As part of the annual Christian Unity week celebrations, Clongowes was delighted to take part in a bilateral celebration of the Christian faith with The King’s Hospital in Palmerstown on Sunday, January 29th. Students from King’s Hospital arrived in Clongowes for tea and coffee at around 10.30, accompanied by members of staff – Mr. John Aiken and the Reverend Peter Campion.
After light refreshments the group of Clongowes and King’s Hospital students proceeded to Sunday Eucharist. Mass was celebrated with the intent of acclaiming the similarities between the two Christian traditions and highlighting the need for unity in modern times. After Mass both groups of students had lunch together in the refectory before commencing a tour of the college grounds and facilities.
In the evening, students from Clongowes travelled to The King’s Hospital for evening service. This is always a beautiful occasion and one in which there is a lot of effort given to making us feel welcome. Reverend Campion reinforced the same ideals of celebrating the similarities between the traditions and highlighting the need for unity. Afterwards we were given a tour of the boarding houses and dorms as well as the classrooms and sports facilities before tea and sandwiches were served. We are always grateful to The King’s Hospital for their solidarity, compassion and generosity to our school with their time and effort on these occasions.
Paddy White (Poetry)
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is traditionally observed from 18th to 25th January – the octave of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The theme chosen for 2017 is ‘Crossing Barriers’, based on the text from 2 Corinthians, which announces that God has, in Christ, reconciled the world to himself. The love of Christ compels us to be ambassadors of this reconciliation, which is enacted by dismantling walls.
Be reconciled to God
For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:14-20)
More on The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity here.
