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

On Sunday 5th September 2021, two people from the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in the Church of Ireland were ordained deacon by Bishop Paul Colton: Carole Pound in Abbeystrewry Church, Skibbereen, and Richard Dring in St Mary the Virgin Church, Carrigaline.

On both occasions there were strict limits on attendance in line with current regulations. Nonetheless, the congregations were representative of the family and friends of the candidates and of the parishes in which they were being ordained into local ministry. In the Church of Ireland, Ordained Local Ministry is about valuing the locality and empowering the local congregation. 

In his sermon, Bishop Colton spoke about the uncomfortable encounter in the Gospel reading between two disciples who were arguing about which of them was the greater of the two, and he asked, in the light of that, what it is to be a Deacon in today’s Church and world. 

‘As so often happens in today’s Church and world’ the Bishop said ‘the disciples had failed completely to grasp the meaning of Jesus’ teaching.’ Pointing to the words of Jesus who said ‘whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all’ Bishop Colton said that service is the model for not only deacons, but also for priests, bishops and all Christian ministry. In particular, drawing on his studies of Roman Law, the Bishop said that he wrestled with what Jesus meant when he said that we must be ‘slave of all.’

The Bishop said:

These are uncomfortable words in an abusive world – a world of passive aggression, where words are weaponised as tweets and social media comments, where all of us have an overriding sense of entitlement and our rights, where, quite rightly, we are called also to prioritise also our God-given well-being, where people do sadly make doormats of others, and where we have the hardest of heart-breaking choices to make – who to bring, who to save, and who to leave behind – just one example.

And it is in that place we are all called to show what it means, as a follower of Jesus, what it means to serve, to be a servant … ‘whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.’

Carole (58) was born and raised in Essex, England. She qualified as a veterinary nurse through the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Cambridge University. She worked in a small animal and exotic species practice as head nurse for 15 years before moving to Dorset to live on her husband’s families’ dairy farm.

Carole and her family moved to Ireland in 2001 where she retrained in childcare and worked as a playleader in Caheragh Community Playgroup and then in Bright Beginnings Childcare Facility. Recently, Carole achieved a qualification in E-Business and now works as a bookkeeper in the accounts department of a solicitors in Bantry.

Carole is married to Philip, a fine arts/commercial photographer, and they have two children, Christine (23) and Michael (20). Carole is a valued member of the local community and has been involved in the Defibrillator and Active Retirement Groups since 2009. Her position as Church Warden in St Mary’s, Caheragh strengthened her calling to serve first as Diocesan Reader and now to Ordained Local Ministry.

Richard is married to Hilary and they have two adult children, Simon and Christina. They live in Currabinny, in the parish of St Mary, Carrigaline. Richard has lived in Carrigaline Union for most of his life having grown up in Ballygarvan, in Kilanully parish. He has always sensed a calling from the wider Church, having been very involved in the Church of Ireland Youth Council, both locally and nationally, and served for two years as all-Ireland chair in the early 1980s.

During this time he was always involved in Carrigaline Union: in both the worship and the organisation of the parish. He was encouraged by the Rev. Arthur Houston to study and undertake the role of Diocesan Lay Reader. He was licensed as a Reader in January 2001 by Bishop Paul in Carrigaline.

Richard has a primary degree in biochemistry from Trinity College, Dublin and a Masters in Food Chemistry from University College, Cork. His working career has been in Carrigaline, currently for the Kerry group, where he has a global role as a senior process science manager. This is a technical role supporting sites in Europe, Canada and the United States of America.

For further information about Carole’s ordination on Sunday morning please contact the Rev. John Ardis (028) 21234

For further information about Richard’s ordination on Sunday afternoon please contact the Rev. Elaine Murray (021) 437 2224