By Sarah Mac Donald - 09 September, 2014
The Revd Canon Kenneth Kearon.
The Revd Canon Dr Kenneth Kearon has been elected as the Church of Ireland’s new Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe.
The announcement was made following a meeting of the Episcopal Electoral College for Limerick & Killaloe on Monday in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin.
He succeeds the Right Revd Trevor Williams who retired at the end of July this year.
Canon Kearon is Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, a position he has held since 2005.
Born in 1953, he is a native of Dublin and was educated at Trinity College Dublin (TCD).
He later served his curacy in All Saints Raheny and St John’s Coolock, before becoming Dean of Residence at TCD in 1984, a position he held until 1990.
He was Rector of the Parish of Tullow (Dublin) from 1991 to 1999 after which he became Director of the Irish School of Ecumenics (1999-2005).
Dr Kearon is a Canon of Christ Church Cathedral Dublin and an Honorary Provincial Canon of Canterbury Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral London and St George’s Cathedral Jerusalem.
In a statement, Archbishop Michael Jackson of Dublin said, “Canon Kearon has expressed his delight at returning to work in Ireland and his intention to serve the people of Limerick and Killaloe and the communities of which they are a part.”
He said he had known Canon Kearon for many years and appreciated his personal friendship.
He wished the new bishop and his wife Jennifer “all that is best within the love of God in their time in Limerick and Killaloe.”
The bishop-elect responded to the news by saying he was “honoured and delighted to have been elected” and that he looked forward to getting to know the diocese, its people and its clergy in the near future.
“Ireland has been through a very difficult period in its history, and I look forward to helping the diocese play its part and making its contribution to shaping the future,” he said.
Speaking about Limerick and Killaloe, Bishop-elect Kearon said, “This diocese has made a distinctive contribution to the Church of Ireland in the past, in part through the work of its bishops and most recently through Bishop Trevor Williams, and I hope to be able to continue in their footsteps.”
Following approval by the House of Bishops, the bishop-elect will be consecrated as a bishop on a date to be determined.
