Sir, —
The election of the new Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross has produced what may be the most gloriously Irish ecclesiastical arrangement in recent memory.
The Bishop-elect is married to the Dean of Cloyne.
In larger Provinces, bishops and deans must arrange meetings and navigate diaries. Here, Chapter business can be conducted whilst unloading the dishwasher. The annual visitation may simply involve checking whether anyone remembered to put the bins out.
There is something rather reassuring about it all. Whilst other Churches concern themselves with elaborate structures and strategic realignments, the Church of Ireland continues to demonstrate that, given a small enough island, everyone eventually ends up related, acquainted, or sharing a car journey to Synod.
Yours, etc.,
The Reverend Basil Last-Resort
(Formerly Rector of the Parish of Hope;
by message in a corked bottle)
