman Gamble will take the services on Sunday.