Press Releases
Strengthening local ecumenism in Ireland
The Irish Inter Church Committee has today announced the appointment of Mr Philip McKinley to a newly created position of Ecumenical Officer, based in Dublin. Funded by the 15 member churches for a pilot period of three years, this part time position aims to strengthen local relationships between churches around the country.
Bishop Gerry Clifford, who convenes the Steering Group of the Irish Inter Church Committee, commented that Mr McKinley ‘brings a wealth of knowledge, energy and experience in inter-church work to this new post. The first priority of this new initiative will be to identify the range of inter-church groups already meeting together in local communities.’
Mr McKinley lives in Dublin, is an active member of the Church of Ireland and has worked for the past three years as the Dublin based Project Officer for the Church of Ireland’s Hard Gospel project. He has also been the project-coordinator of the ‘Directory of Migrant-led Churches and Chaplaincies’. He has a degree in Theological Studies from Trinity College Dublin and also a Radio Broadcasting qualification.
‘I am deeply excited about contributing to the rich ecumenical journey in Ireland. Next year’s centenary for the 1910 Edinburgh Conference, provides a wonderful opportunity for Christians to reflect and re-discover the calling to be united in Christ’.
Mr McKinley will start this new post on May 18th and will be based in an office within the Irish School of Ecumenics in Milltown Park, Dublin.
The Project will be managed by the Irish Council of Churches, but steered by this Inter Church Steering Group.
The Irish Inter Church Meeting is a forum for representatives from the Irish Bishops’ Conference and the Irish Council of Churches to meet, pray, and witness together on issues they have a common concern about. It represents a constituency of 15 different sized Christian churches in some 3,200
local faith communities spread across the island.
The Irish Inter Church Meeting (IICM) is currently co-chaired by Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, and the Revd Tony Davidson, President of the Irish Council of Churches. Bishop Gerry Clifford convenes the Steering Group responsible for overseeing and monitoring the direction of this new ecumenical initiative.
Further information: www.irishchurches.org
Roman Catholic Church in Ireland, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Church of Ireland, Greek Orthodox Church in Britain and Ireland, LifeLink Network of Churches, Lutheran Church in Ireland, Methodist Church in Ireland, Moravian Church (Irish District), Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Non-Subscribing Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Religious Society of Friends, Rock of Ages Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Romanian Orthodox
Church in Ireland, Russian Orthodox Church in Ireland, Salvation Army (Ireland Division).
For further information contact:
Bishop Gerry Clifford,
IICC Steering Group convenor
Tel: +353 (0)42 937 1012
Michael Earle
ICC General Secretary
Tel: +44 (0)28 9066 3145 (office) or +44 (0)7989 942123 (mob)