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The Church Of Ireland
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STANDING COMMITTEE
REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS
laid before
The General Synod at its
One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Ordinary Session
1999
APPENDIX D
COMMISSION ON EPISCOPAL NEEDS
Resolutions of the General Synod and Standing Committee
The report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs was adopted by the General Synod in 1998 and the Standing Committee was requested to take the necessary action for the implementation of its proposals. The Standing Committee at its meeting in June 1998 adopted the following resolution:
Decisions of Diocesan SynodsThat the Standing Committee notes the following resolution adopted by the General Synod of 1998:
That the report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs be adopted and that the Standing Committee be requested to take the necessary action for implementation of its proposals.
That the proposals contained in the report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs to the General Synod of 1998 be conveyed to the Honorary Secretaries of each Diocesan Synod affected with a request that approval of the alteration to Diocesan Boundaries affecting each particular Diocese be sought at a meeting of the Diocesan Synod and that the decision of the Diocesan Synod be conveyed to the Honorary Secretaries of the General Synod.
That the Honorary Secretaries report to the Standing Committee when a decision has been received from each Diocesan Synod affected by alterations to Diocesan Boundaries.
That the Standing Committee on receipt of a report from the Honorary Secretaries then considers what action should be taken to implement further the proposals contained in the report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs.
The resolution of the Standing Committee was conveyed to the Diocesan Secretaries of the Dioceses affected by the proposals for consideration by the various Diocesan Synods. The following decisions have been received from the relevant Diocesan Synods.
Armagh
"On behalf of the Honorary Secretaries of Armagh Diocesan Synod, I am to inform you that the Synod at its meeting on 20 November 1998 decided to withhold its consent to the proposals affecting Armagh Diocese as stated in the report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs 1998."
Clogher
"In reference to your letter of 19 June `98 (Commission on Episcopal Needs), we as a Diocesan Synod met on Friday 25 September 1998 and unanimously accepted the proposed recommendation for increasing Clogher Diocese by four additional parishes from the Diocese of Kilmore {or from within the creation of the new Diocese of the Midlands} as outlined in the General Synod report page 279 D4.19.
This change, which was widely discussed by Diocesan Council and Diocesan Synod, was accepted in order to facilitate the Church of Ireland as a whole and to assist the Church to move forward in challenging and changing demographic trends of the twenty first century.
The above proposal was proposed by the Precentor, the Rev Canon BJ Courtney and seconded by the Rev Canon DP Hoey and accepted on an unanimous vote."
Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
"At a meeting of the Joint Synods of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, held last Saturday in Longford, the proposal to adopt the findings of the Commission on Episcopal Needs was rejected."
Tuam, Killala and Achonry
"I refer to your letter 19 June last regarding the report of the Episcopal Needs Commission which was adopted by the Standing Committee. The matter was discussed at our recent Diocesan Synod. The following motion was passed:
That the Synod approves the recommendations contained in the report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs approved by the General Synod in May this year."
Meath and Kildare
"The Diocesan Synod for this diocese took place on 19 September at which the proposals for the change in diocesan boundaries was discussed.
Following discussion on this matter the synod proceeded to vote in favour of the changes to the diocesan boundaries but emphasised the need to discuss administrative backup for the proposed changes."
Cork, Cloyne and Ross
"I refer to your letter of 19 June, 1998, regarding approval by Diocesan Synods of the proposals contained in the Report of the Commission on Episcopal Needs. At the meeting of the Cork, Cloyne and Ross Diocesan Synod, on 8 October, 1998, the following resolution was passed:
That this Synod approves the alterations to diocesan boundaries proposed in the Report of the General Synod Commission on Episcopal Needs as they affect these United Dioceses."
Limerick and Killaloe
"We wish to inform you that at a meeting of the Diocesan Synod of the United Dioceses of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert held on Saturday 6 June 1998 at Gurteen Agricultural College Ballingarry Roscrea Co Tipperary the following motion was passed:
That the Diocesan Synod of Limerick, Killaloe and Ardfert in exercise of its rights under section 31 (1) of Chapter 1 of the Constitution does not consent to the proposals contained in the Report of the Commission of Episcopal Needs 1998 insofar as they refer to these dioceses; nor will it consent to alternative proposal which would have the effect of separating any of these dioceses from the others."
Return to Standing Committee Report 1999
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