The Rev. Elise Hanley, Rector of Cobh and Glanmire Union of Parishes, has been appointed as the new Children and Families Ministry Representative for the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The Church of Ireland Board for Ministry with Children and Families (CFM) exists to equip, resource and advocate for the increased welcome, enhanced inclusion, and full participation of children and their families in the whole life of the Church. Their vision is that every Church of Ireland parish, no matter how big or small, is equipped to provide vibrant and engaging ministry with children and families. The CFM representatives from each Diocese work together to promote, support and develop Children and Families ministry across the island of Ireland.
Upon her appointment, the Rev. Elise Hanley said:
I hope to continue and expand upon the excellent work already done by the Rev. Abigail Sines and the wonderful CFM Committee.
It is very important to me that children and families are not only welcomed in our churches, but fully integrated to a sense of true belonging.
While not a parent myself, I see the struggles and challenges faced by young families in our time that are different than what was typical even just 10 or 20 years ago.
I am very close with my brother back in New York, and he and his wife have two young girls. Through their experiences and the experiences of my other friends with children, I see how difficult it can be to both be a child and a parent in this time.
The Church needs to keep adapting to meet young families where they are at, to care for them, and help them walk the Way of the Gospel in Community.
I am grateful to have been asked by Bishop Paul to lead this important work in our Diocese.
The Rev. Elise Hanley, Rector of Cobh and Glanmire Union of Parishes
A diocesan fundraising walk in support of women and families in Sierra Leone is now underway across the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The Rev. Tony Murphy and the Rev. Andrew Coleman began their Journey of Hope on Thursday, May 14, with a launch event at St Mary’s Collegiate Church in Youghal, attended by the Mayor of Youghal, Cllr. Mary Linehan Foley. Since then, the pair have continued their walk through parishes across the Diocese, including visits on Saturday to Carrigaline Union of Parishes and Templebreedy Union of Parishes, where they were joined by parishioners walking in solidarity with the communities affected by poverty and displacement in Sierra Leone.
The walks, which will continue throughout May and June, are raising awareness and funds for the LILOMA Project in Sierra Leone, supported through a partnership between the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Christian Aid Ireland, and the Bishop’s Appeal, the Church of Ireland’s World Development Fund.
The appeal was first launched by Bishop Paul Colton at the Cork Diocesan Synod in October 2024. The project’s name, LILOMA, means “hope” in the local Mende language.
The initiative supports women and families in Upper Malen Chiefdom in Sierra Leone’s Pujehun District, where communities continue to live with the consequences of conflict and land disputes linked to the expansion of large-scale palm oil plantations. Many families lost access to farmland and livelihoods, leaving households economically vulnerable and struggling to provide stability for their children.
One of those affected is Hawa Sannoh, who explained:
“My father’s land was sold without his consent. He used to have lots of land where he would grow palm oil, fruit and vegetables. He was left with nothing.”
Working with the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone, the LILOMA Project helps women rebuild sustainable livelihoods and strengthen their communities. Existing savings groups are being developed into women-led enterprise clusters, providing training in business skills, governance, record-keeping and market engagement. The project also supports alternative income opportunities and livelihood diversification, helping women gain greater economic security and independence.
More than 350 women across ten communities are expected to benefit directly from the project.
Beyond addressing poverty, the initiative also seeks to strengthen dignity, resilience and peace within communities recovering from years of instability. Income generated through the women’s enterprises helps families provide food, pay school fees and support children’s education, while also reducing the pressures that economic hardship can place on households and communities.
This is not the first time that the Rev. Tony Murphy and the Rev. Andrew Coleman have undertaken a diocesan walking fundraiser in support of Christian Aid projects. In 2021, the pair visited all 22 parishes in Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocese while raising thousands of euro for Christian Aid’s work in Burundi.
The Sierra Leone appeal holds particular significance for both clergy members. Rev Tony Murphy served as a volunteer teacher in eastern Sierra Leone from 1977 to 1979, while Rev Andrew Coleman previously worked for more than twenty years with Christian Aid Ireland before being ordained into local ministry in the Diocese in 2025.
Rev Tony Murphy said:
“The Diocese has previously supported projects tackling poverty overseas, so I’m confident that parishioners will once again respond generously to help communities rebuilding their lives in Sierra Leone.”
Rev Andrew Coleman added:
“During my years with Christian Aid, I saw first-hand the impact these projects can have on communities facing hardship and hunger. Donations made here in Ireland genuinely help families rebuild their lives and create hope for the future.”
The diocesan walk will continue throughout May and June, eventually concluding at St Brendan’s Church in Crookhaven, the most westerly church in the Diocese, so they will have walked the entirety of the Diocese from East to West. Parishioners are invited to join sections of the walk locally and support the appeal through donations and prayer.
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The Church of Ireland General Synod 2026 was held in the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co Down from Thursday, 7th May to Saturday, 9th May 2026. For the first time since 2019 members of Synod gathered in person for three full days, concluding on Saturday. In recent years the third day has taken place online.
The beginning of the General Synod was marked as every year with a service, this time in the Synod Hall at the hotel. The preacher was the Bishop of Meath and Kildare, the Most Revd Pat Storey. You can read her sermon in full here.
A total of four Bills have been presented for consideration by the members of General Synod. All bills have passed their first, second, and final stages and were enacted on Saturday morning on the final day of synod. Each Bill is outlined in full in the Bills pamphlet available here.
Helen Arnopp, together with Canon Nicola Halford from the Diocese of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, proposed Bill No. 2 which sought to to provide clarity and compassion by aligning Constitutional provision and Dignity in Church Life financial provision for when clergy find themselves in a situation where they cannot continue in ministry due to long term ill health. The full report on the Bill can be read here.
This year a total of 12 motions have been received by the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod. An outline of all motions can be found here.
On Day 1, members of General Synod heard the report of the Church of Ireland Youth Department. On Day 2, the reports of the Representative Church Body, the Board of Education of the General Synod, the Covenant Council, the Standing Committee and the Council for Mission were presented.
On Day 3, the Report of the Pioneer Ministry Council was presented and both, the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne and the Very Rev. Cliff Jeffers spoke on the report. The report of the Liturgical Advisory Committee was seconded by the Very Rev. Susan Green.
Three parishes from the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross were among those recognised in a new competition encouraging churches to take practical steps to reduce carbon emissions, with the winners announced after the close of business on the opening day of General Synod. The successful projects were among the first to receive support through the Buildings Climate Impact Fund, launched earlier this year by the Representative Church Body and Benefact Trust.
The Ven. Andrew Orr, Youghal Union, the Very Rev. Cliff Jeffers, Ross Union, the Most Rev. John McDowell, Archbishop of Armagh, and the Rev. Kingsley Sutton, Kilgarriffe Union.
A total fund of £300,000 (around €348,000) was made available to support innovative projects aimed at reducing emissions and encouraging more sustainable practices across the Church of Ireland’s property portfolio of more than 1,000 buildings nationwide. The initiative focused on projects that could deliver long-term impact while also demonstrating creativity, measurable environmental benefits and the potential to inspire other parishes.
Among the award recipients was Ross Union of Parishes, where Leap Church was recognised for the installation of heat pumps and solar slates as part of its efforts to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.
Youghal Union of Parishes was also honoured for work at St Mary’s Collegiate Church, where heated pew cushions are being introduced to provide a more energy-efficient way of keeping worshippers warm while reducing overall heating demand within the church building.
Kilgarriffe Union of Parishes was another successful applicant, with Timoleague Church of the Ascension receiving support for the installation of underfloor heating as part of wider sustainability and energy efficiency improvements.
The projects were praised for demonstrating practical and forward-thinking approaches to environmental responsibility while helping parishes reduce energy use and lower their carbon footprint.
The Diocesan Magazine Committee of the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross has published a special, full-colour edition of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocesan Magazine in the month of May to recognise the long ministry in the Diocese – longer than any bishop in the Diocese since 1617 – of the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, who retired on 30th April. In addition a full colour souvenir 16-page supplement of photographs was published.
The cover of the special May edition of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocesan Magazine which features the portrait of Bishop Colton commissioned by the Diocesan Council in 2024 and painted by portrait artist, Jack Hickey.
The chairperson of the Diocesan Magazine Committee, Mrs Dorothy Verplancke said;
We wanted this special edition and photographic supplement to serve not only as a record of Bishop Paul’s remarkable years of ministry among us, but also as an expression of the deep affection and gratitude felt across the Diocese. His episcopate has touched countless lives, communities and parishes, and it felt important to mark that faithfully and beautifully in print.
The Diocesan Magazine eduitor, Mrs Isobel Dunne, said:
It has been a privilege to help bring together reflections and photographs spanning such a significant chapter in the life of the Diocese. Bishop Paul’s ministry has been characterised by warmth, intellectual depth, pastoral care and an extraordinary commitment to the people and places of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. We hope this edition will be something readers return to for many years to come.
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