THE Irish Kidney Association's Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for organ donors will be broadcast next month.
It is the 35th annual service organised by the charity and, because of the Covid-19 restrictions around public gatherings and church services, also the first virtual running of the inter-church event.
Four transplant recipients - a heart, lung, kidney and liver - and family members of four deceased donors have taken part in readings and symbolic processions at Dublin's Newman University Church.
The virtual congregation will be invited to take part in a 'Service of Light' ceremony by lighting a candle in memory of deceased donors who gave the gift of life.
The service will also include a message from President Michael D. Higgins, who is the patron of the Irish Kidney Association, and a homily by Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson.
Fr Gary Chamberland CSC, director of the Notre Dame-Newman Centre for Faith and Reason based at the St Stephen's Green church, is the celebrant.
Music for the service has been directed by Steven Warner, associate director, Newman University Church, with cantor Dr Sharon Lyons and music by Vocare Ensemble.
Much of the inter-church service has already been pre-recorded by Kairos Communications under the direction of producer Fr Finbarr Treacy.
The Irish Kidney Association's Annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving for organ donors will be broadcast on RTÉ One and RTÉ Radio One Extra on Sunday November 15 at 11am.
