TWO NEW CANONS FOR CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL

It was announced today that the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill has appointed the Revd Katharine Poulton of St George’s and St Thomas’s Church, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin and the Revd Patrick Comerford, Director of Spiritual Formation at the Church of Ireland Theological College, Canons of Christ Church Cathedral. Their appointments will fill vacancies in the Cathedral Chapter left by the retirement of the Revd Canon Cecil Bryan and the resignation of the Revd Canon Professor Nigel Biggar, who left to take up a new post in Oxford.

The Revd Katharine Poulton is originally from Belfast and was educated at Manchester University, where she graduated with a BA in Theology in 1983. She was ordained a Deacon in 1987 (the first woman to be ordained in the Church of Ireland) and a Priest in 1991. She served as Curate in Bangor (St Comgall’s) (Down and Dromore) from 1987-1991, Seagoe (Down and Dromore) from 1991-1996 and Kilwaughter with Cairncastle and Craigy Hill (Connor) from 1996-1999. She first came to Dublin and Glendalough to serve as a Curate in Greystones from 1999-2000. Since 2000 she has been Bishop’s Curate of St Georges’ and St Thomas’s Church, Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin 1. While in St George’s and St Thomas’ she has been particularly active in ministry to the parish’s large immigrant population and her Church has become one of the centers for the Diocese’s ‘Discovery’ Services which promote outreach to people of all nationalities. Archbishop Desmond Tutu visited her Church to preach at the Discovery service in June 2005. The Revd Katharine Poulton is married to the Revd Ian Poulton, Rector of Killiney-Ballybrack and they have two children. They live in Killiney.

The Revd Patrick Comerford was born in Dublin in 1952. He worked for over 30 years as a journalist with leading provincial and national papers including eight years as Foreign Desk Editor with the Irish Times. He graduated from the Pontifical University, Maynooth with a Bachelor of Divinity and a Post Graduate Diploma in Ecumenics from Trinity College, Dublin. He was ordained a Deacon in 2000 and a Priest the following year. Since 2000 he has served as a Non-stipendiary Minister in Whitechurch Parish (Rathfarnham). From 2002-2006, Patrick worked as Southern Regional Coordinator for CMS Ireland, taking particular interest in Muslim-Christian Dialogue. He has also a strong interest in the Church in China as Chair of DUFEM (Dublin University Far Eastern Mission). Since 2006 he has been serving as Director of Spiritual Formation at the Church of Ireland Theological College. He is a prolific writer on Church issues, history, travel and international affairs and he was also a founder of Irish CND. A supporter of the Leinster Rugby Team and the Wexford Hurling team, he is married to Barbara and they have two sons. They live in Knocklyon.

The Revd Katharine Poulton and the Revd Patrick Comerford will be installed at Evensong on Sunday 30 September (Service to start at 3:30pm).

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