Irish Inter-Church Meeting

A forum for ecumenical debate and action by churches in Ireland

The Irish Inter-Church Meeting (IICM) was established in 1973 as a forum comprising the Roman Catholic Church and the member churches of the Irish Council of Churches (ICC). Its purpose continues to be:

  1. to survey the whole field of ecumenism
  2. to initiate a general review of relations between the Christian Churches in Ireland
  3. to explore the possibilities of further dialogue on both practical and doctrinal issues.*

The Irish Inter-Church Meeting originated in the Ballymascanlon talks in 1973. Representation, funding and organisation at all levels is undertaken on a 50-50 basis between the Catholic Church and the ICC member churches. Twenty one plenary Meetings have been held since 1973. It has published a number of reports and papers to which reference is made under the “Resources” section.

Irish Inter-Church Committee (IICC)

Set up in 1984, this group seeks to develop and forward the vision of IICM between plenary meetings. The committee meets approximately four times a year. The focus tends to be more on dialogue rather than bringing recommendations to the member churches or to the Inter-Church Meeting. This Committee is composed primarily of senior church leaders (lay and ordained) and is co-chaired by the ICC President and the Catholic Primate of All-Ireland.

The Committee receives reports from the Inter-Church Committee on Social Issues and the Department on Theological Questions and keeps in touch with Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. The IICC also considers other matters referred to it. The agenda is determined by the Joint Secretaries from ICC and the Catholic Church.

* “The Irish Inter-Church Meeting; Background and Development” (1998) by Rev Dr Ian Ellis and Rev Michael Hurley SJ pp22-23, 27

Irish Inter-Church Committee Nov 2007 Irish Inter-Church Committee Nov 2007