Pew Sheet – 16th June 2024

The Rector writes ‘ A couple of you have asked me about the Rainbow Cross on the top of the Pewsheet.

It is the Logo/Symbol for Changing Attitude Ireland (CAI) and I first saw it at their AGM in St Anne’s Church Shandon a good few years ago. CAI had created these beautiful little pins with this unique design and I loved them. It is the traditional Church of Ireland Cross design but with the Rainbow colours within it. I felt that it really reflected our parish’s open and welcoming attitude so I shamelessly ‘robbed’ it for us (I’ve since confessed it to the CAI committee and been forgiven !)

You might have noticed that one of the Squares on our Quilt at the back of St Mary’s Church has this Cross?. Irene McLoughlin actually created her square based on the lovely colourful cross’.

Dates for your Diary

29th June

10am Work Party in St Mary’s Churchyard

30th June

11am United Service in St Mary’s Church. No 9:30am Service.

3.30 pm St Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the Bishop will ordain Andrew Coleman and Eoghan Healy to the

diaconate. Both will serve as deacons in the Ordained Local Ministry. ALL WELCOME!

28th July Parish BBQ after 11am Service

The Owenabue Garden and Flower Club, Carrigaline will host an Evening Garden Walk with refreshments at Claire and Kevin Cooney’s Garden, Ballyfeard P17 PC81 on Monday 24th June at 7pm.

All welcome entry €7 each.

St Mary’s Churchyard and Parish Office

Tidy up & Painting Day

10am Saturday 29th June

All welcome to come along

and help out!

World Elder Abuse Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day occurs on 15^th June each year and is recognised as a United Nations Day by the General Assembly.

The World Health Organisation estimates that almost 141 million people globally suffer from elder abuse. Elder abuse and neglect are one of the most underrepresented and underreported violations of human rights so it can be assumed that the real figure is much higher.

What is Elder Abuse?

The WHO defines “elder abuse” or “abuse of older people” as a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship in which there is expectation of trust that causes harm or distress to an older person.

Statistically, one in six people, over the age of 60, in Ireland

are victims of abuse. (WHO)

This is a truly damning indictment of how our society views and values older people. Sadly, the abuse of older people is not a new issue, but one that has now reached a critical threshold that can no longer be ignored, nor tolerated.

Examples of elder abuse include:

Neglect and acts of omission

Domestic abuse

Coercive control

Scams

Fraud

Physical abuse

Financial abuse

Sexual abuse

If you are or you know a person who is affected by this issue you can contact the HSE Information Line on 1800 700 700, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.

The HSE booklet, Open Your Eyes: Protect yourself from Elder abuse developed primarily for older people to assist them to plan safely for their future contains information that family members, friends,

neighbours, carers and the general public may find useful. Download at 2024 HSE protect yourself from Elder Abuse.pdf. Further information can be found at All you need to know about Elder Abuse | Age Action

We can create and influence policy that changes lives and ways of thinking by bringing this to the attention of politicians on the doorstep.

Check in with an elder person today….

Be aware of Elder Abuse…….

A Prayer for an end to Elder Abuse:

On this special weekend of prayer and action for elder justice,

we pray for the courage and wisdom, humility and grace,

to act with justice.

We ask to become more aware.

We pray for the strength to hear those whose voices are silenced.

We pray for the courage to speak out against abuse of older adults.

We pray for the moral conviction to call elder abuse a sin.

Prompt us not to look away, remind us not to forget, provoke us to action

Until every older adult is respected,

Until every older adult receives the loving care they deserve,

May we work to end elder abuse,

May we work to end all forms of abuse,

May abuse find no place in our families or communities,

May abuse find no place in our hearts,

For there is no excuse for abuse.

(Source: Adapted from Jon Humphries)

Thank you to Hilary Dring, Mothers’ Union Diocesan President for bringing this to our notice.

Random Notes CDLXI

June 23^rd is Sanctuary Sunday (also called Refugee Sunday), a day when churches around the world remember and pray for refugees and displaced people. The UN estimates there are over 110 million displaced people around the globe, the highest number in human history.

Behind that unthinkably large number are human stories: stories of individual people forced from their homes by war, disasters, and persecution. Some of those stories have led people to seek sanctuary in Ireland, making new homes and starting new lives.

On Sanctuary Sunday we look to the Scriptures and reflect on how our faith calls us to respond to the needs of refugees, both around the world and living in our communities. The Bible is full of stories of people on the move. Joseph offered his father and brothers sanctuary in Egypt when their homeland was ravaged by famine, then 400 years later Moses lead that same people out of Egypt to freedom and a new land. Ruth left her home as a penniless widow and worked as a migrant labourer in Bethlehem.

And of course, Mary and Joseph fled the violent persecution of Herod, seeking asylum once more in Egypt. Throughout all these stories we see a God who cares for the exile and the stranger.

The recent European and local elections have revealed what a hot-button issue immigration is.

However, Irish voters have by and large not followed the European trend to the anti-immigrant right.

With very few exceptions, we can take pride in our generosity.

This June 23^rd, we will mark Sanctuary Sunday in our Union of Parishes with two special services of

Morning Prayer in St John’s and St Mary’s.

Instead of a sermon from me, we will have a guest speaker, Kelly Buckley, from UCC to talk to us about the Sanctuary Scholar programme. A number of people in the parish, notably Rowland Newenham, have been actively involved in this initiative, which looks to support students fleeing famine, war and persecution.