A CEREMONY was held in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, last night to mark the retirement of Archbishop John Neill, who leaves office at the end of this month. Warm tribute was paid to him in a sermon by the Dean of Christ Church, Dermot Dunne, who described the archbishop as “someone I really believe to be a great man”. He was “a brilliant bishop’’, “deeply spiritual”, yet “not afraid to speak out in a measured way” when required.
After the service Archdeacon of Glendalough Ricky Rountree said it was not often someone in the role had such organisational and pastoral abilities and which, “assisted by his wife Betty, helped make a good archbishop, a great one”. Responding, Archbishop Neill thanked many people but concluded by thanking “one very special person, my wife Betty”. Mrs Neill was at the service against doctor’s advice.
In attendance were the Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Gerry Breen, the Chief Justice John Murray, Government secretary Dermot McCarthy, the Church of Ireland primate Archbishop Alan Harper, all Church of Ireland bishops, some retired bishops including the former archbishop of Dublin Walton Empey, the Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Eamonn Walsh, and Fr Godfrey O’Donnell of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
* Seven Anglican Communion primates have boycotted the worldwide Anglican Primates’ Meeting which begins in earnest this morning at the Emmaus retreat centre near Swords, Co Dublin.
In attendance are 24 primates, with eight missing for health, personal or local political reasons, as well as the seven who are boycotting the meeting because of the attendance of US Episcopal Church Primate Archbishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.
She and her church have approved the ordination of gay clergy and bishops, as well as same-sex blessings. Missing are the primates of Nigeria, Uganda, west Africa, southeast Asia South America, Jerusalem and the Middle East and of the Province of the Indian Ocean. All strongly object to gay clergy and same-sex blessings. Speaking to The Irish Timeslast night, the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Alan Harper, said the meeting would convene this morning with an agenda "which is much more open than usual".