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	Church of Ireland Gazette Editor Uphold's Abc's Remarks on Irish Catholic Abuse Crisis By Canon Ian Ellis Virtue Online April 5, 2010 http://www.virtueonline.org/portal/modules/news/article.php?storyid=12349 The following is a statement by the editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette, Canon Ian Ellis, in the light of Archbishop Rowan Williams' comments on this morning's "Start The Week programme" on BBC Radio 4 The Archbishop of Canterbury's reference on this morning's 'Start the Week' programme to the institutional Roman Catholic Church "suddenly losing all credibility" over the current abuse crisis is best seen as a matter of conversational emphasis. Archbishop Williams has, of course, rightly and graciously expressed his "deep sorrow and regret" for any difficulties caused by his words. The Archbishop's remark was made in the course of an extensive conversation on religious matters with presenter Andrew Marr and other guests, during which Archbishop Williams exhibited a refreshing wariness of ecclesiastical institutionalism. The specific context of Archbishop Williams 'credibility' remark was his reference to Irish clergy at times feeling it difficult to wear a clerical collar in public. I do think that it can represent a profound credibility crisis when a priest feels uncomfortable wearing a clerical collar in public. This is, of course, an issue for clergy of all denominations. In this context, I would add that I remain deeply concerned that the Roman Catholic Church still questions the fundamental credibility of the Church of Ireland as a church, and Anglican churches generally, by claiming in its Dominus Iesus document of the year 2000 that Protestant churches are not churches "in the proper sense" (sensu proprio) and by absolutely forbidding its members from receiving Holy Communion in Anglican churches (/One Bread, One Body/, 1998). If the Pope comes to Ireland in 2012, as is expected, I hope that the Church of Ireland will take the opportunity of raising the Dominus Iesus issue with him. The Church of Ireland Gazette is editorially independent.
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