Press Releases31 May 13

The Consecration of the new Bishop of Kilmore, Elphin & Ardagh takes place in Armagh

The Consecration of the Revd Ferran Glenfield has taken place this afternoon, Friday 31st May, the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in St Patrick’s Cathedral Armagh.

It was attended by a large number of clergy and lay people from across the Church of Ireland as well as the Glenfield family – Mrs Jean Glenfield and children, Michael, Esther and Richard (pictured below before the service) – and the new bishop’s friends and well–wishers, not least from the Dioceses of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh in which he will now serve.

The Archbishop of Armagh, the Most Revd Dr Richard Clarke, was assisted in the consecration ceremony by the Bishop of Limerick and Killaloe, the Rt Revd Trevor Williams, and the Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry, the Rt Revd Patrick Rooke, while other bishops present included Archbishop Michael Jackson; Bishop Ken Good; Bishop John McDowell; the Rt Revd the Lord Eames; the Rt Revd Kenneth Clarke, the former Bishop of Kilmore and now Director of the South American Missionary Society (SAMS) in the UK and Ireland (and currently Commissary for the Bishop of Down and Dromore); the Rt Revd Roy Warke, former Bishop of Cork; and the Rt Revd Edward Darling, former Bishop of Limerick.

Above: Dean Gregory Dunstan, the Archbishop of Armagh, the Bishop–elect, Canon Andy Lines (preacher)

Among the ecumenical guests were the Revd Fr Godfrey O’Donnell, President of the Irish Council of Churches; the Revd Kenneth Lyndsey, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland and Cardinal Sean Brady, Archbishop of Armagh.

The preacher at the service was the Revd Canon Andy Lines (pictured right), Mission Director of the mission agency Crosslinks, whose sermon was based on 2 Corinthians Ch.4 vs 1–10. The readings at the service, which was one of Holy Communion, were taken by Ms Sandy Feenan of Kill o’ the Grange parish (Dublin) in which Bishop Glenfield had served as rector from 1996 to 2012 and Mr Dermot O’Callaghan of Hillsborough Parish (Down), the parish which the bishop now leaves as rector, while the Gospel was read by the Revd Tim Silk.

Hymns at the service included ‘Name of all majesty’, ‘Here is love, vast as the ocean’, ‘How deep the Father’s love for us’ and ‘And can it be’, while the traditional Ordination Liturgy was sung by the Precentor and choir, followed by the singing of ‘Veni Creator Spiritus’ before the Ordination Prayer and Laying on of Hands.

Above: The newly consecrated Bishop receives the Bible from the Archbishop of Armagh

Above: The Archbishop of Armagh and the new Bishop of Kilmore and family at the West Door of the Cathedral following the Consecration Service

Above: the Archbishop of Dublin, Bishop Glenfield, the Archbishop of Armagh

A reception followed the service in the Royal School, Armagh.

(Photos: Paul Harron/Church of Ireland Press Office)