United Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough

14.10.2015

‘We have to bear in mind the danger of planning for a future that is fast becoming the past’ – Report of Diocesan Councils to Synod

We are living in a time of unprecedented change and we must be on our guard against planning for situations that are already changing. This was the warning issued by Dr Kenneth Milne while proposing the report of Diocesan Councils at Dublin and Glendalough’s Diocesan Synod in Taney Parish Centre yesterday evening (October 13). He said this year’s report of Diocesan Councils highlights the awareness of the need for change and developments where the dioceses can be seen to be grappling with enormous challenges.

“Society has always been in a state of flux and change. What is unprecedented is the scale of change in our time, and the rapidity with which it is happening. Probably most people would accept that such is the case. I think we must likewise accept that it would be unrealistic to expect that somehow we can avoid fairly uncomfortable change in matters relating to the Church, if we are to serve society,” Dr Milne stated. “We have constantly to bear in mind the danger of planning for a future that is fast becoming the past.”

He said that the most influential change to take place in recent years was in the area of education. Enormous expansion had taken place in third level education and this was reflected in the number of third level chaplaincies mentioned in the report, he said. He also focused on the work of the Sunday School Society and children’s ministry. Dr Milne welcomed the cooperation of the Young Adults Ministry with the Office for Evangelisation and Ecumenism of the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin.

Revolutionary changes in communication were also highlighted. “The assertion that today’s revolution in communications is equivalent to the invention of the printing press [may be a cliché]. We know the impact that printing made to religious life, when as literacy spread, every man and woman could read for themselves. We live in a situation today, when every man and woman can be their own publisher and disseminator of ideas. Open to abuse the social media may be, but so is the print media… No task for today’s Church can be more urgent than to take advantage of what is happening in communications, not least the social media,” Dr Milne stated.

A wide range of issues was raised during the debate on the report. Diocesan Children’s Ministry Advisor, the Revd Baden Stanley (Bray), said he was in the process of visiting all the Rural Deaneries in Dublin and Glendalough to get to the heart of what was happening in children’s ministry in the dioceses. He thanked all who were involved in the organisation of the Diocesan Kids’ Summer Camp and highlighted the resources provided by the Sunday School Society and the Church of Ireland Children’s Ministry, including the Building Blocks Conference which will take place on November 14 in St Andrew’s College, Booterstown.

Canon Niall Sloane (Killiney) heralded the appointment of Eric Denner as Diocesan Youthwork Coordinator saying that he brought a wealth of experience to the role. He added that the Dublin and Glendalough Youth Council hoped parishes, through Rural Deaneries, would avail of the devolved funding of just over €25,000 in 2016 to promote youth ministry.

Geoffrey Perrin (Rathmichael) praised the varied work done by Greg Fromholz and the Ministry to Young Adults. He singled out for mention Paradoxology at Electric Picnic during which Greg and his team welcomed 2,500 people to their sacred space tent and had hundreds of conversations with young adults about faith.

Mary White (Kilternan) said she was sorry to hear numbers at the Diocesan Kids’ Summer Camp were falling and suggested that attendance was something that should be encouraged.

Canon Horace McKinley (Whitechurch) spoke of his suggestion at the Taney Rural Deanery Come&C Meeting at which he proposed that the dioceses consider a five year funding appeal plan to renovate or build a property to accommodate some homeless people. Additional funding could be sought from the department and a partnership with a homelessness charity could be forged. The Revd Adrienne Galligan (Rathfarnham) said there had been a groundswell of support for this suggestion. She added that there were many vacant houses and asked members of synod to consider raising the issue with election candidates who arrived at their doorsteps in the coming months.

Carol Revington highlighted the work of Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise and said there were many resources for parishes that wished to enrich their worship through Irish.

Judge Catherine McGuinness (Councils) spoke of the need to safeguard children, not just within the care of the Church but throughout the community. She urged members to remind election candidates of the work of Tusla (the Child and Family Agency) which she says has far to few resources to protect children.

Dr Paul Hillis (Councils) suggested that a breakdown of how money contributed to Bishops’ Appeal was spent would be useful and lead to increased giving.

Dr Michael Webb (Glenageary) praised the enormous amount of work done by clerical and lay people on Diocesan Councils throughout the year.

The report of councils was received by Synod and the auditors KPMG were reappointed.

Photos:

Top – Dr Kenneth Milne

Middle – Synod delegates

Bottom – Judge Catherine McGuinness