Dublin Fine Gael TD Mr Gay Mitchell has said churches in Ireland should follow the example of politics on the island when it came to shared leadership.
He called on the Catholic Church to respond positively to a suggestion by the Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral that it be used by other Christian denominations. The cathedral is in Mr Mitchell's constituency.
In an Irish Times interview, Dean Robert McCarthy said Mass might be celebrated in St Patrick's. Last Saturday, in a letter to The Irish Times, a former dean of St Patrick's, the Very Rev Victor Griffin, said he had made a similar suggestion 30 years ago. However, only the Methodist Church took up his offer. "The celebration of the second millennium of Christ's birth is an ideal opportunity for church reconciliation and leadership," Mr Mitchell said. Church leaders should learn from political developments on this island and come together to show collective leadership on spiritual matters.
"It appears that the idea has been on the table since the time of Dean Victor Griffin," he said. He felt it was difficult to understand why there should be such a delay in making a positive response to such an invitation "especially when ecumenism is so strongly supported by the Catholic Church".
"Millennium New Year's Eve or New Year's Day would be a significant time for an act of Christian reconciliation and a Mass celebrated in St Patrick's on either day would do much for a rekindling of the Christian message," he said.
