27.09.2017
New Ecumenical Advisor Appointed in Dublin & Glendalough
The Revd Norman McCausland has been appointed to the role of Ecumenical Advisor in the Dioceses of Dublin & Glendalough. The announcement comes following the appointment of Canon Niall Sloane, the former Ecumenical Advisor, to the Deanery of Limerick. Norman is the Rector of Raheny and Coolock parishes.
Making the announcement, Archbishop Michael Jackson said that Norman would bring an interesting perspective to the role. “Norman has a long standing personal commitment to ecumenism and also sees it as part of the weave of spiritual and parochial life. His involvement both in The Jerusalem Link and in the development of the Camino in these dioceses shows how important this side of Christianity is to him. Ecumenism and mutual understanding remain vital to our daily discipleship and sense of community in Dublin and Glendalough,” he said.
Norman said that the invitation to be the new Ecumenical Advisor was a pleasure and a privilege. He added that he hoped to make ecumenical engagement part of our year round conversation rather than simply an annual token gesture.
“To be honest, I have sometimes felt ambivalent towards the more formal expressions of Ecumenism and have shared in the collective groan of colleagues at the approach of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. How can we continue to celebrate this important focus of common prayer and avoid it being a token gesture after which we retreat to the safety of our own little kingdoms for the rest of the year? I suppose my nature has always been to engage in more informal, year round conversation with those from other traditions and in the words of the late Revd Prof John Thompson of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, ‘to seek as far as possible to work together for the cause of Christ and for the common good both here and elsewhere’,” he commented.
He continued: “I take up this new position at a time when the rapid change in Irish Society and the changed attitudes towards the Church present a real challenge to such ‘working together’, especially for those, who like myself, are members of the traditional churches. Our time, energy and ever–depleting resources are often focused on keeping the denominational ship afloat when, more than ever, we need to look outward. As well as the challenges, a changed Irish Society also presents new opportunities for mission and service. Ecumenism was born out of a shared vision for mission. Mission will be best served when we realise that no one tradition or expression of faith can do everything by itself. I would like to encourage a wider understanding of Ecumenism in our Dioceses that will embrace and work with not just our brothers and sisters in the Roman Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist traditions but also those in the Orthodox, Evangelical and Pentecostal churches as well as the new migrant–led churches.
“At this time of challenge and new opportunity in my role as Ecumenical Advisor, I am encouraged and uplifted by the words of Pastor Tunde Adedebayo–Oke, Regional Pastor and leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Ireland. In a recent interview in VOX magazine Pastor Tunde expresses his desire for Christian Unity in the following words:
‘At the end of the day, we are one family. We have the same Father but different mothers (denominations), but all those walls don’t count for anything. We preach the same message. We follow the same Lord. In heaven, there will be no segregation, and we need to start practising that here’,” he concluded.