Irish Catholic, Anglican leaders express worry after ecumenical Mass

Published: 2006-04-20

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- Catholic and Anglican archbishops in Ireland have expressed concern that an Easter Mass was concelebrated by Catholic priests and a Church of Ireland minister in Drogheda. The ecumenical celebration was organized by Augustinian Father Ignatius "Iggy" O'Donovan, who teaches history and theology in Rome for six months of the year, to mark the 90th anniversary of the Easter Rising in 1916, which served as a prologue to the war that won independence from British rule in 1922. The Mass at the Augustinian priory was concelebrated by Father O'Donovan and two other Augustinian priests, Father Richard Goode and Father Noel Hession, as well as the Rev. Michael Graham of St. Peter Anglican Church in Drogheda. More than a dozen members of the Anglican church attended the Mass. Rev. Graham told The Irish Times newspaper that the event was "a wonderful occasion" and that he had shared in the consecration "in all its fullness." Following the newspaper report, the two archbishops of Armagh, Northern Ireland, issued statements expressing their concern.

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