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Letters to the Editor
Financial aspect of General Synod representation
A few years ago, I wrote to ask what, if anything, was being done by General Synod to try to ease the discrepancy which, sadly, still exists regarding under-representation within the northern dioceses. It is a well-known fact that our people north of the border are grossly under-represented, despite the fact that while over 80% of Church of Ireland membership lives in the northern dioceses, we have only about 50% of Synod members permitted to attend.
I understand from figures gleaned from the Religious Affairs correspondent of the Irish News that the primatial archdiocese of Armagh, with a population of 33,000 souls, sends 54 members to General Synod, yet the united dioceses of Cashel and Ossory with others with just about 25,000 souls send as many as 63 members. Some disparity here - and this is but only one example!
What makes the imbalance so decidedly unacceptable is the fact that each of the 12 united dioceses is expected to pay a levy towards central funds in proportion to the population of Church of Ireland members. That means that the most populous dioceses contribute very large amounts of money to a central pool. Yet, they are being denied their proper representation in the General Synod. They have got to pay the piper all right, but are not allowed to call the tune - a case of taxation without proper representation. Didn’t the 13 English colonists in America go to war against the mother country in the 18th century for similar reasons? Surely in this age of instant change, when, for example, the Fianna Fail Party in the Republic of Ireland is prepared to take the Greens into government and the Democratic Unionist Party in Northern Ireland is willing to sit in an executive with Sinn Fein, power-hungry members of the Church of Ireland in the Republic of Ireland should be prepared to be reasonable, accept change and try to end the glaring disparities regarding General Synod representation.
What is wrong, I ask, with the system used by the Presbyterian Church in Ireland? I understand that the minister of each church grouping is allowed to attend the General Assembly together with one or two church elders - a truly democratic arrangement, I say.
Wilfred Breen
Georgian Villas
Omagh
Co. Tyrone
The Irish Association of Change Ringers (IACR) is a body affiliated to the Central Council of Church Bellringers and is made up of church bellringers in Ireland. We are divided into three sections - Northern District, Southern District and Eastern District. Our association has a Bell Repair Fund which makes donations to various churches in Ireland when they apply for help with restorations of bells hung for full circle ringing. Our members make donations and organise various fundraising events throughout the year; therefore we, the bellringers, are the people who are constantly contributing to the fund in order to keep it in a healthy state. The purpose of this letter is to raise the profile of church bellringing in Ireland and to make people aware that such a fund does exist, with a view to parishioners bequeathing or donating to it in just the same way as they donate and will funds to their respective churches. Anything donated to this fund can only be used for bells, unlike other donations to churches which can be used for various schemes. Readers will all perhaps appreciate that, in this day and age, it is important to keep bells ringing in order to call people to worship. Donating to this fund would ensure that bells are kept ringing and let people know the Christian message. Any contribution can be sent to our Association Treasurer, Christy Pratt, 25 Parkroe, Ardnacrusha, Co. Clare, payable to IACR, or to myself at the address below.
Denise McLean
General Secretary, IACR
71 Rosevale Avenue
Newtownards
BT23 7BL
I’m delighted to see that at last the inclusive ecumenical role for St Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, which I put forward in 1970, has now been realised. In 1970, I had only one positive response – the Methodists. The Roman Catholics and Presbyterians were not interested. Indeed, Fr Michael Hurley preached at my invitation at an ecumenical service in the Cathedral on St Patrick’s Day 1970 – the first Roman Catholic priest to preach in a Church of Ireland church since the Reformation – and his courageous vision and total commitment to Christian unity encouraged me to advocate a much wider and inclusive ecumenical role for St Patrick’s as a truly National Cathedral. Now, after 37 years, in 2007, it has thankfully come to pass. Perhaps in 1970 the time was not ripe for such a radiant Christian initiative in our native land.
Victor G. Griffin
(The Very Revd)
7 Tyler Road
Limavady
Co. Londonderry