Diocesan News
Dean–Elect of St Patrick’s Cathedral Afforded Civic Reception in Dun Laoghaire
Seventeen years of service in Dun Laoghaire was celebrated at a civic reception to mark the election of the Revd Canon Victor Stacey as Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral. Canon Stacey was elected Dean of the National Cathedral last month. However, his elevation means that he will be leaving the parish of Dun Laoghaire after many happy years and Msgr John O’Connor noted that St Patrick’s gain would be Dun Laoghaire’s loss.
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The civic reception was organised by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and took place in County Hall in Dun Laoghaire. The event was attended by a huge crowd of parishioners, clergy from across the Dublin and Glendalough dioceses, friends, representatives of other churches as well as local councillors and council officials.
Speaking at the reception, an Cathaoirleach of Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, Cllr John Bailey, congratulated Canon Stacey on his election and said it gave him great pleasure to celebrate his contribution to life in Dun Laoghaire. He recalled that Canon Stacey arrived in the parish in 1995 and was involved in a myriad of activities locally. “Over the last 12 months in my time as Cathaoirleach I have asked him to do a number of things and he has always been happy to get involved. On no occasion has he refused or let people down,” he said. “It is a great privilege for the community of Dun Laoghaire to see a man who served here elected as Dean of St Patrick’s.”
Archdeacon Ricky Rountree, rector of Powerscourt, paid tribute to him and wished him well in his new position. “St Patrick’s Cathedral is dear to all of us as our National Cathedral and it draws its Canons from the whole of the Church of Ireland,” he explained. “We look forward to Victor leading the cathedral into the next chapter of its history.”
Msgr John O’Connor described Canon Stacey as an “ecumenical bridge builder” between all the church communities in Dun Laoghaire and said his house had been open to members of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Roman Catholic communities. He said he was a deeply spiritual man who had the “welfare of his parishioners and the Gospel at heart”. “St Patrick’s gain is our loss,” he added.
Thanking the Cathaoirleach and councillors for arranging the event at short notice, Canon Stacey, observed that things were progressing at a rapid pace. “I’ve enjoyed very much my 17 years in Dun Laoghaire. We clergy, like Gardai and bankers, are a peculiar lot. We move around a lot. My time in Dun Laoghaire has been my longest time living anywhere. After a few years of service in the inner city I hope to return to Dun Laoghaire to retire,” he said.
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