Most Church of Ireland clergy, although they may move from parish to parish on a number of occasions, spend their careers within the island of Ireland. Some, however, do migrate to other provinces of the Anglican communion and a small number is, at present, serving in the diocese of Europe as chaplains to English-speaking communities.
Rupert Moreton is in Helsinki, Ian Sherwood in Istanbul, and Bryn Byrne in Lanzarote. Another of this company, the Rev John McKay, formerly vicar of St Bartholomew's, Dublin, is chaplain in Venice and during his summer break he was replaced by the chaplain of Trinity College, Dublin, Dr Alan McCormack.
What were Dr McCormack's impressions of ministry in such an apparently exotic location? The immediate impression was of a city swarming with tourists and bursting at the seams, and so a key aspect of ministry at St George's Church was the simple, graceful, repetitive duty of hospitality and welcome.
Sunday by Sunday there were new faces in the church to be welcomed and guided.
The regulars, perhaps a quarter of the congregation, are mostly from Britain and the US, including a small number of the aristocracy. There are also some Venetians who are committed Anglicans and even a Serbian Orthodox organist and a Nigerian acolyte.
Some live in Venice for only part of the year while others are full-time residents -- business executives, art critics, university lecturers. Yet all are conscious of belonging to St George's, conscious that they form the Anglican Church in that place, and only too delighted to help with whatever needs to be done.
In Venice, St George's welcomes those who visit and sustains those who reside. It is a distinctive Christian witness in an ecclesiastically saturated environment and one which values its close relationships with ecumenical partners.
It is a church seeking to be of genuine service to Anglophones on the move, and to any who find something valuable or attractive in the mix.
Today, the Bishop of Cork will be the speaker at the dinner to mark the 400th anniversary of the Battle of Kinsale, at which the President, Mrs McAleese, will preside. The GFS in Dublin and Glendalough will hold its festival service in Redcross Church at which the preacher will be the Rev Sheila Zeitsman while in Wilson's Hospital, Multyfarnham, the Meath and Kildare Diocesan Synod will take place.
Tomorrow, RT╔ will televise a Service of the Word with the Rev Michael Wooderson and the parishioners of Naas while BBC Radio Ulster will broadcast Morning Service from Dromore Cathedral where the rector is the Rev Stephen Lowry.
The Mothers' Union Festival Service for the Dioceses of Tuam, Killala and Achonry will be held in St Nicholas' Collegiate Church, Galway, where the preacher will be the Rev Rab Mollan.
In Christ Church, Tramore, the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory will institute the Rev Derek Sargent as vicar of the Waterford Cathedral group of parishes.
On Monday, the Archbishop of Armagh will institute the Rev William Quigley as rector of Killylea and Eglish and on Wednesday he will preside at the Mothers' Union Festival Service in Armagh Cathedral where the address will be given by Lady Eames.
On Wednesday, the Archbishop of Dublin will license student readers in the Theological College.
On Friday, he will preside at the Diocesan Service for primary and junior schools in Christ Church Cathedral, where the preacher will be the Rev Arthur Barrett, rector of Booterstown and Mount Merrion.
In Enniskillen, the bishop of Clogher will preside at his last Diocesan Synod before retirement.