Church of Ireland

Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

Statement

Statement of Welcome and Good Wishes by

The Right Rev Dr Paul Colton,

Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross

in response to the announcement of the appointment

of the Reverend Fintan Gavin as Bishop of Cork and Ross

The Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton, Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork has made the following statement in response to the news of the appointment of the Reverend  Fintan Gavin as the next Bishop of Cork and Ross.

Statement:

‘I am truly delighted to hear the news this morning that the Reverend Fintan Gavin is to be the next Bishop of Cork and Ross. The Bishop-elect was ordained to the diaconate in Dublin shortly after I arrived to serve in a Church of Ireland parish in Dublin early in 1990, and, already in the 1990s, our paths crossed.  Then and since we have worked together in a number of pastoral contexts. We share a background in Canon Law. In recent times we have travelled to meetings, home and abroad, of the Colloquium of Anglican and Roman Catholic Canon Lawyers. As it happens, in the official photograph of the 2017 meeting in Rome we can be seen standing next to one another on the right of the picture.’

Participants at the meeting of the Colloquium of Anglican and Roman Catholic Canon Lawyers in Rome in 2017 – on the right, Bishop Paul Colton and the Bishop-elect of Cork and Ross, the Reverend Fintan Gavin.

‘The announcement of the appointment by His Excellency the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland brought, therefore, a broad smile of genuine warmth and joy to my face.  I look forward to working with the new Bishop in the years ahead and to supporting him in his induction to “all things Cork”’.

‘With the greatest of delight I send Fintan my own warmest personal good wishes, together with those of the members of the Church of Ireland in Cork, on the occasion of his appointment as Bishop of Cork and Ross.  On behalf of us all in the United Dioceses of Cork, Cloyne and Ross I congratulate him and assure him of our ecumenical partnership and discipleship, as well as of our prayers as he prepares for his episcopal ordination and consecration.  He will receive a very warm welcome from all of us to Cork.’

‘I wish also to take this opportunity to wish my good friend Bishop John Buckley every joy, contentment and blessing now that he is Bishop Emeritus.   I have seen at first hand, in our work alongside one another over the past 20 years, his untiring work as Bishop, as well as the empathy and warmth of his pastoral work in our community.  I have found it deeply enriching to work and pray with him, and to have his friendship. I know that the Church of Ireland people of Cork will join me in these good wishes to him also.’

– Ends –

Further information from:

Sam Wynn Church of Ireland Diocesan Communications Officer

Telephone:   +353 (0)86 813 7659

E mail media@corkchurchofireland.com