Preparations are under way for a very special day in the history of the diocese of Cloyne – the ordination of Canon William Crean as the next Bishop of Cloyne on Sunday next. He will be ordained at St Colman’s Cathedral in Cobh. A large number of clergy from around the diocese will join members of his family, colleagues and friends to witness his ordination.

His appointment was announced on November 24th last year by Pope Benedict. A native of Tralee, Co Kerry, the 61-year-old Canon studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth and the Irish College in Rome. He was ordained a priest in 1976. He first worked as a teacher and chaplain in post-primary schools in Tarbert and Killorglin. He was appointed a Diocesan adviser for religious education in 1987. He was among the founder directors of Radio Kerry in 1990. The bishop-elect has served as parish priest of Castlegregory where he ministered for seven years and in Caherciveen where he spent six years, overseeing renovations to the Daniel O’Connell Memorial Church while there.

The diocese has been without a bishop for almost four years following the resignation of Dr John Magee. He stood down after being heavily criticised in the Cloyne report, which scrutinised how both the Catholic Church and State authorities handled allegations of abuse against 19 priests in the diocese.  

When news of his appointment was announced last year, the bishop elect admitted to being “apprehensive” about his appointment given the trauma the diocese had suffered as a result of the clerical child abuse issue. He vowed to use his position as bishop to try to bring healing to the diocese.