13.02.2015
New Chapter Begins in Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons as Revd Stephen Neill is Instituted
Celbridge and Straffan with Newcastle–Lyons began a new chapter last night (Thursday February 12) as parishioners welcomed their new Rector. The Revd Stephen Neill was instituted as Incumbent by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson in Christ Church, Celbridge.
Members of all three churches turned out in force to ensure a warm welcome for Mr Neill, his wife Nicola and their son Aaron. They were joined by many former parishioners from the Cloughjordan and Borrisokane Group. Many clergy from Dublin and Glendalough were in attendance along with Archbishop John Neill, former Archbishop of Dublin and his wife Betty, Stephen’s parents.
The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Cork, the Rt Revd Paul Colton, who told the parishioners that they had “got a good one”. Drawing on the words of the Gospel (John 4: 31–38) “But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting”, he said their new Rector was faithful in ministry and had his eyes open and was not afraid to say what he saw and respond to it.
The Bishop observed that the area around Celbridge had experienced a population explosion in recent years. What had once been a sleepy village on the border of Dublin and Kildare had grown by 50 percent between the years 1986 and 2002. He said all of this bewildering change had brought a change in affiliation to church and an explosion in spirituality, although not necessarily in the traditional ways adding “look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting”.
Producing a magic wand which he proposed to leave in the parish, Bishop Colton said everyone knew that magic wands did not work. He said society suffered from magic wand syndrome and political parties thought they could wave a magic wand and produce change.
There was no magic wand for the Church either, the Bishop maintained. “Your new Rector is not a magic wand. He is a slow cooked and faithful priest” he said adding that the pattern of ministry was set out in the Order of Service for the Institution and was one of patient continuance. Bishop Colton said that the charge to serve the Lord was also one given to the parishioners.
After the service West Glendalough Rural Dean, the Revd Leonard Ruddock, brought greetings from the previous Rector, the Revd Sandra Hales and paid tribute to all who had helped out during the time when she was ill and in the subsequent vacancy.
Speaking on behalf of the parish, Jos Eversten said the institution marked a new beginning which the parish greeted with great optimism. Parishioners were prepared to work with their rector, Dr Eversten stated and they had put together a framework which would enable a collaborative approach to ministry. With a nod to Mr Neill’s connections, he quoted President Barack Obama: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek”.
The local Parish Priest, Fr Paul Taylor, welcomed Mr Neill to the parish. He said Celbridge was a multicultural and multidenominational community and looked forward to working with the new Rector to refresh and revitalise the community.
Eileen Armitage spoke on behalf of the parishioners of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane and said they were grateful and privileged to have had Mr Neill as their Rector. Over the last 16 years he had never let them down and had given up his time unstintingly, she said.
Mr Neill thanked his new parishioners for the welcome they had given the family. He also thanked the many people from Cloughjordan and Borrisokane for travelling to “complete the handover”. He thanked the parochial and diocesan nominators for taking a leap of faith in appointing him and Archbishop Jackson for accepting the nomination. He said was exited by the development work that was going on in the parish and looked forward to joining the ministry team.
Archbishop Jackson said he had known Mr Neill for a long time and knew he would lead his parishioners in fresh ways in the Gospel and in their community. He said that people had come to the church in friendship and hope but added that their thoughts were with the people of Cloughjordan and Borrisokane who had formed friendships with him and his family.
Photo captions:
Top – Archdeacon Ricky Rountree, Bishop Paul Colton, the Revd Stephen Neill and Archbishop Michael Jackson.
Middle – The Revd Stephen Neill with the church wardens from each of the parish churches.
Bottom – The Revd Stephen Neill receives gifts as symbols of ministry.