Dr Eames has shared "very deeply" the pain of his Catholic colleagues over recent years as they have withstood the child sex abuse scandals. He has shared their "deep distress", particularly that of "such close and good friends as (Cardinal) Cahal Daly". He would also like to say that at no point would he have wanted to stand in judgment on any Christian denomination. "When one of us suffers, we all suffer," he said. "My heart goes out to my Roman Catholic colleagues and friends at this time".
Ne Temere
He welcomed the apology of Bishop Willie Walsh, of Killaloe, for the effects of this Catholic decree on the Protestant population. Last year one Church of Ireland clergyman described those effects as "social genocide". Dr Eames was not surprised such an apology should have come from Bishop Walsh, indicating it was typical of that man's generosity of heart, and he also welcomed the underlining of that apology by the new Catholic Primate, Dr Sean Brady, recently. But apologies should not be exclusive to one church, he said. When it came to sectarian attitudes "I think none of us has a clean sheet". It was a case where all "have an awful lot to be forgiven for".
Sectarianism: It is "inherent in many of us" he said, this "apprehension, fear and misunderstanding which is the basis for sectarianism". He wants to see the day when it is judged anti-social, as anti-social as would be the denigration of women today. Within and without the churches it should be so unacceptable that it would be disapproved of even in jokes, as well as in the judgment of people. He is "sickened" by it, not least when so-called intelligent people give in to it. People were diminished by it, and it became a life and death issue.
Inter-church communion: Where the Church of Ireland is concerned the position was simple - the Eucharist is a gift from God which is extended to all practising, baptised Christians. "In all charity" the current situation was a problem for the Roman Catholic Church, he said, and one it had to sort out for itself. He was satisfied it was addressing the issue, the question of the depth with which it was doing so was a matter for itself. He "yearned for the day" when inter-church communion was not the divisive issue that it is. But the basic problem in interchurch communion was for those who objected to it. Where the Church of Ireland is concerned its policy of hospitality on the matter extended to all, "be it president or pauper".
That NIO leak (which suggested he might be useful in promoting the agreement reached at the end of the peace negotiations): It was "totally abhorrent" to the integrity of the church that any church leader should have been placed in such a position, he said. "I have never, have not, and will never be used in that way." It was equally abhorrent that any knowledge the public was to be given should be tampered with (as the leak suggested should be done with some opinion polls).
Drumcree: It was very important to recognise the right of any people to attend public worship, he said, and many Church of Ireland members were also members of the Orange Order. But it was equally important that people recognise that public worship took place in the name of God and that what happens on the way to and from such service was of as great importance. He agreed that possibly he could have allowed greater detail of his own efforts to pacify Drumcree over recent years be made public, as suggested by some church members, but there was also the delicacy of the situation. It "demanded confidentiality", he said. Given the sensitivities involved, he believed it "reprehensible" that any party should attempt to manipulate the situation. He had seen evidence of this. He would not point the finger at any one residents' group, "but I do know there was a uniformity of approach by residents' groups". He would go on working for a solution to the problem, but did not know what to expect this year. So much would have happened by July.
GAA Rule 21: The removal of the rule, which bans members of the North's security forces from playing Gaelic games, would be "a major step for good", he said. He also expressed his delight at the role of the former GAA president, Jack Boothman, in the organisation. Mr Boothman is a member of the Church of Ireland.
Tuam diocese: Generally he was very concerned at the movement of population from west to east on the island as a whole. It did have implications for the church's organisation as an episcopal church. The future had to be considered. The jury was out on (the future of) Tuam, and not simply for economic reasons. There were issues of pastoral care which had to be faced. They had to get an understanding of the situation locally and the process of soul-searching would continue there under their new bishop.
Education: He regrets the Church of Ireland ever gave over its schools in the North to the state. The church's ethos depended so much on schools. This was not to say he opposed integrated education. He does not. He just believes it is possible to have both. Church input to education was "of paramount importance for the good of society", he said. Where Church of Ireland schools in the South are concerned, he praised the support and understanding of the Department of Education. He was "impressed greatly by the willingness of civil servants and politicians" to help out schools in the Republic, which were "of vital importance to the church". It was also important to realise these schools were important to Catholic parents too, he said. There were some financial difficulties where boarding schools were concerned, though. Traditionally, boarding schools had been important to the Church of Ireland, but State assistance did not tend to extend to helping with building accommodation blocs, he said.
Tallaght hospital: It was important that Government financial promises, where the hospital was concerned, be fulfilled. There had been "ups and downs", he said, and he spoke of his "great admiration" for the Adelaide hospital. The former Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Caird, had done an "immense amount of work" there, he said.
Abortion: The Church had made a submission to the Oireachtas Committee on this issue and, as a courtesy to that committee, he would prefer not to discuss its contents just yet. (It is understood, however, that the submission is in line with the church's view that abortion is wrong except in some extreme circumstances).
Millennium: The leaders of the four main churches had got together to discuss joint plans to celebrate the event, he said, but it had proved difficult to date to identify a single joint project. Anglicanism, as a missionary church, was particularly conscious of Third World debt, he said. He would like to see moves towards relieving emerging countries of this debt in 2000.
Being a Lord: Even though he is a life peer he "never, never" uses the title "Lord". Nor does he sit with the Church of England bishops in the House of Lords. He is "a cross-bencher", maintaining his independence on all issues, but with particular interest in education, social and community issues, as well as the Third World. But his attendance is "very, very poor". Being a lord was "not of paramount importance" to him.
Lambeth: He expects this year's Lambeth Conference (in London, next month) to be "extremely exhausting" and "divisive", simply because of the complexity of the issues being dealt with. He expects the dominating issues to be "sexual orientation, women's ordination, the Third World, Islam, the interpretation of Scripture (as between rigidity and liberality), and authority. Women bishops would be attending the conference for the first time this year.
Future hopes: He wants to see Ireland move forward into a new era in which there is peace and the churches are playing a very full role as healer. He would like to see the Church of Ireland discover a genuine role as "the middle way in Irish life", and personally he would like to see his work for Anglicanism bearing fruit. (Dr Eames headed the Anglican Communion's commission on women priests, and is now heading a similar body which will bring in a report on authority at Lambeth). He looks forward to reconciliation between the churches and does not want to go to his grave seeing Northern Ireland divided and suffering. What he would like to see above all is "Ireland at peace with itself".