Today, the feast day of Saint Colman, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI
has appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Cloyne, the Very Reverend
Canon William Crean, Parish Priest of the Daniel O’Connell Memorial
Church in Cahirciveen, Diocese of Kerry.
Saint Colman is the Patron Saint of the Diocese of Cloyne and his
feast day is 24 November.
Archbishop Dermot Clifford has been Apostolic
Administrator of the Diocese of Cloyne since 7 March 2009.
The Diocese
of Cloyne has a Catholic population of over 150,000 people, comprises 46
parishes and has 107 churches.
The diocese includes most of County
Cork, see www.cloynediocese.ie.
Life and ministry of the Very Reverend Canon William Crean PP VF:
William Crean was born in Tralee on 16 December 1951, the son of the
late Patrick and Margaret Crean (née O’Donnell). His primary and
secondary education was in Tralee and later in Saint Brendan’s College,
Killarney. As one whose family numbered several vocations to priesthood
and the religious life, he too heard the call to the priesthood.
Having
completed his BA in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, he became a
student at the Pontifical Irish College, Rome, while completing his
studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University and he went on to obtain
his Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1977.
He was ordained to the priesthood on the 20 June 1976 for service in the Diocese of Kerry.
There followed several pastoral appointments in Canon Crean’s native
diocese. Whether as catechist/chaplain in Killorglin (1977-1980),
chaplain in Tarbert Comprehensive School (1983-1986), or Director of
Blessed John Paul II Pastoral Centre in Killarney with further duties as
Diocesan Advisor to Post-Primary Schools and Director of Adult
Religious Education (1987-1996), Canon Crean’s apostolate centred
strongly on the transmission of the faith in an educational setting.
During those years, Canon Crean also found time to study for a
Diploma in Religious Education at Mount Oliver Institute of Education in
Dundalk (1987) and undertake Sabbatical Studies at Weston School of
Theology in Boston (1998-1999).
He also became the Founder Director of
Radio Kerry (Director 1990-2012), representing Ardfert Christian Media
Trust, a joint shareholding by the Catholic Church and the Church of
Ireland. He served as well for two years as Chairperson of ARENA (Adult
Religious Education National Association).
Canon Crean’s experience has been enriched by his pastoral
assignments. Following curacy duties in Glenbeigh (1980-1983) and
Killorglin (1996-1998), he has served as Parish Priest in
Castlegregory/Cloghane (1999-2006) and in Cahirciveen from 2006 to the
present day.
He was on the national executive of the National Conference
of Priests of Ireland for three years in the 1980s.
Well rooted in the spiritual heritage of his native Kerry, he is committed to dialogue between faith and modern culture.