The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin’s ecumenical adviser, Fr Ciaran McDermot, brought the warm greetings of the Roman Catholic Church to Synod on the final morning. He wished Archbishop Richard Clarke well in his primacy. He said that in the presidential address we were reminded of the effects of poverty on society, particularly on children.

Fr Ciaran said this should be a priority for churches and it should exercise the churches into action. “It is a mark of a functioning society that children can grow up to become possible – to become the person God created them to be,” he said.

He stated that ecumenical relations on this island were good but warned against complacency.