The Rt Rev William Kenney, C.P. was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Archdiocese of Birmingham by the College of Consulters, during their meeting at Cathedral House, Birmingham, on Friday 22 May.
Bishop William Kenney, Area Bishop for Coventry, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, said after the meeting: “It is a privilege to have received this sign of confidence from the College of Consulters. My task is to serve the diocese as Diocesan Administrator until the Holy Father appoints a new Archbishop of Birmingham.”
Bishop Kenney, a member of the Passionist Congregation added: “I should be most grateful for the prayers and support of the clergy, religious and lay people of the diocese.”
On 17 October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI, appointed Bishop William Kenney, then Auxiliary Bishop of Stockholm, Sweden, as an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Birmingham.
Bishop Kenney has been spokesman on European questions for the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of England and Wales since 2006.
Bishop Kenney was born on 7 May 1946 in Newcastle upon Tyne, and was brought up in Birmingham in the parish of Ss. Mary & John, Gravelly Hill. He attended St Phillip’s Grammar School, in Edgbaston. He made his Religious Profession as a Passionist in 1963 and Ordained Priest on 29 June 1969.
On 13 May 1987 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Stockholm, Sweden. His Episcopal Ordination took place on 24 August that year.
From 1991 until 1999 Bishop Kenney served as Chair of Caritas Europe and Vice-chair Caritas Internationalis. Since 1999 he has been a member Caritas Internationalis Legal Affairs Commission.
Since 2000 Bishop Kenney has been a member COMECE, the Brussels based Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community.
From 2000 until 2006 Bishop Kenney was Chairman of the Gothenburg Process when he was appointed International Chairman.
Bishop Kenney is a devoted member of the Holy Land Coordination Group, appointed by the Holy See, to support the Bishops in the Holy Land.
