Day 1
General Synod 2025 Begins Today in Naas
The General Synod of the Church of Ireland gets underway today, Friday May 9 2025. General Synod is meeting for the first time in the Dioceses of Meath and Kildare as it gathers in Lawlor’s Hotel, Naas, today and tomorrow (Saturday May 10) with business continuing in a remote session on the evenings of Tuesday May 13 and Thursday May 15 (if required).
The county town of Kildare, Naas takes its name from nás – appropriately a ‘place of assembly’ – and has been a town since its charter was first awarded in 1409. As the parish history notes, Christian worship has been offered at the parish church, St David’s, since at least 1212. St David’s will host the General Synod Service of Holy Communion at 9.30am this morning. The preacher will be the Rt Revd Dr Paul Colton, Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.
The business of Synod will get underway at 11am this morning. The provisional timetable is available at www.churchofireland.org/synod/2025/timetable.
Synod starts with the Presidential Address by the Primate, Archbishop John McDowell. A total of eight Bills will go through their initial stages today, a number of Motions will be presented and Synod will receive a number of reports. Business is due to continue until 6.30pm.
An audio broadcast of General Synod is available here: https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2025/audio-broadcast
Throughout Synod there will be news updates and photographs available on the Synod website: https://www.churchofireland.org/synod/2025/welcome