The Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Walton Empey, has called for the full rigour of the law to be directed against those involved in tax evasion on a massive scale.
"What must it feel to a prisoner given years for petty crime if he or she sees such massive criminal activity going unpunished?" he asked. "Is it not easy to understand the anger of the so-called `little people' who have been paying their taxes over the years to see some of the most wealthy and powerful evading their obligations on such a massive scale?"
Speaking last night at the opening of the diocesan synods of Dublin and Glendalough, at Rathfarnham, Dublin, he said: "We have been wracked with scandals revealed by various tribunals and latterly by the Public Accounts Committee. I do not know enough about economics to understand whether the majority involved in offshore banking are guilty of tax evasion or not. I understand that there may be perfectly legitimate reasons for such activity, but if there are those who are guilty of tax evasion on the massive scale suggested then the full rigour of the law should be directed against them.
"We may grumble about tax, but it is our plain duty as Christians to fulfil our obligations in this matter." For the Christian it "is not merely a legal obligation but a Christian duty", he said, and referred to Jesus' words "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's". Greed for yet more, Dr Empey said "is the downside of a booming economy".
Referring to the huge changes which have taken place in society over the past 25 years, Dr Empey reflected that "all in all life is becoming increasingly frenzied" with less time for reflection to consider what direction society should be moving in the new millennium.
This "maelstrom of change" impacted greatly on the parish, "the coal-face of ministry". Increased mobility meant a greater turnover of people in congregations. Also "it is impossible not to notice the generation gap in worship in most places". The change in society's attitude to Sunday was "dramatic" where "now almost everything goes with many varied activities on offer to tempt people away from worship".
Many more married women were now working and that had a big impact as "enthusiastic women were frequently the lifeblood of the parish". In this context he observed that resistance to the idea of women priests "has largely disappeared and the church has been greatly enriched by their ministry".
The High Court judge, Ms Justice McGuinness, was appointed chancellor of the united dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough at a ceremony in Dublin last night. She is the first woman to hold such a post in the Church of Ireland.
She has served on many important Church of Ireland committees and is a member of both the General Synod and the diocesan synods of Dublin and Glendalough, and the episcopal electoral college.
