President partakes fully in service at Christ Church

The President, Mrs McAleese, broke new ecumenical ground yesterday when she took communion during the 11 a.m. sung Eucharist at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.

In an unexpected move, which Church of Ireland sources believe may be the first for an Irish President from the Roman Catholic tradition, Mrs McAleese took bread from Canon Desmond Harman, rector of Sandford and Milltown, and wine from Canon Stanley Baird, of Swords. The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mr John Stafford, also took communion during yesterday's Christ Church service.

Senior Catholic Church sources, referring to Canon Law, the new Catholic catechism, and the directory on ecumenism, said: "It is not permissible for a Roman Catholic to receive communion in churches of the Protestant tradition."

Before Mrs McAleese arrived at Christ Church yesterday, the Precentor, Canon John Bartlett, told the congregation that those from other traditions who regularly took communion were welcome to do so at the service.

It is understood that Mrs McAleese had taken communion at Church of Ireland services before becoming President, and had "absolutely no difficulty" about doing so again yesterday.

"She was invited to do so, and had no problem in accepting the invitation," a source said.

Mr Stafford said last night that in taking communion, he was responding to the invitation.

Father Martin Clark, spokesman for the Irish Bishops' Conference, declined to comment last night.

At the service former Beirut hostage Mr Terry Waite, patron of the Warrington male voice choir, which sang at yesterday's service, spoke of how a resolve to build bridges of understanding and friendship with Ireland developed after the IRA Warrington bombs. The Mayor of Warrington, Mr Roy Humphries, and the MP for Tatton, former BBC correspondent Mr Martin Bell, were also there.

Archbishop speaks on importance of building bridges: page 4