Diocesan News14 Aug 04

New Rector of Achonry Union

NEW RECTOR OF ACHONRY UNION

The Reverend Kathryn Southerton will be instituted as Rector of Achonry Union by the bishop of Tuam Killala and Achonry, the Right Reverend Dr. Richard Henderson, in Rathbarron Parish Church on Friday 13th August at 7.30 p.m.

The Reverend Kathy will be living in the Rectory in Tubbercurry and comes to Sligo from the Church in Wales where she was Rector of the Halkyn Group of Parishes. Born to a clergy family in Rhos on Sea in Wales she went to Bermuda with her family for 3 years. The family then moved back to Wales and lived in Rhostyllen near Wrexham in North Wales where she went to primary and secondary school. When she was in the sixth form the family moved to Prestatyn where her father became Rector. After finishing secondary education she went to the St David?s University College Lampeter. On obtaining her degree from the University of Wales she went to Salisbury and Wells Theological college in England.

She was ordained deacon in St Asaph?s Cathedral on June 27th 1992 and was appointed curate of Connah?s Quay in North Wales. As the Church in Wales at that time did not allow women priests, she had to wait untill January 12th 1997 to be priested in St. Asaph?s Cathedral. On that day she was one of seventy women made priest in Wales. On June 27th 1997, exactly five years after being ordained deacon, she became Rector of the Halkyn Group of Parishes which she has now left to move to Achonry Union, which includes Rathbarron and Tubbercurry.

Achonry Cathedral itself was de-consecrated in January 1998 as the number of Parishioners left was too small to maintain the building.

Reverend Kathy?s interests include walking the dog, reading, embroidery, music, Celtic spirituality and singing. Whilst at Halkyn, Reverend Kathy with two of her churchwardens, both ladies, formed a group ?Three little Maids? singing mainly religious music, but have sung the theme tune from the Vicar of Dibley and some of Brian Allen?s songs. Their theme tune was the ?Three little maids ? from ?The Mikado?.