Presenting the Commission for Christian Unity and Dialogue’s report to the General Synod of the Church of Ireland today, the Bishop of Meath, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, encouraged the Church to “try and root the work of this Commission in the work of the Church as a whole.”

The Revd Canon Horace McKinley (Dublin) commended to the General Synod Guidelines for Interfaith Events and Dialogue, a book produced by the Commission. Describing the book as “the first of its kind in the provinces of the Anglican Communion”, he expressed his view that “pats on the back should be given for that.”

Speaking on the same book, the Revd Canon Patrick Comerford (Dublin) described the Commission’s initiative in producing the book as “trail-blazing”.

Speaking on the issue of new faith communities in Ireland, with particular reference to the Muslim community, Canon Comerford stated that “good neighbourliness demands that we talk with one another. They’re good neighbours and let’s thank God for them.”

Returning to the topic of Guidelines for Interfaith Events and Dialogue, Dr Kenneth Milne (Dublin) told members of the General Synod that it was “one of the first productions of Church of Ireland Publishing, and shows the value of having our own in-house printing.”

The working group on Anglicanism reported that it is undertaking a textual review of the Porvoo Agreement to learn lessons about covenantal relationships. The working group hopes to apply these lessons on the Anglican Communion level in the framing of the proposed Anglican Covenant.

It was with great sadness that the Commission noted the death of Dean Desmond Harman who, as the Porvoo contact person for the Church of Ireland, had contributed so significantly to the Commission’s work.