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IRELAND: New Bishop of Cashel supportive of same-sex unions
By William Scholes
Religious Affairs Correspondent
The Irish News
April 5, 2006
A cleric who regularly gives Holy Communion to same-sex couples has been elected as successor to a bishop who resigned because he was 'no longer able to cherish' his marriage.
Michael Burrows, the Church of Ireland Dean of Cork, will take up the post unexpectedly vacated by former Bishop of Cashel and Ossory Peter Barrett in January.
Dean Burrows (45) will join his brother-in-law Michael Jackson, the Bishop of Clogher, as one of the Church of Ireland's 12 bishops.
They are the second set of brother-in-laws to be members of the House of Bishops, joining the bishops of Derry and Kilmore, Ken Good and Ken Clarke.
Dean Burrows is on the theologically liberal wing of the Church of Ireland.
He last year told the General Synod that the Church could with integrity accommodate both those who support and those who oppose active same-sex relationships.
Dean Burrows has also spoken of how he gives Holy Communion to people in same-sex relationships and last year told an international meeting that the Church of Ireland 'did not intend to break or impair communion' over the sexuality issue.
No date for Dean Burrows' consecration has been set but it is unlikely to take place before this year's general synod to be held in Armagh from May 9 to 11.
According to Irish Angle News Burrows (44) was educated at Wesley College, Dublin. At Trinity College, Dublin he read History and Political Science and studied the 15th century Medieval Irish Church for his M.Litt. He was ordained in 1988 and served his curacy at Douglas Union w. Frankfield (Cork).
He became Dean of Residence at Trinity College Dublin in 1991 and Minor Canon at St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. In 1994 he moved back to Cork diocese to be Incumbent of Bandon Union and in 1996 was appointed Canon at Cork and Cloyne Cathedrals. In 2002 he was appointed Dean of Cork and Incumbent St Fin Barre's Union, succeeding his brother-in-law, Michael Jackson, who had been appointed Bishop of Clogher.
At General Synod 2005, he stated that he regularly gives Holy Communion to parishioners in long-standing homosexual relationships. He claimed that it was possible for the church to exist with two integrities on the subject of sexuality.
As one of the Irish representatives on the Anglican Consultative Council, he stated in 2005 that the Church of Ireland "did not intend to break or impair communion" on the issue of 'same-sex affection'. This was challenged by Reform Ireland, who wondered "Who gave Canon Burrows such authority to speak for the whole of the Church of Ireland?"
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