CHURCH OF IRELAND PRESS OFFICE
Church of Ireland House, 61 - 67 Donegall Street, Belfast BT 2QH
Tel Belfast: (028) 90 232 909
Press Officer Brian Parker (M): 07775 927 807
PRESS RELEASE
11 May 2004
SYNOD WELCOMES NEW BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER
At the opening session of the General Synod in Armagh today some
600 members each received a copy of the new Book of Common Prayer
2004 heralding a new era in the worship and witness of the Church
of Ireland. These presentation pew editions, with a special inscription,
are the gift of Archbishop Robin Eames and the Armagh Diocesan
Council.
Representatives of the Church of Ireland Youth Department, the
Mothers Union, the Church of Ireland Mens Society, the Girls Friendly
Society, Church Lads Brigade and the Clergy, assisted Canon Ricky
Rountree, the Church of Ireland Liturgical Officer, in organising
a series of further presentations of hand bound in leather desk
editions.
The new book will be used for all devotions during the three-day
Synod from 11 May to 13 May as well as at the Synod Service in
St Patrick’s Cathedral tonight (11 May) at 6.30pm.
Said Canon Rountree: “This is the third revision of the
Book of Common Prayer in the Church of Ireland since Disestablishment
in 1870.It is a thorough-going revision of the prayer book and
includes for the first time the main liturgical services of the
Church in both traditional language and contemporary language.”
Mr Sean O’Boyle, representing the publishers, Columba Press,
presented Archbishop Robin Eames with the copy to be laid upon
the table of the General Synod at the beginning of its annual business.
Mr David Johnston, Head of the Braille Unit at Maghaberry, presented
a Braille edition to Mrs Margaret Mann and Mrs Enid Maxwell, Braille
proofreaders.
Mr Daithi O’Maolchoille, treasurer of Cumann Gaelach na
hEaglaise, presented a copy of the Irish Language Book of Common
Prayer to Bishop Donald Caird, former Archbishop of Dublin and
Glendalough.
Canon Rountree added: “We are greatly indebted to Columba
Press who have made a magnificent job of this production. The Church
of Ireland is also very appreciative of the work of the Braille
Unit at Maghaberry Prison for their willingness to make the services
of the Book of Common Prayer available to Braille users in the
Church. We thank Governor Andrew Jeanes for joining us for this
presentation.”
Canon Rountree also paid tribute to Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise
for their contribution in making the Book of Common Prayer available
to the Irish speaking population of the Church of Ireland and the
wider Church.
He said: “Special mention must be made of the enormous contribution
Canon Gary Hastings has made in making the Leabhair na hUrnai Coitinne
2004 a reality by his work of translation and to the large group
of eminent theological and Irish scholars who have assisted in
its production.”
Presentations of specially prepared desk editions were made to
the Primates of both provinces of the Church of Ireland, Archbishop
Robin Eames, Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of All Ireland and Metropolitan,
and Archbishop John Neill, Archbishop of Dublin and Bishop of Glendalough,
Primate of Ireland and Metropolitan.
Further copies were presented to those who have been very involved
in the preparation of the new book: Rt Rev Harold Miller, Chairman
of the Liturgical Advisory Committee; Dean Michael Burrows, Vice-Chairman
of the Liturgical Advisory Committee; Canon Brian Mayne, Editor
of BCP 2004 and a former Hon Secretary of the Liturgical Advisory
Committee and Canon Ricky Rountree, Central Liturgical Officer
of the Church of Ireland and Hon. Secretary of the Liturgical Advisory
Committee.
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