ARCHBISHOP OF DUBLIN CONVENES ELECTORAL COLLEGE
TO ELECT NEW BISHOP OF LIMERICK AND KILLALOE

It was announced today that the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill has convened an Episcopal Electoral College to meet on Tuesday 6 May 2008 in Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin to elect a new Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe (which includes the dioceses of Limerick, Ardfert, Aghadoe, Killaloe, Kilfenora, Clonfert, Kilmacduagh and Emly). The see has been vacant since the retirement of the Rt Revd Michael Mayes on March 31 2008. The members of the college have already been informed by post.

The Episcopal Electoral College consists of the Archbishop of Dublin, who will preside, three other Bishops of the Church of Ireland and 48 Clerical and Lay representatives from Limerick and Killaloe and other Dioceses in the Southern Province.

After attending a Holy Communion service at 11am in Christ Church Cathedral, the college will meet and conduct their deliberations in private.

The college may elect a current Bishop, or a Priest (male or female) over 30 years of age to the vacant see. To be elected, a nominee must receive the votes of at least two thirds of the clergy present and voting and two thirds of the laity present and voting (Archbishops and/or Bishops, if they desire to vote, do so as clergy for these purposes). Following confirmation of the election by the House of Bishops, the Bishop-elect will be consecrated (if not already a Bishop) and subsequently enthroned in the various Cathedral churches of the dioceses on dates to be determined.

If the college is unable to reach a decision, the appointment will pass to the House of Bishops.

A result may become known between 3pm and 5pm on Tuesday 6 May 2008.

NOTES:

Church of Ireland Provinces:
The Church of Ireland has two Provinces. The Northern Province (also called the Province of Armagh and Tuam) consists of 7 Dioceses and is presided over by the Archbishop of Armagh. The Southern Province (also called the Province of Dublin and Cashel) consists of 5 Dioceses and is presided over by the Archbishop of Dublin. As the Dioceses of Limerick and Killaloe are in the latter, the Archbishop of Dublin is responsible for convening and presiding over the Episcopal Electoral College for the election of a new Bishop.
The two provinces do not conform to the political division of the island; the boundary between them goes roughly from Drogheda, Co Louth to Galway Bay.

House of Bishops:
The House of Bishops consists of the Archbishops and Bishops of the Church of Ireland. Retired or former Bishops or Archbishops are not members of the House. Normally there are 12 members, presently there are 11 due to the vacancy in Limerick and Killaloe.

Composition of the Episcopal Electoral College for the Dioceses of Limerick and Killaloe (2008):
The full composition of the Episcopal Electoral College for the election of a new Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe is as follows:
The Archbishop of Dublin (Presiding)
3 Bishops elected by the House of Bishops (2 from the Northern Province and 1 from the Southern Province)
12 Clerical Members and 12 Lay Members from the vacant see (Limerick and Killaloe)
12 Clerical Members and 12 Lay Members from the other Dioceses in the Southern Province, namely
3 Clerical and 3 Lay from Dublin and Glendalough
3 Clerical and 3 Lay from Meath and Kildare
3 Clerical and 3 Lay from Cork, Cloyne and Ross
3 Clerical and 3 Lay from Cashel and Ossory
The 48 Clerical and Lay members of the college were elected by their respective diocesan synods in 2005 to act as Episcopal Electors as and when required for the following three years.
Two other people will attend the Episcopal Electoral College, the Registrar of the Southern Province (the Revd Canon Victor Stacey), who will act as the Secretary of the college and a Legal Assessor, appointed by the Archbishop of Dublin to advise him on any legal or constitutional matters that arise. Neither of these people will be voting members of the college.
The election takes place under the rules contained in the Church of Ireland Constitution (Chapter VI, Part I Episcopal Elections).

- ENDS –