Church of Ireland - A province of the Anglican Communion

1. It shall be competent for the diocesan synod or synods of any diocese or united diocese (subject to the approval of the General Synod) to determine:

(a) whether more than one cathedral shall be maintained in such diocese or united dioceses;

(b) whether a cathedral shall be constituted in any such diocese where none at present exists; and

Appointment to, and tenure of, deanery

2. When a vacancy shall occur in any deanery (other than the deanery of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St Patrick, Dublin; and other than the deaneries of the Cathedral Church of St Patrick, Armagh; the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (commonly called Christ Church), Dublin; the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Down; and the Cathedral Church of St Anne, Belfast; in respect of which four last mentioned Cathedrals the rights of appointment are expressly provided for in the several statutes referred to in the schedule to this Chapter) the right of appointment shall vest in the bishop of the diocese who shall make choice from among the beneficed or licensed clergy of the diocese. The appointment may be retained until the person so appointed has ceased to be beneficed or licensed in the diocese or shall have been granted a pension under the provisions of Chapter XIV.

3. The deanery of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, and the deanery of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, shall not be held by the same person.

Appointment to dignities, prebends and canonries

4. The bishop of the diocese shall be the ordinary of the cathedral church thereof, and shall have the right of appointing, except as may be otherwise provided in this Chapter, to each and every of the dignities, prebends and canonries of such cathedral church, and shall make choice from amongst the beneficed or licensed clergy of the diocese.

Appointment to, and tenure of, archdeaconry

5. The appointment of the archdeacon shall be made by the bishop of the diocese from amongst the beneficed or licensed clergy thereof; and it may be retained until the person so appointed has ceased to be beneficed or licensed in the diocese, or shall have been granted a pension under Chapter XIV, or shall have attained the age of seventy years, whichever be the earlier.

Appointment of incumbent where cathedral is also a parish church

6. Where a cathedral is also a parish church, or has been customarily used as such, the incumbent of the parish shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Chapter IV and shall be entitled to succeed to the next vacant prebend or canonry in the cathedral and to hold the same while remaining incumbent of the said parish, but no longer: Provided that if the bishop shall appoint such incumbent to be dean, archdeacon or other dignitary, any prebend or canonry then occupied by such incumbent shall thereupon become vacant.

The Chapter

7. The chapter shall consist of so many dignitaries and prebendaries or canons as have heretofore existed, unless a change be made in the number of the same by the diocesan synod, with the consent of the General Synod.

8. The dean and chapter shall, with the consent of the ordinary, make regulations for the conduct of Divine Service, and shall have the appointment of clerical vicars choral and minor canons.

9. The dean, or in the dean’s absence the sub–dean appointed by the dean from the members of the chapter, shall chair the chapter, having an ordinary and a casting vote. Meetings of the chapter shall be convened by the dean, or, in the dean’s absence, by the sub–dean, at the dean’s or sub–dean’s discretion, or on the written requisition of one–fourth of the members of the chapter.

Maintenance of fabric and services of the cathedral; Economy Fund; Choir Fund

10. For the maintenance of the fabric of each cathedral, and for the support of the services therein, there shall be an economy fund and a choir fund, to be formed by such portions of the collections as may be assigned to each, as hereinafter provided, and by special contributions.

General vestry; cathedral select vestry; parochial select vestry

11. There shall be a general vestry, consisting of all the clergy having stalls in the cathedral or cure of souls in the parish; of all those entitled to be registered vestry members of the cathedral congregation or of the parish; and of all members of the Church who having reached the age of eighteen years shall be annual subscribers, for at least one year previously, of not less than £1 or €1.25 as appropriate to the economy or choir fund, and who, having signed a declaration that they are members of the Church of Ireland, shall claim to be registered as vestry members.

12. The dean, or in the dean’s absence the dignitary, prebendary, or canon next in order of precedence, shall chair the general vestry and of the cathedral select vestry, having an ordinary and a casting vote: Provided that, when the cathedral is also a parish church, in the absence of the dean and the members of the chapter the general vestry shall be chaired by the incumbent of the parish or such other person as may be authorised under the provisions of Chapter III.

13. Where the cathedral is a parish church, or has been customarily used as such, there shall be a parochial select vestry, constituted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter III, which shall discharge all such duties as devolve upon the select vestry in respect of a parish.

14. The select vestry of the cathedral parish or union shall be entitled to claim the use of the cathedral for parochial services under regulations to be agreed upon between the select vestry and the chapter, with a right of appeal to the diocesan council in case of disagreement.

15. There shall in all cases be a cathedral select vestry, which shall consist of the members of the chapter and of the members of the parochial select vestry or, in case there be no cathedral parish, of the members of the chapter and of persons chosen by the general vestry in the same way as the parochial select vestry members, which shall discharge for the cathedral all the duties which devolve upon an ordinary select vestry in respect of the parish church. The cathedral select vestry shall have the control and management of the collections, except in cases provided for by the Rubric, and of the economy and choir funds, and shall have the power of determining whether any and what portion of the collections shall be assigned to the economy and choir funds, and shall have the appointment of choristers and cathedral officers, and shall be responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the fabric of the cathedral.

16. Any cathedral which is used as a parish church may be made non–parochial by the diocesan synod, with the consent of the General Synod: Provided that a sufficient parish church has been otherwise provided for the use of the parish, and that the consent of the parochial vestry has been first obtained.

17. None of the foregoing provisions of this Chapter shall apply to or affect any existing rights of patronage so far as any of the said provisions are inconsistent with such rights.
If any person in whom any right of patronage is vested shall neglect to appoint to the office within three months after a vacancy, the right of appointment for that turn shall lapse to the person who would have had the right to make the appointment if such arrangement had not been made.

Exceptions

18. None of the foregoing provisions in this Chapter contained shall apply to or affect the Cathedral Church of St Patrick, Armagh; the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (commonly called Christ Church), Dublin; the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St Patrick, Dublin; the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Down; or the prerogatives, rights, privileges, or constitution of any of them; or the Cathedral Church of St Anne, Belfast, so far as any of the said provisions are inconsistent with the statute Chapter V of 1944 as amended.

General Provisions

19. It shall be lawful for the diocesan synod to make regulations for any case not herein provided for, and to make further regulations for any cathedral in the diocese or united diocese: Provided that the same be not inconsistent with the provisions of this Chapter.

Part II

NATIONAL CATHEDRAL OF ST PATRICK, DUBLIN

20. From and after the 2nd May 1872, the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St Patrick shall cease to belong exclusively to the see of Dublin and Glendalough, and shall be a national cathedral, having a common relation to all the dioceses of the Church of Ireland; and there shall be stalls in the said cathedral for the Archbishop of Armagh, the Archbishop of Dublin, and the other prelates of the Church of Ireland.

The Chapter

21. The Chapter shall consist of the Dean, Precentor, Chancellor, Treasurer, the Prebendary of Cualaun (who, as in times past, shall be the Archbishop of Dublin for the time being), twenty–one other prebendaries or canons, whose stalls shall have the titles of the ancient prebends connected therewith respectively and two ecumenical canons appointed under the provisions of Section 24A of this Chapter.

Prebendal Stalls

22. The appointment to the prebendal stalls shall be made by the respective dioceses or united dioceses of the Church of Ireland according to such mode of election as shall be determined by the diocesan synods thereof respectively, each diocese or united diocese having one stall and retaining its right of patronage to the same stall. The appointment to the prebendal stall (not being one which is assigned to the patronage of any diocese or united dioceses) which shall first fall vacant after the happening of the events provided for by paragraph 4 of the schedule to the statute of the General Synod Chapter VII of 1970 shall be made in accordance with the provisions contained in the said schedule. The appointment of prebendal stalls not thus appropriated shall be made by the Dean and Chapter or by the Chapter during a vacancy in the office of Dean: Provided that in the event of the severance of any existing union of dioceses or of the formation of any new diocese, such separated or new diocese shall have the right of patronage to a prebendal stall in like manner as hereinbefore given to the existing dioceses of the said Church of Ireland:

Armagh
Dublin and Glendalough
Meath and Kildare
Cashel, Waterford, Lismore, Ossory, Ferns and Leighlin
Tuam, Killala and Achonry
Derry and Raphoe
Cork, Cloyne and Ross
Connor
Limerick, Ardfert, Aghadoe, Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, Kilmacduagh and Emly
Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh
Clogher
Down and Dromore

23. (1) In the event of any diocese failing to elect a prebendary, in pursuance of the foregoing section, within three calendar months from the occurrence of such vacancy, the archbishop or bishop of such diocese shall appoint to the vacant stall.

(2) In the event of the Dean and Chapter failing to elect a prebendary within the like period, the Dean shall appoint to the vacant stall.

24. The prebendal stalls assigned to the patronage of the respective dioceses or united dioceses shall be held only by clergy entitled to sit in the synods of the said dioceses or united dioceses. The prebendal stalls not so assigned shall be held only by clergy of the Church of Ireland resident in Ireland and ecumenical canons resident in Ireland.

Ecumenical Canons

24A. (1) In this Chapter “ecumenical canon” shall mean a minister or accredited preacher of one or other of such Christian denominations not in full communion with the Church as may from time to time be specified by the House of Bishops appointed a member of the Chapter under the provisions of this section.

(2) It shall be in the power of the Chapter to appoint ecumenical canons, not exceeding two in number without salaries. Such ecumenical canons may be removed by the Dean and Chapter with the approval of the Archbishop of Dublin and for cause shown. Each ecumenical canon, if not so removed, shall hold office for a term of five years from the date of appointment or until such ecumenical canon shall resign from office, and shall be eligible for reappointment.

(3) The appointment of an ecumenical canon shall not be effective unless and until that person shall make and subscribe before the Dean and Chapter the declaration contained in the Second Schedule hereunto annexed.

(4) An ecumenical canon may be invited by the Dean to perform all or any of the following duties insofar as the same are consonant with the provisions of Canon 10 –

(a) To say or sing Morning or Evening Prayer or the Litany;
(b) To read the Holy Scriptures at any service;
(c) To deliver an address at any service;
(d) To assist at a Baptismal, Marriage or Funeral Service or at the Celebration of the Holy Communion;

if the ecumenical canon is authorised to perform a similar duty in his or her own Church.

(5) The Court of the General Synod shall have authority to determine all questions and disputes that may arise respecting the appointment or removal of an ecumenical canon.

Election of Dean

25. The Dean shall be elected by the members of the Chapter out of the members of the Chapter (other than the ecumenical canons): Provided that if no such election take place within three months after the occurrence of a vacancy the Archbishop of Dublin shall appoint a Dean from among the members of the Chapter (other than the ecumenical canons). During a vacancy in the office of Dean all the powers of that office other than those conferred by Section 26 of this Chapter, shall devolve on and be exercisable by the Precentor or in the Precentor’s absence the member of the Chapter (other than an ecumenical canon) next in order of precedence.

Appointment of Dignitaries

26. The Precentor, the Chancellor and Treasurer shall be appointed by the Dean. Ecumenical canons shall not be eligible for appointment to any of these offices.

Vicars Choral

27. There shall be four vicars choral skilled in music, who shall be in priest’s orders. The titles and modes of appointment of the vicars choral shall be:

The Dean’s Vicar, appointed by the Dean;
The Succentor, nominated by the Precentor;
The Chancellor’s Vicar, nominated by the Chancellor;
and
The Treasurer’s Vicar, nominated by the Treasurer.

The Dean’s Vicar shall be salaried; the Succentor may be salaried if the Cathedral Board so decides on the occurrence of a vacancy; the remaining vicars choral shall not be salaried.

A vicar choral who is salaried shall have a seat but not a vote in the Chapter and shall be subject to removal, for cause shown, by the Dean and Chapter with the approval of the Archbishop of Dublin.

A vicar choral who is not salaried shall be subject to removal, for cause shown, by the Chapter with the approval of the Dean; if not so removed, such vicar choral shall hold office for a term of five years from the date of appointment or until such vicar choral shall vacate the cure or other office, if any, held at the date of such appointment, and shall be eligible for re–appointment.

Minor Canons

28. It shall be in the power of the Chapter to appoint minor canons, not exceeding four in number, with or without salaries. Such minor canons shall be in priest’s orders, and shall be chosen from the clergy of Dublin or its vicinity. Such minor canons may be removed by the Dean and Chapter with the approval of the Archbishop of Dublin and for cause shown. Each minor canon, if not so removed, shall hold office for a term of five years from the date of appointment or until such minor canon shall vacate the cure or other office, if any, held at the date of such appointment, and shall be eligible for re–appointment.

Clergy members of diocesan synod of Dublin

29. The Dean and such members of the Chapter (other than ecumenical canons) as are habitually resident within the diocese of Dublin, and also the clerical vicars and other clergy habitually residing within the diocese of Dublin and serving in the said cathedral church, shall be members of the diocesan synod of Dublin.

Vestry members

30. There shall be vestry members registered for the said cathedral; and every member of the Church of Ireland, aged eighteen years or over, who shall have been for one year previous to registration an accustomed member of the congregation of the said cathedral, and shall be an annual contributor towards the funds of the said cathedral, and shall have contributed said sum for the previous year; and also every member of the Church of Ireland or of any Church in communion therewith, aged eighteen years or over, who shall contribute a sum of not less than €25 per annum towards the said funds (such contribution having been paid for the year previous to registration), shall be entitled to be registered as such vestry members. Contributions made for special purposes connected with the maintenance of the services or fabric of the cathedral shall, with the consent of the Dean and Chapter, be deemed for the purposes of this section to be contributions towards the funds of the cathedral.

Election of members of the diocesan synod

31. The registered vestry members shall elect persons to sit as members of the Dublin diocesan synod, who shall possess the same rights and privileges as synod members elected for parishes. The number of such synod members shall be in proportion to the number of such of the clergy of the said cathedral as represent the cathedral in the Dublin diocesan synod.

32. (1) There shall be a Cathedral Board which in the year 2004, and triennially thereafter, shall be appointed in the manner hereinafter provided and shall consist of:

(a) the Dean, the Precentor, the Chancellor, the Treasurer, the Dean’s Vicar, the Succentor, and four members of the Chapter elected by the Dean and Chapter; and
(b) ten laypersons chosen from among the synod members and registered vestry members of the cathedral as follows:

(i) two glebewardens, of whom one shall be nominated by the Dean and the other elected by the synod members and registered vestry members of the cathedral jointly; and
(ii) eight other laypersons elected by the synod members and registered vestry members of the cathedral jointly.

Vacancies occurring in the interval between triennial elections shall be filled, from persons qualified for election as in this section provided, by the Dean in the case of the glebewarden nominated by the Dean, and by the Board in the case of elected members, only clerical members of the Board voting in the case of clerical vacancies and only lay members of the Board voting in the case of lay vacancies. Persons chosen to fill such vacancies shall hold office until the next triennial election.

(2) In the year 2004, and triennially thereafter, the Representative Body shall elect two of its members one of whom shall be in Holy Orders to be additional members of the Cathedral Board, and shall fill any casual vacancies occurring among such additional members. A member elected by the Representative Body shall

(a) not be entitled to vote in an election to fill a casual vacancy among the clerical or lay elected members of the Board:

(b) resign from the Board upon ceasing to be a member of the Representative Body.

(3) The Board shall be presided over by the Dean, or in the Dean’s absence by the member of the Chapter present next in order of precedence, such president having both an ordinary and a casting vote, except that in the case of co–option to fill a lay vacancy such president shall have a casting vote only. The Board shall, save as hereinafter otherwise provided, have the control, charge and management of the following:

(a) The preservation, restoration, and repair of the fabric of the cathedral and all permanent structures therein.

(b) The lighting, heating, and cleaning of the cathedral.

(c) The collections and all financial matters relating to the cathedral, including the regulation of all salaries and pensions payable by the Board: Provided that the selection of the objects of the collections shall be in the hands of the Dean.

(d) The appointment and removal of the organist, stipendiary members of the choir, and other lay officials of the cathedral (except the verger, who shall be appointed and may be removed by the Dean). The appointment of lay vicars choral and unsalaried members of the choir shall rest with the Precentor, subject to the approval of the Dean.

(e) The ornaments of the cathedral, the monuments, tablets, windows, and brasses to be placed in the cathedral: Provided that none of the above shall be erected or placed in the cathedral without the approval of the Dean and Chapter.

General provisions in regard to St Patrick’s Cathedral

33. The fees payable in connection with the consecration, enthronement, installation, admission, or induction of any archbishop, bishop, dean, dignitary, prebendary, minor canon, vicar choral, or registrar, or with marriages or interments, or the erection or affixing of any window, monument, mural tablet, or brass, shall be in accordance with a scale appointed by the Chapter and approved by the Board.

34. The Dean shall be the immediate ordinary of the said Cathedral, for the purpose of directing the clergy and officials (including ecumenical canons) and ordering the services. All other matters relating to the cathedral and not herein otherwise provided for shall be determined in Chapter. And at all meetings of the Chapter, the Dean or in the Dean’s absence the member of the chapter (other than an ecumenical canon) present next in order of precedence, shall have both an ordinary and a casting vote.

35. The Archbishop of Dublin shall visit the Dean and Chapter, but only, as heretofore, in their chapter house; and all the members of the Chapter, and other clergy of the cathedral, shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Dublin in the Archbishop’s diocesan court.

36. The Chapter shall have power to make regulations as to the duties to be performed by each dignitary, prebendary, clerical vicar choral, and minor canon, save as hereinafter excepted, at a meeting of the Chapter duly summoned for the purpose. Fourteen clear days’ notice of such meeting shall be given to each member of the Chapter. The regulations proposed at such meeting, if approved by a two–thirds majority of the members of the Chapter present, shall be binding on each such dignitary, prebendary, clerical vicar choral, and minor canon thereafter appointed. A printed copy of the regulations shall be furnished to each dignitary, prebendary, clerical vicar choral, and minor canon. All expenses connected with the making and approval of the said regulations and supply of copies thereof shall be paid by the Board out of funds at its disposal. Any such regulations may, from time to time, be varied in the same way as they may be made by the Chapter. In this section, the term “dignitary” shall not include the Dean, and the term “prebendary” shall not include the Prebendary of Cualaun while that stall shall continue to be held by the Archbishop of Dublin.

37. There shall be a right of appeal to the Archbishop of Dublin as the visitor from any refusal of the Dean to appoint to any prebendal stall or other office a person nominated for such office under any of the provisions of this Chapter.

FIRST SCHEDULE

Statutes affecting the Cathedrals of Armagh; Christ Church, Dublin; Down; and St Anne, Belfast.

(1) Armagh Cathedral

2011, cap VI, as amended by 2012, cap VI.

Under this Statute the Archbishop of Armagh is the Ordinary and has the right of appointment to the Deanery, Dignities and Prebends; appointments (other than to the Deanery) shall be for such term of years as the Archbishop shall decide; and are not confined to clergy of the diocese. The Statute also provides for the regulation of the Cathedral affairs; the appointment of a Dean’s Vicar, Succentor, not more than six Clerical Vicars Choral, two Ecumenical Canons and not more than six Lay Canons; the registration of vestrypersons; and the election of ten lay members of the Cathedral Board and its constitution.

(2) Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

1872, cap. IV; 1886, cap. VII; 1902, cap. I, as amended by 1920, cap. V, and 1920 (Special Session), cap. VI; 1935, cap. V; 1971, cap. IX; 1997, cap. II and 2006, cap. IV.

Under these Statutes, the Archbishop of Dublin is the Ordinary and has the right of appointing the Dean, and also has the right of appointment to the Dignities and Canonries, other than (a) the Canon chosen in accordance with the schedule to 1971, cap. IX, and (b) the Precentor and the Priest Vicars appointed by the Dean and Chapter; and the Statutes provide for the regulation of the Cathedral affairs; the registration of vestry members; the return of synod members; and the triennial election of nine lay members of the Cathedral Board, and of five clerical members, to form, with the Dean, the Precentor, the Chancellor and the Treasurer, the Cathedral Board.

(3) Down Cathedral

1872, cap. VI, as amended by 1883, cap. III; 1900, cap. II; 1922, cap. IX; 1958, cap. II; 1985, cap. II and 2005, cap. III.

Under these Statutes the Bishop of Down is the Ordinary and has the right of appointment to the Deanery, Dignities and Prebends; and the Statutes provide for the appointment of Minor Canons and Clerical Vicars; the regulation of the Cathedral affairs; the registration of vestry members; the return of synod members; and the triennial election of fifteen lay members of the Cathedral Board.

(4) St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast

1944, cap. V, as amended by 1983, cap. III; 1984, cap. VII, 1984, cap. VIII, 2008, cap. III, 2009, cap. VII and 2010, cap. III.

Under these Statutes the Bishop of Connor is the Ordinary; the Dean bears the title “Dean of Belfast” and is also Incumbent of Belfast and is appointed as Incumbent and Dean by a Board of Nomination which includes the Bishop of Connor and the Bishop of Down and Dromore and on which the Diocesan Nominators of the Diocese of Connor and the Diocese of Down and Dromore are represented. The Statutes provide for the constitution of the Chapter (which is composed of members of the clergy from the Diocese of Connor and the Diocese of Down and Dromore and a Canon Theologian or a Canon for a special academical or ecumenical purpose appointed by the House of Bishops) and of the Cathedral Board, for the appointment of Canons, Vicars Choral and Minor Canons, and for the registration of vestry members and the return of synod members for the Diocesan Synod of Connor. It is also provided that the Cathedral has a common relation to the Diocese of Connor and the Diocese of Down and Dromore, and that the Bishop of Down and Dromore has a right to the use of the Cathedral.

SECOND SCHEDULE

DECLARATION FOR SUBSCRIPTION

I, A.B., do hereby solemnly declare that:
(1) I am a minister or accredited preacher of Church.

(2) I agree to be bound by the provisions of Part II of Chapter VII of the Constitution of the Church of Ireland and, to that extent only, I submit myself to the authority of the Church of Ireland, and to the laws and tribunals thereof.

(3) I A.B. do declare that I will perform Canonical obedience to the Dean of this Cathedral and Collegiate Church of Saint Patrick, Dublin, and his successors canonically entering. The statutes and ancient customs of this Cathedral and Collegiate Church, so far as they are not repugnant to the laws of the Church of Ireland, I will observe, and my endeavours for their defence against all persons whatsoever will diligently use, and also the secrets of this Chapter, so long as they shall continue to be secrets, will keep private and undisclosed.

I subscribe the above declaration to be appointed to the office of Ecumenical Canon of the Collegiate and Cathedral Church of St. Patrick
This day of 20

Please click here for a PDF version of this declaration form.