15.10.2021
Social action continues despite the pandemic – Diocesan Synod hears
The Dublin & Glendalough Committee for Social Action may not have been able to meet during the pandemic but they were keen to show that there is still plenty of social action and prophetic ministry taking place. The chairperson of the committee, Canon Olive Donohoe, told members of Diocesan Synod meeting online that this had been a time of fear and isolation and stress on everyone but parishes had done a huge amount.
She presented two videos as examples of social action currently taking place. The Storehouse foodbank in Crinken and the Gathering Grounds café in Kilternan both outlined what they had done during the pandemic to keep their outreach going.
Speaking to the report, Pat Barker (Malahide) congratulated the committee on their work. She referred to the report of the Church of Ireland Marriage Council and said that she had the sense that the marriage council assumed that marriage was wholesome and good. However, she said what was missing was a noted that marriage could often be a place of violence and abuse, an evil place filled with fear and coercive control where women, men and children found themselves in a dark place. She said it was beholden on members to include these people and admit that sometimes the very best support was to counsel them out of a marriage rather than to stay in.