The Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, the Right Reverend Paul Colton, has called a meeting of leaders (ordained and lay) and parishioners in his Diocese to reflect together on the future of the Diocese. A day seminar is being held on Saturday 27th September in the Celtic Ross Hotel, Rosscarbery. Co Cork starting at 10.30 a.m.

The Rev. Chris Webb, an Anglican priest and Franciscan Tertiary from Cardiff, who works as national Renewal Officer for the Church in Wales will be the speaker. Using work he has already done in that sister Church of the Church of Ireland he will facilitate reflection and help Cork Diocese to continue thinking strategically about its priorities and Ministry needs.

Bishop Colton is optimistic, but realistic in his assessment of the current situation:

“Things cannot go on the way they are,” he said. “The simple reality is that what we have at the moment and what we are trying to sustain is not sustainable in the way in which we are currently addressing it: too much infrastructure to the detriment of our core activity: Christian ministry”

In spite of National Census figures which show significant growth in the Church of Ireland population, the Bishop points to immense challenges of our time:

• There have been rapid recent changes in deployment at every level of ministry in the Church’s life, which has resulted in instability.
• Rising costs, including notably insurance premiums and building repairs, mean that small communities cannot afford all of the seventy two church buildings – not to mention halls, houses and schools – they currently have in our region.
• One of the unforeseen consequences by the State of planning and heritage legislation, and the subsequent listing of many of our churches as heritage, puts an impossible burden on small minority communities: some may disappear.
• There are forty seven vacant parishes in the Church of Ireland; three in the Bishop’s Diocese.

In spite of these things Bishop Colton believes the Church, its ministers, lay and ordained, and parishioners at every level of Church life are working faithfully and hard to sustain its core activities of ministry and partnership with society.

“In this day of reflection we hope to harness and channel that goodwill, faithfulness and commitment,” he said.