THE three Celtic provinces of the Church in Wales, the Scottish Episcopal Church, and the Church of Ireland celebrated their shared roots and historical and cultural ties at a four-day conference in St Davids last week.

The Celtic bishops meet every two years in each province by turn, to engage with one another away from formal synodical structures and to have what they describe as “honest conversation about theology, mission, ministry and the contemporary challenges facing the Churches within their distinct national and provincial contexts”.

Those challenges included one day focused on the rise of the far Right and the challenges that it posed for church leaders. There were sessions on the relationship between Church and State in the context of devolution, touching on the forthcoming elections and political matters such as assisted dying. Each province gave an overview of itself. Ecumenism in Wales was another point of discussion, as were sessions on safeguarding and clergy standards.

“The fellowship here runs deep, served by the shared Celtic roots. Their laughter also runs deep,” the deputy secretary of the Anglican Communion, Dr Jo Bailey Wells, said.

The Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd John McDowell, said: “To be at the margins is to be at the centre of the work of the Church . . . Through the study of the Scriptures and and common worship, and in discussing the current issues facing the Communion in general, we have known also the presence of the Holy Spirit.”

Both the Primate of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Most Revd Mark Strange, and the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Cherry Vann, described the meeting as a joy. “The fellowship is so precious — worshipping together at St Davids, studying Scripture together and generally supporting one another in our ministries,” Archbishop Vann said.