The Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Robin Eames, accompanied by the Bishop-elect of Connor, the Venerable Alan Harper, today met with clergy working in North Belfast to consider the current situation in the area.
FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF ARMAGH AND PRIMATE
AND THE BISHOP ELECT OF CONNOR
Archbishop Empey re-affirms the centrality of Christ in the Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland Primate, who is the senior Primate of the Anglican Communion, has paid a warm tribute to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr George Carey, who announced his retirement today.
The Birth of Christ opened up a new world of hope and possibilities. This year there are such possibilities for Northern Ireland as we contemplate 2002. Are we finally finding the courage to move away from old failed paths or are we going to allow ourselves to be pulled back time and again? Will we have the courage to reach out together into a future where we will find a new confidence in each other?
Archbishop Walton Empey, Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland, today expressed the hope that the Very Rev Andrew Furlong, Dean of Clonmacnoise will reflect on the nature of his beliefs and the conflict inherent in holding these beliefs while ministering within the Church of Ireland, a Christ-centred Church.
The Church of Ireland Episcopal Electoral College, meeting today in Armagh, elected Archdeacon Alan Harper as the new Bishop of Connor to succeed Bishop James Moore who retired last month.
More than 50 choristers from the choirs of St Anne’s Cathedral and St Peter’s Cathedral are to write a collection of ‘Irish Prayers for Peace’ to be used at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in the Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York.