THE Church of Ireland Bishop of Cashel, Ferns & Ossory, the Rt Revd Michael Burrows, was due to set off on a “Route 66 Rapid Road Tour” on Wednesday. Over seven days, he will visit more than 60 churches and schools, delivering a short sermon outside each, based on a text from one of the 66 books of the Bible and focusing on the empowerment of women through literacy.

All the money raised will go to the Mothers’ Union, and Feed the Minds women’s literacy projects in Ethiopia and the Congo via the Bishops’ Appeal Fund.

Bishop Burrows is well known for what he terms his “peregrinations” every two years. Previous events have included a one-day rapid rail trip “Stations at the stations”, which, in Holy Week, concentrated on a short sermon at each station on the Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) system in his united dioceses; a cross-county vintage vehicle event; and a church-organ-playing marathon around the diocese, which encompasses seven counties: Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Tipperary, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow.

“This is a journey through all the books of the Bible, with an emphasis on what is often hidden: the presence and the role of women,” the Bishop said. “The tour is about getting out and about in the diocese; reminding ourselves of how well off we are, really; and highlighting the value of education, and the particular importance of educating women. As many have said, ‘When you educate a woman you educate a family.’

“Particularly in the developing world, it is women who share the benefits of their education with their families, who work effectively for equality and opportunity, and who together hasten the breaking in of the Kingdom of God.”