Child protection issue one for 'all churches'

The past year was described as one of "deep trauma" for the Catholic Church in Ireland at the General Assembly.

Rev Tony Davidson said this was so as "from all around the world there have been reports of more and more allegations of clerical child abuse".

"All churches need to look at their procedures for protecting children," he said. It was "an issue that is not going to go away".

Referring to the Pope's recent encyclical on the Eucharist he said that "in many ways it is a restatement of old doctrines". It would come "as no surprise to this Assembly that the Pope and Presbyterians have disagreements concerning the Lord's table".

Presbyterians would "continue to emphasise that the table is the table of the Lord Jesus Christ. No earthly organisation owns that table. The only Lord of the church is the Lord Jesus Christ," he said. But, he continued, "we do tend to agree with the Pope when he says in the encyclical 'the path towards unity can only be undertaken in truth'."

In this post-modern age "when too much truth has become relativised, we as Presbyterians share with the Pope this passion for the pursuit of truth". Through the inter-church committee Presbyterians continued to develop friendly relations with Roman Catholic colleagues, he said.

In a divided society like our own we can only expect to be respected and listened to when we learn and listen ourselves," he said.

Rev Dr Setry Nyomi, general secretary of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches expressed that body's appreciation of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

"Being here this week gives me a new sense of appreciation for the mission and ministry of the church in the midst of the great challenges of peace building and welcoming new immigrants in your midst," he said.

The General Assembly elected Rev Harry Robinson as its new deputy clerk.

In an election, he won 313 votes, to 213 for Rev Trevor McCormick. Addressing delegates after the result was declared, Rev McCormick asked that Rev Robinson's election be endorsed unanimously.

Rev Robinson was born in Donaghadee 50 years ago last Sunday and has been the church's director of ministerial students since 1996.He trained at Union Theological College in Belfast and was ordained in 1978. He served in Knock, Rathfriland, and Holywood. His wife Jenny is a deaconess and they have four children.