Diocesan News30 Sep 13

Tuam, Killala and Achonry Diocesan Synod Address

In a wide–ranging address to the Diocesan Synod meeting in St Mary’s Cathedral, Tuam, on Saturday 28th September, Bishop Patrick Rooke (pictured right), took as his theme ‘where we are now’:

Where we are now

It is again my privilege to address you at Diocesan Synod as your bishop – my third such meeting when we gather to review the life of our united diocese and to plan for the future. Shortly after I arrived two years ago, we took time at our Diocesan Synod to look at where we were as a diocese and where we might like to be, going forward towards 2020. In the interim, we have embarked on various initiatives and hence I thought, two years on, I would return to the theme ‘Where we are now’ as a kind of stock–taking exercise. An opportunity to reflect on the lessons we have learnt and to look at one or two observations I am now in a position to make.

First however, I turn to personalities, people whose contribution has been significant to the life and witness of TKA. We are all the poorer this year in that we meet without the presence of Mr Ben Bradish whose untimely death in July shocked us all. Ben has been a diligent and faithful servant of this diocese – for more than 20 years he gave of his considerable accountancy expertise as our Diocesan Accountant/Treasurer. We had come to rely on him for all things financial and he will be extremely difficult to replace in terms of experience and of the knowledge he had accrued over his years in office. We will miss him too as a friend and colleague on our Diocesan Council and Synod.

In this Diocese, the retired clergy retain their places on the Diocesan Synod and one such cleric was Canon Alfie Mitchell. Like Ben, Canon Alfie was dependable and loyal, much loved too as a faithful pastor to many, particularly in the north Mayo/Sligo end of our Diocese. He is missed for all kinds of reasons; I miss his kindly, respectful, common–sense wisdom which he was more than ready to share on my visits with him.

Since this is the first meeting of either body since Ben’s passing, and the first Synod following the passing of Canon Alfie at the end of February, I think it would be appropriate that we stand for a minute to give thanks for both these servants of the Church in this Diocese and to remember Ben’s widow Maria and their large family, and Rosalie and the Mitchell family.

Another member of our Diocesan Council has undergone a long course of Radiotherapy treatment over the Summer months – he is Mr John Shannon and we send him our good wishes for a full and fast recovery.

During the year two of our clergy left the Diocese. At the end of April the Very Reverend Denis Sandes retired from the Incumbency of the Omey Group of Parishes where he had served for some six years. Denis and Lesley had become very much part of the TKA family and we were sorry to say farewell to them. We wish them every happiness in their new home in Cloughjordan, Co Tipperary.

Then, within a couple of weeks of the Sandes’ departure, Dean Wendy Callan left us to return to Oxford Diocese from which she had arrived some three years ago. Her short incumbency in the Kilmoremoy Union was appreciated and, while acknowledging her need to return to England to be near her family, not least her newly arrived granddaughter, it was with considerable regret from fellow clergy and parishioners alike that we bid her farewell. Wendy’s departure is a sad loss to our Diocesan family but the good news is that she is settling into her new routines as Team Vicar in the Claydons and Swan Team Ministry, in Buckinghamshire.

I’m delighted that the Reverend Andrea Wills was able to travel over for Wendy’s installation and in thanking her for enabling us to be represented, I should also like to record appreciation to Andrea for accepting my offer to take on special responsibility for Straid Parish, Foxford in a non–stipendary role. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, without our Non–Stipendary clergy and Diocesan Readers, we could not go on offering regular liturgical worship in all our main churches Sunday by Sunday.

I am delighted to welcome to our clergy team the Reverend Stan Evans. Stan was installed eight days ago as our Priest–in–Charge in the Omey Group and along with his wife Rosemary, brings enthusiasm and experience to those parishes based around Clifden. Stan, again I assure you of the support and encouragement of the whole Diocesan Team as you settle into your new surroundings and your ministry in the heart of Connemara.

In a little over a week’s time the Reverend Jacob, or ‘Jake’ Worley will arrive from Canada, with his wife Kelly and three of their five children. Jake will be instituted Incumbent of the Kilmoremoy Union on Friday 25th October and we very much look forward to all that we hope he will bring. Jake has been heavily involved in Church Planting and I trust that, as a Diocese we will learn much from him and the experience he undoubtedly will bring.

In acknowledging the various comings and goings, I pay tribute to all our clergy and thank them for their loyalty, their friendship and for the particular ministry they share with you their parishioners. We are now set to have our full compliment of clergy restored over the next month, but truth to tell, we cannot afford what we are currently committed to, and this is in no way intended as a slur on any of our present diocesan team – and let me say that they are very much a team who support and encourage and look out for one another in a way that is not always the case in some dioceses.

However, the fact remains and parish treasurers are quick to tell me, that we cannot afford what we are currently committed to. This may sound somewhat strange, since I have just made reference to two new appointments to ensure all posts are filled. Indeed a leading layman said to me recently, in business we start by determining what we can afford, and then we appoint or don’t appoint accordingly. That sounded perfectly logical to me, but then I said to the gentleman, realistically we can probably only afford eight full–time clergy in this diocese, so I probably shouldn’t have allowed our two new appointments. Strangely, or perhaps not so strangely as he himself is a parishioner in one of those parishes, he backed off! And isn’t this just the problem; everyone wants to maintain what they’ve got but no one will make the sacrifice. Suggest a church closure, a new grouping arrangement, a once a fortnight service, and parishioners are up in arms. So we have made our two new appointments but one is now a part–time post which means we are down to nine and a half stipends; the target though remains eight, and we will need to succeed in bringing it down as vacancies occur if assessments are to be met long–term. So there will be other part–time appointments replacing full–time incumbents.

Another implication, and means of saving a stipend, is that the Rev John Godfrey, who in his first year with us as Curate assistant of Galway and Oughterard has brought a freshness and enthusiasm both to the parish and to the wider diocesan team, may very well be the last curate we have, paid for from our diocesan assessment pool. We will be the poorer for that and must hope that before too long, all curates will be funded by central church, as I am sure will soon need to be the case. This is because not only in Tuam, but parishes and dioceses all over the country are struggling to maintain their curates. In both the parishes where I served curacies, no longer is there a full–time stipendary curate–assistant and the parish in which I served for twelve years as rector with a series of colleagues over all of that time, now cannot afford to continue that line. My own view, as the Bishop responsible for overseeing the placements of curates, is that within a few years there won’t, without some central support, be sufficient parishes offering to train the necessary number of curates. I digress here, but this I believe will become an important issue for the Church of Ireland; emphasising that our problems in TKA in maintaining stipendary clergy is common in other places too – by no means are we alone in this!

It must also be said that ministry in the West of Ireland, with its somewhat isolated and far flung congregations, is not for all clergy – to be honest there is never a long queue for any of our vacant parishes. Being a rector in this diocese can be lonely and it has its own demands with clergy serving in small parishes, out of necessity, having to be involved in many tasks that in large Dublin or northern parishes are easily delegated to lay members. Indeed, a sadness for me has been the realisation that many of our potential parishioners are apathetic. I had not expected to find the same apathy in this Diocese that I had experienced in parishes in Northern Ireland. I simply hadn’t anticipated encountering it here in a diocese that needs all its members playing a part if it is to survive. People are very quick to plead their case when there is a threat their church or their rector will be taken away from them, yet they fail to show more than token support when all is ticking along. Clergy too need to know that they have the wholehearted support of their flock. There is nothing more disheartening for clergy than those who, although nominally members, show little or no interest in taking any kind of ownership or responsibility for the upkeep or witness of their parish – indeed such apathy can also be infectious and demoralising for the regular attenders. So I do plead that the many people in all our parishes who are lapsed or irregular in their attendance might have a re–think – ‘your presence would make such a difference and give a great boost to your small congregation’. Our Back to Church Sunday in all parishes in November was an attempt to ignite a spark in the hearts and minds of such people and I hope that regular attenders in all our parishes will go on inviting people from their own communities, or even more immediately, from their own families to join them at worship, not so much for what they might get from it but for what they have to give. And lest I am accused of speaking only to the converted, allow me to say that another issue that all our churches compete with is the many other Sunday attractions that all too easily draw our once dependable worshippers away, so that what was ‘once a week’ can all too easily become ‘once a fortnight’ and so the slippery slope begins.

My thanks, of course, goes to all who with steadfast dedication and dependability enable our regular weekly worship to continue by their presence at church Sunday by Sunday. You are the backbone of our church communities and we thank God for you and people across our Diocese who may never attend Diocesan Synod but are there in their pew every Sunday, without fail.

So perhaps the most important challenge for us all is to play our full part in parish and diocesan life – and this not only requires us to be present at services and events but take an active part in ensuring that we bring others along with us. Each one of us has a duty to go after the lost sheep. So what are you doing? Are you taking ownership of this in your parish, for it is part of your Christian discipleship as it is part of mine? Last year I asked each rector to ensure that one new activity was organised that might draw in those in the community who might become involved. Some novel experiments have been tried and I thank the clergy for their support with this. Over the coming year I will be asking clergy to make it a priority to visit in their homes all known to them within their parochial boundaries, who don’t attend church or contribute in any way, and yet are Church of Ireland or potentially so. And the challenge for you, the laity is first, to identify these people to the clergy and secondly to befriend them yourself and giving every encouragement you can.

What a difference it would make if everyone attending Sunday worship would bring just one other person with them – congregations would double over night. Finance would probably double too! What I suggest is possible and, if there is a will, there is most certainly a way! For let’s face it, we cannot expect central church to bail us out if we ourselves haven’t done all within our power to grow from within our own communities, the potential congregations that are already there.

All this may sound like desperate measures simply ‘to keep the show on the road’. Yet I am only too conscious that seeking to preserve the institution of the Church for the sake of it, is a very questionable motive. One can only justify the desire to grow the Church spiritually and numerically if it is for the purpose of reaching out to the wider world, effectively the communities of which we are part. To seek only to preserve what we’ve got for the sake of it is purely selfish – I’m reminded of the phrase ‘a church that lives to itself, dies by itself’. A recent Report presented to the General Synod of the Church of England, emphasises this importance of linking the goal of spiritual and numerical growth with an increase in the Church’s capacity to serve the whole community. The two cannot be separated. It states that ‘a vibrant Church which grows new disciples will have more energy to transform the community of which it is a part.’ The implication being, that without spiritual and numerical growth, we will be less effective to do the task that the Church is called to undertake in the world beyond the confines of our own individual and congregational lives. So this, and this alone, should be our rationale for seeking to preserve and grow what we’ve got.

In response to all of these issues, to ‘where we are now’, and with an eye to the future, two important papers were considered by the Diocesan Council during the past year.
The first was a strategy for our diocese ‘The Way Ahead’. The Council approved this and it was printed in full in the last edition of Tidings. It alludes to four important realities –
1. The need to reduce the total ‘Assessment’ costs as I have already mentioned – parishes simply cannot go on paying more and more; many are already at breaking point.
2. The importance of creating effective, fulfilling and realistic ministry opportunities for each of the clergy – it is not fair on clergy and parishes alike to go on paying clergy for a full time position when there isn’t the work for a full–time priest.
3. The requirement to create a fund for Pioneer/outreach ministry. This acknowledges that our outreach efforts will only be effective if we have skilled leadership in a ‘hands on’ role.
4. The provision of further voluntary ‘ordained’ support ministry to ensure that essential services and pastoral ministry can be sustained going forward.

These four crucial concerns are being urgently addressed at both diocesan and, where relevant, at central level also. Thus there will be
• more part–time posts,
• finance will need to be set aside for outreach,
• costs of keeping buildings open and insured will need to be more closely monitored – for instance, very careful thinking will be necessary before major renovations are approved in churches where there is only a handful of people and little prospect of growing a congregation,
• further amalgamations may have to be contemplated, along with the possibilities of more lay–led services and alternating of services with a neighbouring church,
• representation will have to be and has already been made at central level to ensure easier training paths for Diocesan Readers,
• some kind of new non–stipendary, part–time ordained ministry will be required at parish level,
• the concept of ‘Pioneer Ministry’ needs be explored as a matter of urgency with trained experts available to lead clergy and parishioners in growth initiatives – and a resolution in connection with this was passed at the General Synod in May.

Of course, such measures will not always be popular and well received across the Diocese and in particular in the parishes most affected, but they are essential if the Church is to survive in the West. Indeed, they may not be enough in themselves. Hence, I want also to encourage you to be open to other possibilities; not least those that might come from the Episcopal Needs Commission, set up some two years ago to look at the needs and structures of all dioceses across the Church. The Commission is due to make its first interim report to next year’s General Synod and while I do not anticipate this to include any recommendations regarding diocesan boundaries, I know that this is part of their wider brief. So I will be encouraging our Diocesan Council to invite members of that commission, to come to our Diocesan Synod next year to discuss some of their ideas with us and to allow you, as Synod Members, to engage with them. I think such an exercise might be beneficial for all, not least because it would display our readiness to discuss the issues rather than simply burying our heads in the proverbial sand.

I mentioned that the Diocesan Council had looked at two documents. The second is a draft Financial Proposal. The principles behind this will be explained in the course of the debate on the Council’s Report. The draft addresses the manner whereby parishes are assessed for their share of the Diocesan and clergy costs and will, we hope, lead to a complete revision of our Diocesan Financial Scheme to be brought to Synod next year. But for now, we are simply dealing with the assessment and what the draft proposal represents, I believe, is a fair and transparent means of ensuring that parishes pay their fair share of our joint commitment – not too much and not too little. Honorary Treasurers were given the opportunity to consider this proposal and I am pleased to confirm their general agreement with the principles involved. This was on the understanding there would be no significant change to the proportions of the total budget required from any one group or union in the coming year.

Finance will of course remain a fundamental issue for us, and therefore all the more credit that since our last meeting of Synod we have embarked on a new initiative, which is concerned with finance – finance for a worthy overseas project – MABWENI. Two years ago, significant interest was expressed at synod in participating in a project that would take our eyes beyond the confines of our own diocesan boundaries. MABWENI has enabled this to happen and I want to thank all who have supported this three–year undertaking in any way. As MABWENI represents our diocese looking beyond our diocesan boundaries in support of the wider church, so too does our link with the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness. In April we hosted a four–day visit from their Bishop, Bishop Mark and two of his clergy and again we learnt from them as they did from us.

In education too, we have been looking beyond our own congregations in offering many in the wider community the opportunity of an integrated education for their children. Our schools may be seen as ‘Church of Ireland’ schools but in reality, most are community based with the majority of pupils not members of the Church of Ireland’. Government cost cutting proposals have ensured a focusing of minds over the past year and in one school, Holy Trinity Westport, we have been considering how best to ensure that that school goes on serving a wide cross section of pupils as a community school whether under Church of Ireland or VEC patronage. Sadly this sense of making a contribution to the wider community is barely recognised by the Education authorities who insist on regarding our schools, without exception, as purely denominational in ethos, which is certainly no longer the case in most of the schools in this diocese. Sadly, I have to report that the new teacher–pupil ratio has reduced one of our schools, Leaffoney in Co Sligo, to a one–teacher school. This is far from ideal, but the reality, for which no consideration has been given by the Minister or Department, is that this school is isolated from all other non–catholic schools, with no similar small school close by to amalgamate with. A second school, Newtownwhite situated between Killala and Ballina, is in peril of suffering a similar fate. So worrying times for some of our small schools, but this is where we are now.

‘Where we are now’ has a somewhat special significance for the Rooke family at this time – as Breaffy Woods, Castlebar is where we are now. We are delighted with our new home and I should like to thank all who have assisted in the process, not least the members of the See House Committee, those who helped in locating a suitable house and the representatives of the Representative Church Body and its Property Committee. Over the past two years so many people throughout the Diocese expressed concern over our location in Claregalway and we really appreciated that support and kindness. Mr Robert Neill, Chairman of the RB Executive Committee travelled to Castlebar on Monday 15th July to hand over the keys of the house to us and since we moved in at the beginning of August, we have gradually got ourselves sorted, once again. Earlier in the year the former Bishop’s House at Knockglass, Crossmolina was finally sold and at the end of August, the Claregalway house was handed back to the owners of the property. So that chapter of change is now at an end and with extensive entertaining room, I hope that all of you will have opportunity over the coming year to see the new house for yourselves.

In conclusion, I want thank each of you for your attendance today – Saturdays I know are special and it is something of a sacrifice to give up the day for this purpose, especially when it involves sitting on hard cathedral seats for much of the time. My thanks also to all who have served on our Diocesan Council; they deserve our appreciation and have one further term to serve before our next election – and I should like to welcome to that body, not only the Reverend Stan Evans, but also our recently co–opted members, Mr Wilfred Bourke, Mr Paul Passmard and Mr Chris Mitchell. I promise, if I have anything to do with it, the next co–opted member will be female, but then I don’t think anyone at present is accusing the bishops of being anti–women! Of course, one woman who keeps us all right is our Diocesan Secretary, Mrs Heather Sherlock. Heather, once more we are indebted to you and, amidst an otherwise busy schedule, you always manage to keep up to date with your considerable diocesan responsibilities. Our new website and Tidings have now become well established and are much appreciated. To Dean Alistair, of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, and to Dr Paddy Delaney for the Website and to Mrs Ann Walton, Dr Delaney and Mrs Jane Stark and all the clergy for Tidings, I say thank you. My thanks too, to the two Rural Deans for their support in numerous ways, not least during our two vacancies. Last, but most certainly not least, thank you to Archdeacons Gary and Alan for their constant guidance and encouragement. Their support, I know, is very much appreciated by all in the united Dioceses – and I am sure we are all hoping that the Archdeacon of Tuam is finding his three–month sabbatical both refreshing and reinvigorating, but not too enjoyable that we will have a rush of clergy wanting their own Sabbatical opportunity!

Finally, let me say that I hope all of you will return to your parishes later today, enthused and encouraged by what you will see and hear at this year’s Diocesan Synod.