31.10.2017
200 Years of Worship and Witness at Nun’s Cross Church Celebrated
Two hundred years of worship and witness at Nun’s Cross Church, Killiskey (Ashford), was celebrated with a special service on Saturday evening (October 28). The service took place 200 years to the day since the consecration of the church, on October 28 1817, by the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, the Hon Charles Brodrick, the Archbishop of Dublin & Glendalough having been unable to preside.
The current Archbishop of Dublin & Glendalough, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson, presided at the bicentenary service which was led by Assistant Priest, the Revd Ken Rue. The service was attended by Priest in Charge of Wicklow and Killiskey, the Revd Jack Kinkead along with former Rectors, Canon Stanley Pettigrew and Canon John Clarke.
Among the special guests were members of families of the church’s two principal founding benefactors. Teran Synge, a descendant of Francis Synge of nearby Glanmore Castle and Charles Tottenham, a descendant of Charles Tottenham of Ballycurry, read the lessons. Members of the De Wispalaere family, whose ancestor carved the beautiful woodwork in the church, travelled from Belgium for the occasion.
Prayers for the parish were led by Joy Fletcher, a descendant of the Revd John Joseph Fletcher, Perpetual Curate of Killiskey from 1817 to 1843 and of his son the Revd John Joseph Knox Fletcher, Rector of Killiskey from 1855 to 1867. Prayers of the People were led by Jane Lancaster, granddaughter of Canon Francis Tamplin, Rector of Killiskey from 1953 to 1962.
The service was also attended by Minister for Health, Simon Harris and Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle.
In his sermon, Archbishop Jackson, said that the 200th anniversary of Nun’s Cross Church was celebrated in recognition of God’s calling to all to be disciples in the world. He said that we are called to make divisions secondary where they are primary, to make separation subject to community, to enable flourishing rather than frustration.
“Alienation and separation are the forces which stifle community and prevent friendship. As people together we need to combat the negatives that exclude the positives in life today. This is always best done locally. This is always best done in a community that recognizes its limitations as it harnesses and gathers its strengths for solidarity, for generosity and for the future. And it is the future that has called us together this evening to this very lovely House of God,” he stated.
The Archbishop added that keeping an eye on the future was the most effective way to honour the past. “I say this because the past was once the present and tradition was once innovation. Two hundred years ago, people decided to honour this community and to build in hope. They also decided to build and to craft in the very best of what was possible in their day. The special character of this church is clear for all to see,” he explained.
He concluded by congratulating all who had made preparations for the celebration and looked to the future. “As we journey on we remember Jacob at Bethel; we remember the people of Israel carrying and protecting the Ark of the Covenant; we remember this church in the past, in the here and now and in the future; we remember ourselves and all others who are Living Stones worldwide and pray for them in the communion of prayer which is the song of the communion of saints,” he said.
You can read the Archbishop’s sermon in full here
Nun’s Cross Church was built when the former church at Killiskey had fallen into decay. Half an acre was made available by Charles Tottenham and the cost of construction work was met by Francis Synge along with a loan from the Board of First Fruits.