Paganism promoted again by Church of Ireland in County Armagh

2 Timothy 3:13: “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

In May 2018, we highlighted the abominable and outrageous situation wherein a Church of Ireland ‘minister’ was revealed to be the leader of an organisation called the ‘Centre for Celtic Spirituality’ and was promoting and practising various pagan rituals.

This included holding events which ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie (pictured, top) described as “earthwalks”, with one such event held to mark the pagan festival of Beltane (or Bealtaine).

Curiously, the website on which she promoted such, with other recommendations including “creating an outdoor prayer shrine or befriending a tree to pray / meditate outdoors”, seems to have disappeared since we last wrote about it.

Sadly, the centre itself hasn’t disappeared.

And just three weeks ago, on Wednesday, 12 February a Church of Ireland parish centre in County Armagh was the venue for an event addressed by ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie entitled, ‘Celtic Spirituality and St Brigid’.

The ‘Jethro Centre’ in Lurgan played host to this celebration of paganism.

In our article almost two years ago we highlighted much of what is wrong with the Celtic Spirituality nonsense espoused by ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie and would invite you to read that article by clicking here.

The possibly fictional character of St Brigid is nothing but the subject of pagan folklore hijacked by Rome and given a Chriatian gloss (a particular skill of Rome’s).

Saint Brigid is widely recognised as being a pagan goddess transformed by Rome into one of their ‘saints’.

So why would a Church of Ireland ‘minister’ want to speak in such a manner about a pagan deity turned Papist saint?

Furthermore, why would the Church of Ireland, supposedly a Christian, not pagan or Papist (though paganism and Popery are pretty similar) church, tolerate one of its ‘ministers’ speaking about a pagan deity turned Papist saint?

One likely reason is that the Church of Ireland doesn’t particularly care what goes on under its banner or by those who collect their wages from them and live in their properties.

To see a clear example of this, one must only look at the disgraceful case of Rev Andrew Rawding, Church of Ireland minister in the Coalisland and Stewartstown areas of County Tyrone.

Not only does he appear to be striving to make himself the patron saint of the sodomite movement by attending every ‘Pride’ parade he can find and by taking up the role of vice-Chairman of the utterly ungodly Mid-Ulster Pride grouping, but he has hosted at least one of its meetings in his own house.

Well, we should say he has hosted at least one of its meetings in the rectory provided to him by the Church of Ireland which, unless it is unlike virtually every other Church of Ireland rectory in the country, is provided to him rent or mortgage free.

What does the Church of Ireland do about this? They can’t have not heard about his antics, given he has done his utmost to ensure he has received maximum publicity for his stance in defying God.

Indeed, we know for a fact this was brought directly to the attention of the recently retired Archbishop of Armagh, Most Ecumenical Richard Clarke (pictured, below), the most senior figure in the Church of Ireland.

What did he do about it? Nothing.

Indeed, ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie’s promotion of paganism is carried out within just a few miles of Armagh city, the site of Most Ecumenical Richard Clarke’s episcopal seat.

Job 11:14 gives us sound guidance as to what we should do when we are confronted by sin, be it our own or that under our responsibility.

It says: “If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.”

It is within the power of the Archbishop of Armagh, or was when these outrageous situations presented themselves, to do something about and refuse to let it dwell in the tabernacles of his church.

However, he has very clearly failed to do so, an action (or inaction) which is reprehensible.

This event at the Jethro Centre was promoted by what is called the ‘Community Outreach Group’, according to the Roman Catholic parish bulletin for Lurgan.

The website for the Jethro Centre states this of the Community Outreach Group: “The Community Outreach Group, which comes under the umbrella of SPCA, was formed in 2004 as a result of an initiative by the Rev Dr Maurice Elliott, a former rector of Shankill Parish, and is a partnership between the churches of Shankill Parish, St Peter’s Parish and St Paul’s Parish.”

St Peter’s and St Paul’s are both Roman Catholic churches, so this is an overtly ecumenical group.

Rev Dr Maurice Elliott (pictured, below), referred to in the quote above, is the Director of the Theological Institute of the Church of Ireland, meaning he is in charge of the training of aspiring ministers within that denomination.

Given his clear commitment to mingling with Romanism, it would appear highly unlikely he is a satisfactory individual to entrust with training men whose chief purpose ought to be the fearless preaching of the full counsel of God, which would include denouncing false religions such as that of Rome.

This is but yet further evidence of the weakness of the Church of Ireland in these days of apostasy and departure from God’s Word.

Dear Christian, be wary of allowing yourself to fall under the influence of such dangerous events as this, which mere attendance at will have the effect of damaging your walk with Christ and His cause in our land.

Romans 12:1-2: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Only total heretics will do – pro-LGBT Church of Ireland clergy squawk as Rev David McClay appointed bishop

2 Chronicles 11:13-16: “And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the Lord: And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.”

We at Protestant Revival find ourselves in the rather unusual position of * almost * coming to the defence of an ecumenical Church of Ireland minister.

For we have felt compelled to comment on the elevation of Rev David McClay (pictured, top), rector of Willowfield Parish Church in east Belfast, to the bishopric of the Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore.

We have previously been, rightly, in view of Scripture, highly critical of Rev David McClay for his naked ecumenical compromise with the false religion of Romanism through the charismatic New Wine festival, while also inviting in all sorts of other characters who any true evangelical would stay well clear of.

This included, in 2018, Rev David McClay featuring as one of his speakers the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Elphin Diocese, Kevin Doran, as well as a Fodhla McGrane – she is a representative of Clonard Monastery – and Paddy Monaghan of the Evangelical Catholic Initiative (ECI).

Paddy Monaghan, who is a member of the Legion of Mary, was back at the conference once more in 2019.

Also among the guests at Rev David McClay’s New Wine conference have been two of the three lead pastors of the Emmanuel Church in the Craigavon area, Philip Emerson and Dave Wylie, whose other lead pastor, Alain ‘Ecumenical’ Emerson is one of the most senior figures in the Northern Irish apostasy and is teaching his devotees to follow in the footsteps of the evil founder of the appalling Romanist order of the Jesuits, Ignatius of Loyola.

So, one would have thought that with such impeccable ecumenical credentials as these that Rev David McClay, who has hitherto served as Archdeacon of the Down and Dromore diocese, would be welcomed with open arms by his denomination, given over as it is to God-defiance.

Not so, however.

For 36 allegedly “senior” (according to the Church Times) Church of Ireland clergy have written a letter, ultimately unsuccessfully, opposing his elevation to the bishopric.

Their reason for doing so? Rev David McClay is, to his credit, not on board with the pro-sodomite lobby insidiously working its way through the Church of Ireland.

The signatories to this letter includes four deans and 12 canons, as well as 24 plain old ‘reverends’ (maybe not quite so “senior”?), although many of the signatories are women and therefore ought not to hold the positions they do. 1 Timothy 2:10-12 gives a very clear steer on this.

Indeed, of the 36 signatories of the letter, 18, or exactly half, are women.

Given that, even yet, a significant majority of Church of Ireland clerics are men, it is instructive that 50% of the God-defiers behind this letter are female.

It should not come as too great a surprise that women ordained as ‘ministers’ should be at the vanguard of the rage against Biblical truth as, to occupy the position they hold, they simply have to be opposed to the Bible’s teachings in the first place, given it prohibits female ministers.

If you can perform a mental leapfrog over those Scriptures, then why not any other passage you personally dislike?

Another interesting aspect of the signatories is that of the 36 people named, just two of them are currently based, as best we can see, in Northern Ireland. The other 34 are over the border in the Republic of Ireland.

This, too, is instructive.

It was primarily southern based Church of Ireland clerics and lay members who voted in favour of affirming same-sex ‘marriages’ in the Church of Ireland a few years ago, though their efforts were, relatively narrowly, defeated.

And it would appear that, once the border is crossed, views on sodomy and other matters get a lot more liberal.

The two Northern Ireland based clergy who added their names to the letter opposing Rev David McClay were Rev Jason Kernohan, rector of All Saints Parish Church, Eglantine, near Lisburn, County Antrim and ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie (pictured, below), ‘minister’ of Kildarton and Lisnadill Parish Churches in County Armagh.

While the former of those we have not previously came across the latter featured in one of the most outrageous articles we have ever had the sad duty of writing.

‘Rev’ Grace Clunie, in addition to the churches for which she has responsibility, also runs the Centre for Celtic Spirituality in Armagh.

As part of this, ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie celebrates pagan rituals such as Beltane and instructs people to “create an outdoor prayer shrine or befriend a tree to pray/meditate outdoors”. You can read all about her dreadful antics by clicking here.

In relation to Rev Jason Kernohan, we have discovered he is a proud and dedicated Romish compromiser.

In an article from the Derry Journal reporting on his then-impending move to Eglantine from his previous charge as curate at Drumachose Parish Church in Limavady, County Londonderry, Rev Jason Kernohan (pictured, below) revealed how he sang each year at Christmas Eve mass in one of that town’s Romanist chapels, Christ the King.

“Fr Eddie Gallagher was one of the first clergy I met,” Rev Jason Kernohan is quoted.

“He loves music and singing at mass, or indeed at any available opportunity really, so on Christmas Eve 2010 I was invited over to sing at Christmas Eve mass at Christ The King. Fr Eddie and I sang a duet. I couldn’t believe the reception we both received and, so, every year I’ve been invited back to Christ the King to sing.

“Eddie and I did concerts at Christ Church and guest teas, and we always thought we would love to record a CD, but of course it was a matter of finances. We got a grant through PEACE III, and we recorded the CD and raised £10,000 for both parishes.

“It brought people together, and everyone really enjoyed it, and we still keep in contact.”

The article continues:

Rev Jason said the Churches’ Forum in Limavady was really important to him.

“The first major event we had, and it hadn’t been done before, was the very public event; the Good Friday event. People had said to me, ‘are you sure you want to do this?, and I said ‘yes’, and we did it and it was amazing,” said Rev Jason.

“When I came here I wasn’t afraid of letting people know that I felt it was important to work together, and I think we did that successfully. I think people’s mindsets have changed and I was very fortunate to have Fr. Eddie Gallagher as a wonderful friend.”

There you go, Rev Jason Kernohan “wasn’t afraid of letting people know” of his plans to mingle with the paganism of Rome, he was loud and proud about it.

Rev Jason Kernohan has clearly ignored the Biblical command for separation.

2 Corinthians 6:17 commands us to “come out from among them, and be ye separate”, while Ephesians 5:11 instructs us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them”.

Another signatory to this pro-sodomy letter is Rev David MacDonnell (pictured, below), now the Dean of Ossorry and rector of St Canice’s Cathedral in Letterkenny, County Donegal.

He has previously been mentioned on this page when leaving his previous charge at a grouped parish in that same county and getting the blessing of the local Romanist priest in doing so.

As with the female clergy, it should be no surprise when there is one form of disobedience to God to see another hot on its heels.

The letter’s signatories’ flapping seems to centre around Rev David McClay’s involvement with GAFCON (Global Anglican Future Conference), an allegedly conservative, evangelical organisation within the Anglican church.

However, given the “unswerving ecumenist” Bishop Harold Miller, Rev David McClay’s predecessor, was also linked with GAFCON, it would not appear to be especially conservative.

In their letter, they say that GAFCON “is a movement to outlaw same-sex marriages, the ordination of LGBTQ+ people, proclaiming itself as the unique upholder of biblical orthodoxy and systematically undermining the global diversity and unity of Anglicanism”.

We would imagine those involved with GAFCON would deny they claim to be the “unique upholder of biblical orthodoxy”, but the first part of that paragraph gets to the crux of the matter – sodomy.

It is truly the major issue of our time and a battle constantly being fought by apostates and Bible haters, whether they wear clerical garb or not.

“Outlawing same-sex marriage”, as they put it, is surely beyond the remit of the Church of Ireland, as we would imagine they have a rather minimal role in the lawmaking process, but it is but another example of their hysterical rhetoric.

These disgraces to the ministry simply want people in positions of power who promote the gospel according to Sodom.

Rev David McClay is a compromiser, but he is opposed to the sodomite agenda and for that he is worthy of praise.

We previously commented here on his church holding what was described as a “gay cure therapy” session by those in opposition to it.

What it wasn’t was Scriptural, but it shows how Rev David McClay is at odds with these characters who are looking to push the Church of Ireland even further away from God.

And what it all shows is that separation is a critically important matter.

We can have different viewpoints on some issues, but when some clergy holding high office, or indeed any office, are campaigning in favour of what God calls an “abomination”, it means we simply cannot be yoked with such wickedness.

There needs to be a separation from churches where God and His Word is rejected and a living for Him, not for ourselves and certainly not a standing against God in favour of sin.

Even as the verses at the top of this article show, the priests determined to serve God realised they could not do it under the notably evil rule of Jeroboam.

Likewise, in an environment such as that within the Church of Ireland, it is not possible to truly please God when you are bound to such God-deniers.

Let us be determined not to be stained by the sins of those around us, but keep ourselves clean and pure for Christ, as much as in us lies.

Ephesians 5:27: “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

Revealed: Paganism and Popery – the shocking reality in Armagh Church of Ireland

Over the past number of months as we have sought, under God, to highlight the workers of iniquity, apostasy and ecumenism in our land, we have uncovered some dreadful actions.

However, we were informed a few days ago of a concerning state of affairs with the ‘minister’ of Kildarton and Lisnadill Parish Churches, just a few miles outside the city of Armagh, and we are saddened to say we have never encountered such dreadful departure from the Word of God by someone holding episcopal office.

She is the ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie (pictured, top) and, while she ought not to hold her position simply because of her gender (1 Timothy 2:12), there is an even greater concern over her suitability as any type of church leader.

This is because she is an active practitioner of pagan rituals and runs her own website promoting such shocking rejection of God’s Word.

Called Celtic Spirituality, this practice is entirely pagan in its nature and indeed it is its obsession with nature and the world around us which is its defining characteristic.

On ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie’s website, it speaks of a ‘love of the natural world’ and promotes events being run by the Centre for Celtic Spirituality in Armagh, which she runs, including ‘earthwalks’ which, according to the website, “enable us to enter into the experience of the natural world and all its beauty in a deeper way”.

There is no mention of a connection with God, it is about connecting with a tree, a rose bush, a stream or a hill. We are reminded of the words of Romans 1:25 concerning those who had perverted pure religion. It says: “Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator…”

The BBC, on its website, defines paganism as “a group of religions and spiritual traditions based on a reverence for nature”.

Indeed, the most recent of ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie’s woodland wanderings, or earthwalks, took place on 19th May to celebrate the pagan festival of Beltane (or Bealtaine).

It is one of the four main festivals in the pagan calendar and symbolises a time of year of virility, lustfulness, growth, fertility and reproduction.

We’ll refer you back to ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie’s website, which says: “In the human growth cycle, Bealtaine corresponds to the period of young adulthood when the blood is hot, when ideas are sometimes impetuous and ambitions pursued with vigour and ardour”.

Regarding this pagan festival, Wikipedia says the following: “Rituals were performed to protect the cattle, crops and people, and to encourage growth.

“Special bonfires were kindled and their flames, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective powers.

“Sometimes the cattle would be driven around a bonfire or be made to leap over flames or embers. The people themselves would do likewise.”

This bears a striking similarity to the occult practices of the heathen in the lands round about the children of Israel, whom they blasphemously decided to worship with when they abandoned God.

We read on many occasions in the Old Testament of how they made their children pass through the fire, though the practices in the Bible often included a human sacrifice.

This is the Holy Spirit’s condemnation of evil king Ahaz, as we are told in 2 Kings 16:3: “But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Israel.”

Manasseh, who was a notably evil king until God dealt with him and wonderfully saved him, was guilty of the same evil in his earlier period on the throne. 2 Kings 21:6 says: “And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”

The children of Israel, too, as a body of people, were guilty of this most abominable of sins, as we are told in 2 Kings 17:17: “And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.”

This was something God had expressly warned against prior to bringing his people into the promised land.

Deuteronomy 18:9-12 says: “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.”

This is the nature of Beltane, and it is a festival no Christian should even countenance having the slightest thing to do with, yet here we have a Church of Ireland ‘minister’ organising celebrations of it.

Wikipedia also informs us that Beltane gatherings “would be accompanied by a feast, and some of the food and drink would be offered to the aos si.”

What on earth are the aos si, you are most likely asking.

Well, they are the Irish term for “a supernatural race in Irish mythology, comparable to the fairies or elves.

“They are said to live underground in fairy mounds, across the western sea, or in an invisible world that coexists with the world of humans.

“Most scholars see the aos si as remnants of the pagan gods and nature spirits.”

So a Church of Ireland ‘minister’ is leading a celebration and actively promoting a religion which includes fairies and elves, who live underground or in a parallel universe and must be appeased by sacrifice.

Perhaps most damning of all is this piece of information, also from Wikipedia: “Since the late 20th century, Celtic neopagans and Wiccans (or witches) have observed Beltane, or something based on it, as a religious holiday.”

So witchcraft is added into the mix here – what a truly terrible potion of apostasy, paganism and heathenism is being concocted here!

Popery can also be added into this horrendous cocktail as her page is littered with quotes from propagators of the Papacy, including a Jesuit priest and an Irish priest who has written extensively on the subject of Celtic spirituality.

Not only that, ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie promotes on her website meditation classes being run by a Benedictine monk, a couple of which have yet to be held, not that we’re encouraging attendance, merely highlighting the continuing nature of this apostasy.

Indeed, the Centre for Celtic Spirituality, which ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie runs, was set up as an ecumenical venture, with involvement from Anglicans, Methodists, Quakers, Presbyterians and Roman Catholics.

And what of the Church of Ireland, which helps fund this pagan facility?

They are every bit as guilty as ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie herself, indeed they promote her website on their own page in the directory of its churches.

The Archbishop of Armagh, with whom ‘Rev’ Grace Clunie will inevitably be very familiar, is the Most Ecumenical Richard Clarke, a man who brings shame and disgrace to the name of Christ every time he dons his grand garments and spews out his deceitful messages of mean compromise.

However, his toleration of such vileness is a new low, even for a man whose clerical standards are as low as a snake’s belly.

See this article and this previous item to get a flavour of his outrageous apostasy.

How can such a character as one who celebrates the Pagan festival of Beltane be tolerated in the church?

How can such a character as one who, on her website, encourages people, as part of Beltane, to “create an outdoor prayer shrine or befriend a tree to pray/meditate outdoors”, be tolerated in the church?

How can such a character as one who opens the door to the world of fairies, elves and witches be tolerated in the church?

Reader, don’t be taken in by anything calling itself Celtic Spirituality or Celtic Christianity, it is a deceit and a pagan corruption.

1 Corinthians 10:20-21: “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.”

If you are involved with the Church of Ireland and do not consider this to be a separation matter, then we fear for you.

Please heed the crystal clear call of Paul, writing under the inspiration of God, when he said 2 Corinthians 6:17: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing”.

If you are as yet unsaved, then please come to Christ, confess your sins and call on him to forgive you.

Acts 16:31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”.