On Tuesday in the crypt of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, there will be a reception to mark the conclusion of the Christ Church history project and the inauguration of its successor, Christ Church Publications. The guest speaker will be the president of UCD, Dr Art Cosgrove.
Six years ago a small group of contributors came together to begin the process which would lead to the publication of a history of Christ Church Cathedral in 2000 and to produce editions of a number of the key sources. Christ Church Cathedral, A History, edited by Dr Kenneth Milne, was published last year and, on Tuesday, the publication of the eighth and final volume, under the general editorship of Dr Raymond Gillespie, will conclude the project.
The final volume in the documents series is a new edition of the Christ Church Deeds, edited by Dr Raymond Refaussee. Although the deeds were destroyed in 1922 they survived, in an informational sense, in a published calendar which contained a little over 1450 deeds, dating from the 12th century to the beginning of the 17th century.
The editor of the calendar, M.J. McEnery, also calendared a further tranche of deeds to the end of the 17th century but these were never published. The new edition reproduces McEnery's calendar and adds to it the unpublished material. The volume is a prime source for the history not only of Christ Church, but of the city of Dublin and its environs. Tuesday will also see the launch of the first venture by Christ Church Publications, Augustinians at Christ Church, edited by Stuart Kinsella. The contributors are the Very Rev Dr Michael Jackson, Dr Sarah Preston, Dr Tadgh O'Keeffe and Dr Raymond Gillespie. There is an introduction by the Rev Dr Adrian Empey and a preface by the Precentor of Christ Church, Canon John Bartlett.
Today the Church of Ireland Historical Society will meet in Armagh. The principal papers will be given by the Rev Robin Roddie on "Methodism and the Church of Ireland" and Prof Ian Green on "Instruction and Piety in the Early Modern Church of Ireland". Dr Susan Hood will make a presentation on her project - the cataloguing of the Meath diocesan archives. In the evening, in Christ Church, Derry, there will be an organ and choral recital in aid of the organ building fund.
Tomorrow morning the preacher at the Sung Eucharist in the Chapel of Trinity College, Dublin, will be Dr Francis Ford Poude, professor of communications theology in Notre Dame. In St George's Church, Belfast, after the 11.00 a.m. Eucharist there will be a presentation to Canon Dick McDonald to mark the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the diaconate.
On Tuesday the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Rt Rev John Neill, will institute the Rev Peter Cole-Baker to the incumbency of Templemore. Mr ColeBaker was ordained in 1998 for the curacy of Ballywillan, Portrush. The Bishop of Tuam, Dr Richard Henderson, will speak at the Derry and Raphoe Clergy Conference which begins in Dunfanaghy on Tuesday and continues until Thursday.