Nearly 350 people gathered in Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, Cork on Sunday 19th November at the invitation of the Bishop, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, to celebrate lay ministry in the Diocese.

‘While we celebrate, affirm, equip and value lay ministry every day in the Diocese’, said Bishop Colton, ‘it is good, from time to time, to come together for a special celebration such as this. The last time we had this particular event was ten years ago in 2013.’

People from all areas of Diocesan life attended the service: clergy, lay readers, lay local ministers, members of school and charity boards, teachers, students, church wardens, choirs, select vestries, youth groups, volunteers, office staff, and many more.

At the service, the Bishop also commissioned five new Lay Local Ministers, the newly elected Cork Diocesan Youth Council, a new Diocesan Secretary and licenced two new Diocesan Lay Readers.