Two new deacons ordained in Cork, Cloyne and Ross diocese

WE live today in a world “where words are weaponised as tweets and social media comments”.

That is according to the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Right Rev Dr Paul Colton, who made the comments during the ordination of two new deacons for the diocese last Sunday.

During the ceremony, Bishop Colton referenced an encounter, in a Gospel reading, between two disciples who were arguing about which of them was the greater of the two, and he asked, in the light of that, what it is to be a Deacon in today’s Church and world.

He continued: “These are uncomfortable words in an abusive world — a world of passive aggression, where words are weaponised as tweets and social media comments, where all of us have an overriding sense of entitlement and our rights, where, quite rightly, we are called also to prioritise also our God-given well-being, where people do sadly make doormats of others, and where we have the hardest of heartbreaking choices to make — who to bring, who to save, and who to leave behind — just one example.”

He added: 

“And it is in that place we are all called to show what it means, as a follower of Jesus, what it means to serve, to be a servant… ‘whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all’.”

Richard Dring was ordained in Carrigaline while Carole Pound was ordained in Abbeystrewery in Skibbereen, in the presence of their families.

Richard, a Ballygarvan native who lives in Currabinny, has had a big involvement in Carrigaline Union and was encouraged by Rev Arthur Houston to study and undertake the role of Diocesan Lay Reader, which he did 20 years ago. He works for Kerry Group in a global role as a senior process science manager for sites in Europe, Canada and the United States of America.

Richard is married to Hilary and they have two adult children, Simon and Christina. 

Carole moved to Ireland from the UK 20 years ago and works as a bookkeeper in Bantry, having earlier worked as a veterinary nurse before working in childcare. In West Cork, she has been involved in the defibrillator and active retirement groups in her local area since 2009, and has been church warden in St Mary’s, Caheragh. She also served as a diocesan reader before last Sunday’s ordination.

Carole is married to Philip, and they have two adult children.