01.02.2013
New Vicar Receives Warm Welcome at Christ Church Dun Laoghaire
The Service of Introduction of the Revd Ása Björk Ólafsdóttir as Vicar of Christ Church Dun Laoghaire took place yesterday evening, Thursday January 31. The service was presided over by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and was attended by the Right Revd Kristján Valur Ingólfsson, Bishop of Skálholt, Iceland, who preached.
A large number of clergy were also in attendance both from Dublin and Glendalough and Meath and Kildare where Ása served as Rector of Kells and Donaghpatrick prior to her appointment in Dun Laoghaire. Among the clergy were the Bishop–elect of Meath and Kildare, the Revd Leslie Stevenson and the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne. Local dignitaries were also present including Ceann Comhairle of Dail Eireann, Deputy Sean Barrett and members of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. Parishioners from Kells also braved the driving rain to wish their former rector well. Ása’s daughter, Messíana, was also present and sang during Communion.
In his sermon Bishop Kristján Valur Ingólfsson stressed the importance of Ása’s appointment to Dun Laoghaire in the journey to a closer Porvoo Communion. Both the Church of Ireland and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, in which Ása was ordained, are part of the Porvoo Communion, a fellowship of Anglican and Lutheran churches in northern Europe who celebrate their unity as churches and who share a common sacramental life and ministry through the Porvoo Declaration.
The Bishop said that he came from a large family and that while they were all different, they came from the same parents. Likewise, he said that the different congregations and churches were all one family. “We are all children of God. Born to eternal life through Baptism, we are one in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are all different but we belong to the one and only Lord and we are one in Him,” he stated.
At the reception following the service Ása was welcomed by the Rural Dean, the Revd Ian Gallagher; Parish Priest of Dun Laoghaire, Mnsgr Dan O’Connor; parishioner, Bruce O’Brien; and Archbishop Jackson who said he was delighted that she had come to the dioceses. Her former church warden from Kells, Stephen Strong, spoke highly of his departing rector. The new Vicar said it was a great honour to come to Dun Laoghaire and looked forward to the challenges and joyful times ahead.