14.01.2009
The Venerable Patrick Lawrence to be New Rector of Monkstown
It was announced today that the Venerable Patrick Lawrence, Rector of Julianstown and Archdeacon of Meath and Kildare will be the new Rector of Monkstown in the Diocese of Dublin. He will succeed the Revd Kevin Dalton who has retired.
The Venerable Patrick Lawrence was born in 1951 in Rochfortbridge Co Westmeath. After study in Trinity College Dublin he was ordained a Deacon in 1981 and a priest the following year. Initially he was posted as Curate of Templemore in the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe from 1981 to 1984, following which he served a year as Curate of St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny. In 1985 he was appointed Rector of Templebreedy with Tracton and Nohoval in Cork, Cloyne and Ross and he served there until 1992. He moved to Meath and Kildare in 1992 to become Rector of Geashill with Killeigh and Balllycommon where he served until 1998. During that period he became a Canon of Kildare Cathedral (in 1992) and was appointed Archdeacon of Kildare from 1993 and Archdeacon of Meath from 1997. In 1998 he was appointed Rector of Julianstown and Colpe with Drogheda and Duleek. In 1999 he was elected to the Prebendary of Monmohenock by the Chapter of St Patrick's Cathedral, a Canon stall he will retain when he moves to Dublin.
Reflecting on his appointment as Rector of Monkstown, the Venerable Patrick Lawrence said, "I will be very sad to leave Julianstown, which has been a home for many years and I will greatly miss the people here but I do feel that God is calling me to this new role. I am looking forward to meeting with my new parishioners and fellow Christians of other churches in the area. I hope God will use me to help meet the needs of the community and that together we can develop a people-centered and God-centred ministry in Monkstown."
The Venerable Patrick Lawrence is married to Anne, a Science and Maths Teacher in Belvedere College and they have three daughters, Moyra, a third year student in Trinity College Dublin, Emma, a second year Business and Law Student in UCD and Jane, who is studying for her Leaving Cert in Loreto College, Balbriggan.
As well as being a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, he also undertook postgraduate study in Dublin City University, where he graduated with an MA in Management in the Voluntary and Non-Profit sector. In his spare time he enjoys reading and music.
A date has not yet been set for his institution.
