Former students of the Church of Ireland Theological Institute recently took part in a CME retreat in Rydal Hall as part of their programme in Continuing Ministerial Education.

Rydal Hall is the Diocese of Carlisle Conference, Retreat and Holiday Centre and Home to the Rydal Hall Community. It is close to Ambleside, Cumbria, in the heart of the English Lake District.

The speaker at the retreat was the Dean of Saint Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. the Very Rev John Mann.

In all, 26 curates took part in the retreat, coming from parishes as far apart as Limavady in the Diocese of Derry to Douglas in Cork Diocese, and from Castlederg and Kesh parishes in the west to Ballyholme and Waterford in the east.

Dean Mann led five sessions on the topic, “A view from the spiritual edgeland.”

There was time for reflection and prayer during each session and every evening. Group members used the free time in the afternoons for walking, jogging, shopping or reading, resting and enjoying each other’s company.

Denise said: “This was the first all–Ireland retreat for curates and they really appreciated it as it gave them the chance to get to know their counterparts.”She said the all–Ireland CME programme had been designed to standardise training for curates across the church. “Previously different dioceses delivered different programmes,” she said. “CME builds on the components laid down during training at the Church of Ireland Theological Institute.”

The groundwork for the new programme of CME was carried out by Andrew McNeile and it will be delivered by the Revd Jennifer McWhirter. 

The Dublin Regional Co–ordinator is the Revd Janice Aiton. 

The CME regional groups meet four times a year and all curates attend an intensive study week at institute.