The Church of Ireland Primate, Dr Robin Eames, has expressed regret that something "as sacred as the Eucharist or Holy Communion" should become the source of remarks or speculation which could be divisive. "The perception that remarks, even if taken out of context, were derogatory of either tradition," was also to be regretted, he said.
Other senior members of the Church of Ireland were described last night as distressed at the tone and content of remarks in the current debate over inter-church Communion. It is understood that this applied in particular to comments made by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Connell, the president of St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon, Mgr Denis Faul, and the Professor of Philosophy at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Father James McEvoy.
A spokesman for the Presbyterian Church said "the negative comments of senior Roman Catholic churchmen with regard to the President partaking of Communion in a Protestant church have been seen as unhelpful, particularly by those in the Presbyterian Church who are trying to promote better understanding and respect across the denominational boundaries".
Dr Dennis Cooke of the Methodist Church welcomed the President's decision to take Communion at Dublin's Christ Church Cathedral on December 7th and felt it was "appropriate" she should have done so.
In Dublin last night concern was being expressed among members of the Church of Ireland that Archbishop Connell appeared to have misquoted a Church of Ireland archdeacon, the Ven Gordon Linney, on Radio Ireland's Last Word programme on Tuesday.
Dr Connell referred to the archdeacon as having said that a Catholic may take Communion from a Protestant in exceptional circumstances. Dr Connell continued that this was not so, and that "under no circumstances is that possible".
Church of Ireland sources were adamant last night that the archdeacon had said nothing of the kind and "cannot understand" why Archdeacon Linney in particular should have been so misquoted.
Responding to Dr Connell's absolute prohibition on inter-church Communion, they pointed to the 1993 inter-church sectarianism document. It quotes documents of the Roman Catholic Church which state that "Eucharist-sharing is forbidden except in certain special circumstances with episcopal permission". The working party which prepared the sectarianism document was chaired by the President, Mrs McAleese. Among its members was Mgr Faul.
Dr Dennis Cooke, the principal of the Methodist Theological College in Belfast, in welcoming the President's decision to take Communion at Christ Church, said he was sure she had thought about it very carefully. He pointed out that within the Roman Catholic Church there was recognition of the right of private conscience. "She has that right, too," he said.
