IF you were told there was anger and disappointment in a northern diocese over how its new bishop is being appointed, you would probably jump to the conclusion that it was the Catholic Diocese of Connor.But you would – at least at this stage – be wrong.
For all its perceived secrecy and the fact that the Pope has the final decision, the process of selecting a Catholic bishop has a measure of representation, with the views of lay people and clergy in the vacant diocese sought.
Many in the Church of Ireland Diocese of Connor would relish the opportunity to put forward their views on who their new bishop should be.
The diocese, the Church’s largest, is vacant after the previous incumbent, Alan Harper, was elected Archbishop of Armagh by his fellow bishops.
Last Wednesday a specially convened body called an episcopal electoral college failed to decide who should take over Connor’s reins.
Its 60-strong membership included 12 lay people and 12 clergy from Connor plus two lay people and two clergy from five other dioceses.
The Diocese of Armagh had six clergy and six lay people in the college, thanks to the rather shaky logic that because it does not decide who becomes its archbishop it should get a greater say in who becomes bishop of the diocese from which its new chief pastor came.
Three bishops and its chairman, Archbishop Harper, completed the college.
The college’s business is conducted in secret but The Irish News understands that Ken Clarke, the Bishop of Kilmore, was the Connor delegates’ clear favourite.
Testing the temperature in the diocese since last week’s failure to elect, there is anger, disappointment and hurt that Connor’s wishes were not respected.
When it became obvious that a consensus was developing around Bishop Clarke it is understood other nominations were made, with one cleric allowing his name to go forward and another not.
An outsider might wonder why other nominations were made if there was already a clear favourite.
One possibility is that the prospect of a mainstream evangelical bishop occupying the largest diocese did not appeal to the Church’s theologically liberal elements.
With the college unable to reach the necessary two-thirds majority, the decision has now moved out of the influence of diocesan lay people and clergy and straight into the hands of the Church’s 11 bishops.
They are due to meet after Easter [April 17th - Ed] and while Bishop Clarke should remain in contention Dr Michael Jackson, the Bishop of Clogher, is now a strong favourite.
If the connection between the people of the diocese and their new bishop is to remain strong, it would seem desirable that there is reform of how episcopal appointments are made in the Church of Ireland.
This, together with the oft-mooted reform of General Synod membership, would help make the Church more truly representative of its members.
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