A special service to mark the life of John Sullivan SJ will be taking place in St. Macartin’s Cathedral, Enniskillen on Sunday next, 15 April at 4pm.
Both the leaders of the Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic churches in Dublin, the Most Revd Dr. Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and the Most Revd Diarmuid Martin, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland will be taking part in the service which will be taking the form of Choral Evensong. Choirs from Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Clongowes Wood College SJ in County Kildare and St Macartin’s Cathedral will be taking part.
John Sullivan came from a prominent Dublin family and boarded at Portora Royal School 150 years ago. He attended worship in the Cathedral and enjoyed rowing on the River Erne to Devenish. He studied at Trinity and Oxford before becoming a leading barrister in London.
After 37 years as an Anglican, he was received into the Jesuit Order and spent most of the rest of his life in Clongowes Wood College as a teacher leading a life of prayer and service to others less fortunate than himself.
He was a much-loved schoolmaster during his lifetime and his example has been an inspiration to successive generations. In May last year he was beatified by Pope Francis; the first time a beatification service had taken place in Ireland.
Clongowes Wood College SJ, one of the leading boys’ boarding schools in Ireland and Portora Royal School have enjoyed a close collaboration for many decades and the relationship continues with Enniskillen Royal Grammar School. Choirs from both schools will join the Cathedral choir to sing Choral Evensong which will include anthems by Rutter, Tallis’s Responses and a setting of the canticles by Stanford in C.
The Dean of Clogher, the Very Revd Kenneth Hall, has welcomed everyone to the service.
It is hoped that some members of the Sullivan family from England will be able to attend.
For more information, contact
Brian Donaldson,
Clogher Diocesan Communications Officer,
Clogher Diocesan Office,
Hall’s Lane,
Enniskillen
Tel. 02866347879.
