The 2009 General Synod concludes
The General Synod of the Church of Ireland concluded last weekend with an historic address from the Catholic Primate, Cardinal Sean Brady. He is the first Cardinal to attend the Synod service.
The Cardinal said that he was conscious that his invitation by the Church of Ireland Synod to share in the service on Sunday had "its own historic and symbolic significance".
On the opening day the Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Alan Harper, gave the President's Address, a wide-ranging speech in which he expressed his hopes for an outward-looking, inclusive church and society.
Reflecting this inclusivity, the Synod was addressed on separate occasions by Rev Dr Donald Patton, the Presbyterian Moderator, the President of the Methodist Church, the Revd Aian Ferguson and at the Eucharist in Armagh Cathedral, the Bishop of Limerick gave a short address to which His Eminence Sean, Cardinal Brady responded (click here).
Business was conducted over a weekend for the first time with all seven bills placed before the Synod members passed. This included a Bill that sought to insert in the Book of Common Prayer the Declaration first adopted by resolution of the Synod in 1999. The Declaration was concerned with whether negative statements against other Christians in our historic formularies represent the spirit of our church today. The Bill carried an amendment from The Archdeacon of Down, Philip Patterson (right) and the Bishop of Kilmore concerning the 'tone and tenor of language'. The Bill with the amendment was passed.
Please visit the General Synod's website for a full report of proceedings, speeches and photographs.