The Church Of Ireland
Press Release

Welcome

I welcome you all to this annual meeting of our Diocesan Synod and pray that Almighty God will bless our work today. In particular I welcome those clergy who have joined our diocesan family during the past year and I express the hope that they and their families will enjoy the traditional fellowship for which this diocese is rightly known.

St. Mark's, Armagh

I want to thank the rector and select vestry of St Mark's for the use of their Church and the Crozier Hall for this Synod. The reason is, as you all know, the extensive renovation work at Church House, Abbey Street and it would have been impossible to facilitate our work in the Synod Hall this year. That work is continuing and I hope before long we will be able to have full use of all the facilities 'on the hill'. In the meantime my own office and the diocesan office are continuing to operate under the most difficult of circumstances and in thanking my Secretary, Mrs Roberta Haffey and in the Diocesan Office, Mrs Jane Montgomery and Mrs Yvonne McFarland for their work during the past year, I pay a warm tribute to their forbearance and fortitude as they perform their various duties against such a background of noise, interruption and dust. Few others would have been prepared to continue working under such conditions. I know the Synod would wish to express its own appreciation to these three ladies.

Church House, Armagh

It has been obvious for some years that the facilities at Church House are now completely out of date for the demands of modern Church life. The years have taken their toll on the fabric, facilities are outdated, the kitchen downstairs is unsuitable for catering where large numbers are concerned in the Synod Hall and the general interior appearance of our rooms had become unacceptable. The office accommodation was a major consideration for our staff have been working in cramped and out of date conditions. As you know in my capacity as Primate I have to meet a wide cross-section of individuals and groups and the facilities for this work were totally inadequate.

In 1998 this Synod agreed to the wide-scale renovation of the building and the Diocesan Council and its sub-committee have implemented this decision.

When the current work is completed you will I hope see the fruits of this planning. There will be a refurbished ground floor and extended office space; a lift giving access to the first floor; a new kitchen adjacent to the Synod Hall; new and more appropriate entrance and waiting accommodation for visitors; new furnishing and decoration. In other words we look forward to a 'new look' Church House worthy of our diocesan activities in a new era. I believe it will be a Church House in which we all can take fresh pride.

Now I want to turn to the cost of all this work.

We face a total expense of some £550,000. To date the greatest part of the cost is being met a contribution from the Representative Church Body of £100,000 and the realisation of some diocesan assets. But more is needed. I believe the parishes will want to assist us. Church House is the centre for our business life as a diocese.

Just consider for a moment the activities centred in Church House. Each day the office staff deal with the administration of the diocese, being available to callers and preparing the vast amount of paper-work necessary for the on-going governance of our Church life. The work of the Primacy of our Church is administered for the whole of the Church of Ireland with numerous interviews, calls and meetings. Many men and women of the diocese pass through its doors week after week to fulfil duties on committees and boards. I feel they are the unsung heroes of our diocesan family - and too often we all take them for granted. Social and community concerns, youth work, finance, the care of Church property, the needs of parochial reorganisation, the appointment of rectors to vacant parishes, the provision of support for missionary work - the list is endless. In each case those men and women give of their time 'freely and with dedication. They fulfil their duties in our name as a diocese and I want to pay tribute to them. Without their loyalty and work we would find it impossible to function as a diocese. I thank them all in the name of this Synod.

All this activity and much more takes place day and night in Church House.

For those reasons I believe the parishes will want to play their part in what we are doing to modernise that historic building.

At lunchtime a brochure will be distributed explaining the finances of this work. Please read it carefully. Copies will be sent to the parishes. You will see that we need £100,000 to complete the task we have begun. I am now launching this appeal to the diocese and I believe the family of the diocese will want to respond. Please do your utmost to encourage your parish to respond generously. Let us do all in our power to produce a Church House which is not only the centre of much of our life, but a building our Church can be justly proud of as we move into a new

Acknowledgement

On frequent occasions I have paid tribute to the retired clergy who assist us in vacancy and sick emergencies in our parishes. Again I thank them for their help and their continuing ministry. Diocesan Readers fulfil a vital role in our ministry and we welcome so much their contribution. Rural Deans find themselves called upon to provide often extensive service where vacancies and illness call for clerical assistance. I am conscious of the many demands we make on them and feel there is a case for reviewing arrangements where long vacancies or illness occur in a parish.

Overseeing so much of this work is the Archdeacon. However in the light of my many responsibilities within and beyond the diocese, responsibilities which make much demand in time and attention, Archdeacon Hoey carries a heavy burden of responsibility in many other areas. I thank him on behalf of us all for his willingness to meet these demands throughout the year and for his support to me in so many ways.

Diocesan Activities

During the past ten years of the Anglican Decade of Evangelism, our diocese has been engaged in an extensive study and worship programme. Over those years we have instituted studies of Church teaching, prayer and Bible study. We have published material of fine quality, introduced the scheme of Archbishop's Certificates for those who have been involved in study and who now form a nucleus of informed and dedicated laity. We have reached out to Africa through support for the Bishop Allison Theological College in the Sudan. A group of clergy and laity have travelled to the College and seen at first hand the situation. Our parishes have responded magnificently and to date some £35,000 has been raised for this College. We have organised several day conferences in Newcastle, Co Down, for laity and these have been well supported. All these efforts have been geared to deepen the spiritual awareness of this ancient diocese and I have been very encouraged by those who have been involved. The publication of the book 'Armagh 2000' has been a result of this programme and provides an attractive account of our Decade activities together with a factual account of the statistics of the diocese at the commencement of a new millennium. I again pay tribute to the work of Canon W.G. Neely who has done so much to co-ordinate all this work for us.

Now we approach a Year of Celebration when on Saturday 16 June 2001 in the Palace grounds I hope to lead the diocese in a day of thanksgiving. That event will I hope be a memorable day of genuine celebration of our corporate and individual life and full details will be made known later this year. The special guest will be the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Rowan Williams, one of the outstanding leaders in the Anglican Communion. Each parish of the diocese will be involved and both young and old will, I hope, enjoy a great day out. I ask all Synod members to mark this date in their diaries and to ensure that their parishes play a full part in it. This must be a truly diocesan day.

Allied to our outreach to the Church in Africa we want now to link our care to a project nearer home. For that reason we have designated the new Children's Hospice in Northern Ireland as the focal point of our continuing diocesan concern. I cannot speak too highly of the work which will be done at that Hospice. We will hear more of it during the day. As you have supported the Theological College in Africa now I ask the parishes this year to show their love and compassion to the Hospice. Little children suffering from terminal illness require a very special sort of care. That care involves love, support and understanding. In the months ahead please encourage your parish to give generously to the Hospice through our diocesan scheme.

Youth Programme

As we complete this major part of the Decade programme I want to turn our attention to youth work. I have to be honest with this Synod. No subject is better guaranteed to enthuse some and 'turn others off' than mention of youth work. But I am convinced the time has come when I have to ask the diocese to take a long, hard and prayerful look at our support and concern for the Church's work among our children and young adults. I have asked the Reverend Paul Whittaker to accept special responsibility in this regard. The diocesan Council is in the process of examining its responsibilities for youth work and soon will be making decisions. But we cannot and must not shelve or avoid our personal responsibilities for the young people of our parishes. They are not just the Church of tomorrow - they are a vital part of this diocese today. People ask 'what is the future of the Church?' I have to say to you it has no future unless we can gain the imagination, cultivate the interest and incorporate in our life the young people of our homes and parishes. Ask yourselves another question: 'what does my parish do for its youth?' Try to answer that question honestly. We are blessed by the calibre of our youth leaders in uniformed organisations, Sunday Schools and in those who assist the clergy in Confirmation preparation. I pay a warm tribute to them and affirm their work week by week. But too many clergy and laity find it difficult to give the support our young people need and deserve. Mr Whittaker and his team have my full support as they strive to bring the priorities of young people to our attention. This is an extremely demanding and specialised field. I have no hesitation in saying to the Synod that sympathetic expressions for the young are not enough. I believe we must allocate adequate financial assistance to youth work at a diocesan level. We must consider the employment of a specialist to help us. Beside some of the objects we support financially youth work comes off a poor second. I cannot over-emphasise my desire to see young people become a priority in our work for the Kingdom of God. Most of our uniformed organisations are flourishing. But is there not a case for better co-ordination and planning for all our youth activities in the diocese of Armagh?

I want to speak directly and clearly to the Synod. There are parts of this diocese which do not have a future unless they harness the next generation. There are parts of this diocese which are merely 'marking time' for the present because they have given insufficient thought to making young people a real part of their scene. In my conversations with clergy there are times when I worry that a parish has no vision for young people. To be 'seen and not heard' is no longer acceptable so far as youth is concerned.

May God guide us all to make the right decisions in our trusteeship of our young people and young adults in God's name.

Patrick's Day 2000

One of my abiding memories of the dawn of this new millennium will be the conference we organised at St Patrick's-tide in the new Armagh theatre. We welcomed the Archbishop of Canterbury as our special guest and our parishes sent representatives to discuss the vision for our life as a Church in this new era. I have heard so many complimentary remarks about that event. One message came through loud and clear from that day. God has a purpose for His Church - God has a purpose for our diocese - God has a purpose for our lives as individual Christians.

Armagh Clergy 1800-2000

For the past nine years Canon Ted Fleming, the Provincial Registrar, has been researching the history of our diocese. That study so faithfully undertaken has produced a book of great significance at the commencement of the new millennium. For generations I believe this book will provide historians with an accurate and authoritative volume on the life and development of this ancient diocese. I commend Canon Fleming for his work and look forward to the publication of his book.

New Church Hymnal

The Church of Ireland has a new hymn book which was launched a few weeks ago. I draw your attention to this publication and I encourage all our parishes to make full use of a book which is an excellent incorporation of the "best of the old and the new" in Church music. Perhaps it comes at an ideal time when individuals are considering Christmas presents for their friends!

Celebration

This year I celebrate 25 years as a bishop in the Church of Ireland. Naturally it is a moment of reflection and vivid memories for Christine and myself. I thank God for the great privilege of serving the Church of Ireland in three dioceses through years of such changing circumstances for our people. During the year I was greatly moved by a presentation from the clergy of this diocese and I thank you all for your good wishes and assurances of prayerful support at this milestone in my Episcopacy.

As Christine's six years as World Wide President of the Mothers' Union comes to a close she too would like to thank our Diocesan family for their prayers and encouragement during a very demanding time of responsibility and extensive travel.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Now let us look out beyond the confines of our diocese to the community of which we are a part.

Divided Opinions:

Northern Ireland this morning presents a confused picture. On the one hand great strides have been made in gaining structures of self-government. Even a few years ago not many would have believed that what has been achieved could have come about. On the other hand there is unease and questioning about the ways in which the Belfast Agreement is being implemented. Political life presents a confused picture. I recognise that within this diocese all those opinions find expression at the parochial level. There are those in the Synod this morning who believe that with all its faults and shortcomings the Belfast Agreement is the only possible way forward. They are those who are prepared to acknowledge that it is far from perfect, but that it still contains the best hope of a peaceful and just society in the days ahead. Then there are those who genuinely feel that promises made have not been fulfilled, that there has been a betrayal of political trust and that they cannot tolerate structures which appear to give credence to a situation which is undemocratic. To use the well-known phrase our Church contains members of both the 'Yes' and the 'No' camp. There are also those who do not want to be in the 'No' camp but feel excluded from the 'Yes' group by what they see.

The influence of memories:

I want to emphasise one element to our lives as part of this community - an element which does not command the attention at present I believe it demands and deserves. That element is 'memory'.

Today there are many in this diocese who have bitter and heartfelt memories of the past. The loss of loved ones as a consequence of terrorism, the scars of the past, hurt either real or imagined, memories of past failure to address our concerns, memories of things said or actions taken by others which have inflicted grave injury to our self-esteem - the list of the memories of Ulster is endless.

But what do we do with our memories? How far do they or ought they to control the present and the future? Are we to be a people always thinking of and speaking of the past?

There are many people who have shown us immense courage and Christian faith as they have dealt with their memories. I have been amazed by those who have every reason to carry scars of anger and hatred but who have not only come to terms with their memories but have managed to find the integrity and courage to put the enmity behind them and to look ahead. Recently we have looked with admiration at the dignity of the victims of Omagh as they have endured the Coroner's Inquest proceedings. Knowing some of them as I do I know the torment they have endured. But with what dignity and compassion they have faced their burdens.

Members of the Synod - no one can rewrite the past. No one has the right to judge the attitude of others to their past experiences. But our expressed faith in God has something to say about memories. The past, the present and the future are in God's hands. When Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me" he spoke words of profound and eternal truth to his followers. Somehow our faith is saying to us - when we think of the past, when we consider the present and when we pray about the future, remember we are encompassed by the love of the God of history. Healing is the work of God. Coming to terms with what cannot be changed is the work of God. Attitude to memories is the work of God.

I have to say that in my experience many of those who shout loudest about past bitter memories are among those who have suffered least - those who have least reason to carry personal resentment. They shout that we must live in the past. Whether we like it or not history moves on. There are new demands as well as new problems to face. While we cannot and must not forget the past, while we must never forget the lessons of the past, the present and the future will quickly pass us by and make our feelings irrelevant if we are so obsessed with memories of the past that we have little or no time for the present.

Neither community, Protestant and unionist, Roman Catholic and nationalist, has a monopoly of past hurt. We have all suffered. We have all suffered at each other's hands and at the hands of others. Both communities have their memories and a capacity to look back over our shoulders. But both communities also have the opportunity to build a better future if we have the courage to do so and are afforded the opportunity to do so without violence.

Violence and the alternative society:

Violence has never been far below the surface of our lives in Northern Ireland. Thirty years of politically motivated terrorism have wrecked the fabric of this society leaving behind it bitterness, broken lives and divided opinions. The end of widespread terrorist activity has not ended the culture of violence as we have seen this past year. What is termed 'The Real IRA' continues to threaten the community and that organisation seems untouched by the misery of Omagh. Within the loyalist stronghold of the Shankill we have seen one community tear itself apart with intimidation, murder and arson. Last July Portadown in this diocese saw again the ugly and dangerous face of paramilitary violence under the guise of support for the Drumcree protest. More recently masked gunmen have appeared at funerals in Belfast. Whether it is linked to the mafia life-style of the drug dealer or the protectionist or whether it is politically motivated the culture of violence remains an ingredient of Northern Ireland life. As long as that culture prevails economic progress will be limited, cross-community progress will be questioned and the peace and stability we observe will be impossible.

Today the culture of violence has assumed a new and very sinister ingredient as "an alternative society" in Northern Ireland. It is simply not good enough for anyone to say what we have is "so much better than how it used to be."

I feel it is a matter of the utmost seriousness that parts of the Province continue to suffer from the influence and pressures exerted by the godfathers of the twilight world of paramilitaries. There are areas where protection money is a way of life. There are parts where fear is exerted by paramilitaries so that ordinary people have to leave their homes and decent daily activity is impossible. Flags denoting geographical areas of control are allowed to fly. Drug dealing bringing huge financial reward is widespread. Paramilitaries have developed a sophisticated and sinister culture in the aftermath of 'The Troubles' which is steadily eroding the fabric of large areas of social life in Northern Ireland.

This is a situation which must be challenged. It cannot be allowed to become for a new generation 'the alternative society'. Let me say clearly from this Synod ordinary decent people are not prepared to see their Province which has suffered so much in the past influenced by this culture of violence. We call on the government to recognise the feelings of those who make up the majority of this society and not only to face up to the challenge, but to be seen to be doing all in its power to protect decency and the law-abiding community.

Sadly the decent and the law-abiding feel they are marginalized today in this society.

Drumcree

I have yet again to refer in this Synod to the situation at Drumcree. Last July as the disgraceful events surrounding the protest once more placed a parish of this diocese in the world's headlines I spelt out as clearly as I could the hurt and shame we felt as sinister elements manipulated that protest to produce riots, chaos and injury across the Province. In the background to the media coverage once more appeared the picture of the parish church. Let me say yet again that the Church of Ireland totally disassociates itself from words and actions which were at the least irresponsible and at the most a blasphemy linked as they were to attendance at the worship of Almighty God.

Recently I have met with the Parades Commission, business interests in Portadown, local clergy, government ministers, leaders of the Portadown Lodges, the Select Vestry of Drumcree and with numerous individuals who could have influence on this tragic and highly complex situation. It is a situation in which rights cannot be separated from responsibilities. With every day that passes failure by governments, mediators, politicians and the Churches to find a solution becomes more and more intolerable. Allied to this failure and contributing greatly to the frustration and exasperation I and others feel is the failure of the authorities to produce any single and transparent method of resolving the dispute in which both parties can have confidence. Many are trying to assist the process and many feel the frustration of a lack of co-ordination to those efforts.

I have seen at first hand the efforts the Order has made to address the problem. Short of face to face dialogue which the Order does not feel is possible I have been encouraged by those within Orangeism who are trying to move ahead. I have also been encouraged by the recent statement by the Select Vestry of Drumcree. But all must recognise there are those who could do more, much more, to move this situation forward.

This Synod

So we move to the business of the day. We have much to consider and I pray we will do so conscious of the responsibilities given to us by our diocese. Let us remember the privilege we have been given in the service of the Church. Do not let us take that responsibility lightly. Recently I came across these words in a book I was reading:

"When God calls us to serve in His Church he also enabled us to do the task he has set us. But it is in our response that we indicate the depth of our faith and our sense of responsibility as trustees of his goodness."

May God bless you all.