Church officer steps down from senior post
Peter Irish cites church, family commitments
STAFF
Peter Irish (pictured here with grandchildren David, Kyle, William and Katie) recently stepped down as deputy prolocutor of General Synod, saying he was feeling overwhelmed by a number of church commitments, including a $1.25 million fundraising campaign in the diocese of Fredericton.
[photo by CONTRIBUTED]
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A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
(Proverbs 17:22). Peter Irish, of Minto, N.B., diocese of Fredericton,
on March 11 resigned as deputy prolocutor of General Synod, one of the nine
national offices of the Anglican Church of Canada.
In an interview, Mr. Irish said he was feeling overworked by a number of church
commitments.
“I had started to run out of steam,” said Mr. Irish, who is 58. In
addition to his national church duties, he is active at the parish level (his
wife, Eileen, is a priest at St. Michael and All Angels in Minto and St. Augustine
of Canterbury in Chipman, N.B.). He also is leading a $1.25 million campaign
to raise funds for the diocesan summer camps, Medley and Brookwood. An avid sailor, Mr.
Irish also has several grandchildren with whom he spends time. “Something
had to go. This is a chance to step back and catch my breath,” Mr. Irish
added.
Peter Irish sails his 42-foot schooner, the Betty and Gordon, which he built with a friend.
[photo by CONTRIBUTED]
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Mr. Irish has been involved with the church on the national and provincial levels.
He has served as chair of the General Synod planning committee, chair of the
national church’s agenda committee and a member of the communications and
information resources committee. He is also a previous member of the Council
of General Synod (CoGS), which governs the church between triennial General Synod
meetings, and was prolocutor for two terms of the ecclesiastical (church) province
of Canada, which includes the eastern part of the country.
The deputy prolocutor chairs meetings in the absence of the primate (the national
archbishop) or the prolocutor. The officers of General Synod are: the primate
(acting as president), general secretary, prolocutor, deputy prolocutor, chancellor
(legal officer), vice chancellor, treasurer and two officers at large.
Mr. Irish was elected at the 2004 meeting of General Synod in St. Catharines,
Ont. to a three-year term. Nominations for his successor are currently being
received at the national office in Toronto, according to an announcement from
General Secretary Michael Pollesel. CoGS is scheduled to elect a new deputy prolocutor
at its May 11-14 meeting in Mississauga, Ont.
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