The Church of Ireland has sought to allay concerns raised about a Dublin parish’s finances 20 years ago when Rev Andrew Orr, recently elected as Bishop of Cork, served as its rector.
Concerns about Orr’s appointment as Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross were raised in light of the administration of the finances during his time as rector of the parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla in west Dublin in 2006 and 2007.
Orr, who was elected as bishop in June, was rector of the parish from 2000 to 2009, during which he suffered a period of poor health.
The concerns have been raised in anonymous correspondence sent to the media, circulated by “Concerned Members of the Church of Ireland” and “Castleknock parishioners”, challenging Orr’s fitness to be a bishop.
Similar correspondence was circulated to the clergy of Cork, Cloyne and Ross in 2022, on Orr’s appointment as archdeacon in the diocese.
The Bishop-elect declined to comment on queries submitted by The Irish Times, but a spokeswoman for the Church of Ireland said in a statement: “The events referred to occurred 20 years ago in the parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla. They were investigated fully and resolved at the time.”
The statement added that the church “can confirm that 20 years ago, Archdeacon Andrew Orr suffered a breakdown while in ministry in the parish of Castleknock and Mulhuddart with Clonsilla.
“Parish administration suffered as a result and the process of sorting the parish finances out included the assistance of an external accountant, commissioned by the Diocese of Dublin & Glendalough.”
It said this report “provided assurance that the rector, who had fully co-operated with the investigation to the extent of offering access to his own personal accounts, had not misappropriated any funds for personal gain and the situation was rectified with the Archdeacon of Dublin, David Pierpoint, exercising additional oversight.”
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The statement continued: “On each occasion when he has been promoted since then, due diligence has been exercised in the processes followed. Archdeacon Orr recovered fully and, during the two decades since, has contributed almost 20 years of fruitful ministry in two dioceses, including the diocese to which he has recently been elected as bishop.”
It said it was “disappointing that these anonymous allegations have been articulated despite a full investigation at the time”.
Ordained a deacon in 1992 and a priest in 1993, Orr has also held parish roles in Castlecomer and Tullow, and previously served as Archdeacon of Ossory and Leighlin.
Orr was elected bishop by the episcopal electoral college for the Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross at a meeting in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin in June.
He succeeded Rev Paul Colton, who retired in April.
Since Bishop-elect Orr’s ministry concluded in the west Dublin parishes in 2009, anonymous correspondence has been circulated within the church following previous appointments.