Dr Connell accused of muddled thinking

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell, has been accused of "muddled thinking" and of making "the most hurtful comments" in an editorial in the current issue of the Church of Ireland Gazette which examines the continuing debate about inter-church communion.

"It is regrettable that a leading church figure like Dr Connell showed muddled thinking when it came to separating faith, theology, church teaching and canon law."

Summarising some remarks in the debate which has been going on since President McAleese took Communion at Christ Church Cathedral on December 7th, some of which "showed appalling ignorance of the teaching and practice of the Church of Ireland", it says "the most hurtful comments came from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Desmond Connell". Dr Connell "first said it was a sham for a Roman Catholic to take Communion in the Church of Ireland, then tried to explain away his use of the word `sham', went on to criticise the negative reaction, and tried to blame the reporter and sub-editors who had handled the news. Finally, only after many days had passed, he expressed sorrow if, and only if, he had caused hurt."

Both Archbishop Eames (the Church of Ireland Primate) and Archbishop Empey (the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin) had been "tempered and re strained" in their response, it continues, "but it must be said that Dr Connell has hurt many members of the Church of Ireland, and has also hurt many members of his own church by his comments and by his demeanour".

It goes on to challenge the implication that outside their own congregations Catholics may accept Communion only in the Orthodox churches. The common eucharistic faith shared by the Orthodox and Rome is based on assumptions dating back to 1054, it says. "The Orthodox, like Anglicans, do not share the Tridentine [Catholic] interpretation of transubstantiation". Indeed, the editorial suggests, "there may be more in common between the Orthodox and Anglicans than between the Orthodox and Rome".