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PATRICKSTIDE CONSECRATION OF NEW BISHOP OF CONNOR
The Consecration of the new Bishop of Connor, Alan Harper, took place today in St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast. The Primate of All Ireland, the Most Revd. Dr Robin Eames conducted the service.
The preacher was the Revd. Canon Professor Adrian Empey, Principal of the Church of Ireland Theological College, and the presenting bishops were the Bishop of Cashel and Ossory, the Rt Revd. John Neill, and the Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh, the Rt Revd. Ken Clarke.
Also taking part in the service were the Most Revd Walton Empey, Archbishop of Dublin, the Revd. Harold Good, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland, and the Rt Revd. Martin Lind, Bishop of Linkoping.
Archbishop Eames was assisted by members of the House of Bishops and retired Bishops.
Among a large congregation were Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant, Lady Carswell, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Jim Rodgers, the Very Revd. Dr Samuel Hutchinson, Clerk of the General Assembly, Bishop Patrick Walsh, Bishop Donal McKeown, Monsignor Tom Toner, Lay Readers and Clergy of the Diocese of Connor, the Chapter of the National Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Patrick, Dublin, and the Chapter of Belfast Cathedral.
Bishop Harper, 58, succeeds the Rt. Revd. James Moore who has retired. He was born in Tamworth, Staffordshire and educated at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School, Tamworth, the University of Leeds and Trinity College, Dublin.
Before his ordination in 1978, Alan Harper was Senior Inspector of Historic Monuments with the Archaeological Survey of NI and Assistant Principal Planning Officer with Staffordshire County Council.
The new Bishop began his ministry as Curate Assistant at Ballywillan Parish, Portrush (1978 – 80) and later served in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe as Rector of the Moville Group (1980 – 82) and Rector of Christchurch, Londonderry (1982 – 86).
Since 1986 he has served as Rector of St John’s Parish, Malone and was made a Canon of St Patrick’s National Cathedral, Dublin in 1990 and Archdeacon of Connor in 1996. He was elected Bishop of Connor by the Electoral College meeting on 17 December 2001.
Bishop Harper is a Founder Trustee and first Chairman of the Ulster Historic Churches Trust (1995-2000) and a former chairman of the Historic Monuments Council for NI. He was appointed OBE in 1996 for services to Conservation in Northern Ireland.
Alan is married to Helen and they have four children: Catherine, Richard, Emma and Anne. His interests include architecture, gardens, local history and music.
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