Latest News from the Church of Ireland Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Civic Reception held at Cork City Hall to honour Bishop Paul Colton on his 25th Anniversary as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on May 27, 2024 by mediaccr

On Thursday, 16th May 2024, the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy hosted a civic reception to honour Bishop Paul Colton on his 25th anniversary as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross. Bishop Paul is the longest-serving Church of Ireland bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in 400 years and the second longest serving in history, having been elected on January 29, 1999.

Speaking at the reception, Mr McCarthy said:

Bishop Colton has led a significant contribution to civic, community and charity life over the last 25 years. This work has been crucial to building and strengthening communities in our city. Even against a backdrop of challenges in recent years, he has remained steadfast in his leadership and wise council. I am delighted to be hosting this reception tonight and to be able to acknowledge the dedication and contribution of Bishop Colton to this city.

Chief Executive of Cork City Council Ann Doherty said:

Over 25 years, Bishop Colton has worked in partnership with Cork City Council on a whole range of issues but the community leadership he demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic and again during the Ukrainian crisis stands out. Bishop Colton was a key leader in our community response forum and actively contributed to supporting our most vulnerable communities at times of significant need. On this special occasion I extend warm wishes and congratulations to Bishop Colton and his family.

Responding to the Lord Mayor and the Chief Executive, Bishop Colton, expressed thanks for the honour accorded to him by the Lord Mayor and the City Council, and also for the gift of an engraved silver salver and embossed with the coat of arms of the City of Cork. Bishop Colton also said:

No one serves or ministers alone. I wish, therefore, to thank all who I have served alongside and with in ministry over the years here in Cork, Cloyne and Ross, as well as those who we have worked in partnership with throughout the city and community, especially in the Community Response Forum. Facing the challenges first of the pandemic and then the consequences of the war in Ukraine, we discovered that people of many different outlooks and backgrounds can make common cause together in confronting the greatest challenges we face.

I thank especially my wife Susan, Adam and Vera, Andrew and Annie and everyone in my family circle, remembering, of course, with gratitude and affection, my late parents and Susan’s late parents on this special occasion. I dedicate this honour to them and to you all and I thank God for the opportunities we have to serve together.

Earlier in the year, the Lord Mayor and the Bishop planted an oak tree in the grounds of the Bishop’s Palace to mark the Bishop’s 25th anniversary, as part of the annual Civic Service and Festival Eucharist at St Fin Barre’s Cathedral on St Patrick’s Day.

Photos: Darragh Kane

Posted in Bishop, Bishops of Cork, Diocese, Special Events | Comments Off

New Diocesan Honorary Treasurer for Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Posted on May 23, 2024 by mediaccr

At the most recent Diocesan Council meeting, Melvin Beamish was appointed as new Diocesan Honorary Treasurer, in succession to Graham Garland, who stepped down from the post earlier in 2024. The Honorary Treasurers are ex officio members of the Diocesan Council, and there are three treasurers in Cork, Cloyne and Ross: the Bishop (ex officio), Helen Arnopp and Melvin Beamish. Melvin is also the Head of Finance & Facilities at Bandon Grammar School.

Melvin Beamish, Diocesan Honorary Treasurer

Posted in Announcements, Elections | Comments Off

Cork, Cloyne and Ross – Elections at the Church of Ireland General Synod 2024

Posted on May 21, 2024 by mediaccr

At the Church of Ireland General Synod 2024 Diocesan members of Synod elected four representatives to the Standing Committee of the Church of Ireland, and two members have been elected to the Representative Church Body at Diocesan Synod.

Hilda Connolly, Helen Arnopp, the Rev. Canon John Ardis and the Archdeacon, the Ven. Andrew Orr have been elected to the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee carries out the functions of the General Synod which have been delegated to it by the Synod, while the Synod is not in session. The business of the Standing Committee is varied and includes consideration of state legislation affecting the Church, financial matters, appointment of delegates to conferences etc., appointments to sub–committees, receiving reports from sub–committees on social and other issues, Anglican Communion matters and inter–church business.

Helen Arnopp, and the Dean of Cork, the Very Rev. Nigel Dunne have been elected to the Representative Church Body (RCB). The RCB is the Church of Ireland’s central trustee body, responsible for its finance, property, investments, and other central services serving the Church.

This year, Wilfred Baker, Diocesan Lay Reader and former Diocesan Secretary, announced his retirement from General Synod after 41 years. Wilfred has also served on the Standing Committee since 1985.

Diocesan Lay Reader and former Diocesan Secretary, Wilfred Baker

Posted in General Synod | Comments Off

Appointment of Resident Chaplain at Kington College, Mitchelstown, County Cork

Posted on May 17, 2024 by mediaccr

On behalf of the trustees of the Kingston Charity Trust, Mitchelstown, County Cork, the Bishop of Cork, the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, is pleased to announce the appointment of the Reverend Peter Tarleton as resident chaplain. Kingston Charity Trust owns Kingston College, a residential housing complex at the heart of Mitchelstown, comprising 31 houses and a chapel which were built in the 18th Century.

Peter Tarleton was born in the Rectory of Pallaskenry, Co. Limerick, when his father was Rector of Kilcornan Union. His formal education did not start until they lived in Dromore, Co. Tyrone, and continued when in Monea, near Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. Peter’s university life began in Magee University College, Derry and continued in Trinity College Dublin.

Peter and Jocelyn married in Warrenpoint and have five children. He and Joss separated after 19 years, and she has since passed away. Peter married Chutiphas in 2016, and they have the care of Chutipas’s 11-year-old grand-nephew at their home in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Peter’s children live in the UK, Manchester area, and Australia. His eldest grand-daughter, Laura, is getting married in Perth, Western Australia, in October this year. Chutiphas and Peter very much hope to attend.

Peter’s ordained ministry began in Cork, as Curate in St Luke’s, St. Anne’s Shandon, and St Mary’s, Sunday’s Well in June 1973. A second curacy in Drumcondra, North Strand and St Barnabas in Dublin allowed him to study for a teaching qualification at Trinity College Dublin, which equipped him for his next post as Vicar of Limerick, where he also was the first Anglican Chaplain to what is now the University of Limerick, for almost 5 years.

During his time as Rector in Cootehill, Co. Cavan, he was diagnosed with a life- threatening illness. He says that ‘by the grace of God, and homeopathy, he came through.’ Peter then felt called to ministry in prison, and as there were no full-time positions in Ireland – North or South – they moved to England where he served as a prison Chaplain for 21 years. After three years as a hospital chaplain in England, Peter returned to parish ministry in Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, in Killeshin 2011-2018 and Portlaoise and Ballyfin 2018-2020. Peter retired during the Covid Pandemic and moved to Chiang Mai, where he has become a writer.

In relation to his appointment at Kingston College, Peter commented:

Hardly “in the bosom of Abraham”, but something serendipitous about returning to the Diocese of my ordination over 50 years later!

Posted in Announcements, Appointments, Chaplaincies, Charities in the Diocese, Charity Work, Church in Society, Clergy, Community Involvement, Kingston College | Comments Off

Cork, Cloyne and Ross at the Church of Ireland General Synod 2024

Posted on May 13, 2024 by mediaccr

The Church of Ireland General Synod 2024 was held in the Armagh City Hotel from Friday, 10th May, to Saturday, 11th May 2024, and the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross was well represented again this year. Day 3 and 4 of General Synod will be taking place remotely on the evening of Tuesday 14th May and, if required, the evening of Thursday 16th May.

The beginning of the General Synod was marked with a service at St Patrick’s Cathedral, in the town centre of Armagh. The preacher was the Bishop of Clogher, the Rt Revd Ian Ellis. His full sermon can be read here.

Following the service, members walked to the Armagh City Hotel and the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Rev John McDowell, delivered his Presidential Address. You can find the full speech here.

On Day 1 a total of eleven Bills have been presented for consideration by the members of General Synod. All bills have passed their first and second stages and will receive their third reading when General Synod meets online on Tuesday 14th May.

Each Bill is outlined in full in the Bills pamphlet available here.

A total of 23 motions have been received by the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod, of which 15 concerned memberships of committees and the business of the meeting, and 8 were substantive, in terms of the governance of the Church and its policy and public positions.

In the afternoon, a Private Members Motion on Baptism was considered by members of General Synod. The Motion was proposed by Prof Patricia Barker (Dublin & Glendalough) and seconded by Lynn Wright (Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh). It affirmed the sanctity of marriage but called on Synod to acknowledge that it is a reality of modern life that infants are often born to single parents and/or to couples who are not married. The Motion asked Synod to affirm that, in accordance with Canons, Chapter 9 of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland, irrespective of the marital status of the parents of an infant, a minister must not refuse or, save for the purpose of preparing or instructing the parents or godparents, delay to baptise any child within his or her cure who is brought to be baptised, provided that due notice has been given and the provisions relating to sponsors and godparents are observed.

Before the motion was proposed, Archbishop John McDowell observed that the motion had no power to do what it sought to do. It could not impact the present or future practice of baptism by the Church of Ireland. He also said there had been a request for voting by orders. The motion needed 50% or more on both votes, clergy and lay, to pass.

The vote was taken by orders, with 144 lay people voting for the motion, 83 lay people voting against the motion, 69 clergy voting for the motion and 72 clergy voting against the motion. The motion fell. Comments on the motion can be read here.

Later in the afternoon, the Report of the Marriage Council was presented, and the Revd Jonny Campbell–Smyth stepped aside as chair. Speaking to the report, Dean Cliff Jeffers suggested that the Church of Ireland was missing an opportunity by not being more relaxed about where marriage ceremonies could be conducted. He suggested reexamining this so that the church could be more involved in people’s lives.

The day ended with the Report of the Board of Education.

Day 2 opened with a short time of worship and Archbishop Eamon Martin, Catholic Archbishop of Armagh, brought greetings and blessings to Synod.

Following that, the Archbishop of Armagh congratulated Bishop Paul Colton on his 25th anniversary as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross and even hinted that he might follow Bishop Colton’s suit and plant a tree for his own next major anniversary.

Throughout the day, members of General Synod heard the reports of the Commission on Ministry, the Church of Ireland Youth Department, and the Representative Church Body. Canon Andrew Orr, on behalf of Eco Congregation, thanked the RCB for their funding which enabled them to resource parishes in their climate related work at a local level.

Day 2 ended with the Report of the Standing Committee. All reports can be read here.

In addition to the Members of General Synod, some other members of the Diocese also travelled to Armagh to attend General Synod in various different capacities at the many stall that could be browsed outside the conference room.