Pope Benedict XVI appoints Father Paul Hendricks and Father Patrick Lynch, SS.CC as Auxiliary Bishops of the Archdiocese of Southwark.
Pope Benedict XVI has today, Wednesday 28th December 2005, appointed Father Paul Hendricks and Father Patrick Lynch SS.CC as Auxiliary Bishops of Southwark.
Fr Paul Hendricks has been assigned the titular see of Rosemarkie and Fr Patrick Lynch SS.CC has been assigned the titular see of Castro.
Fr Paul Hendricks, 49, who was ordained a priest in 1984, has been given pastoral responsibility for the South-West area of the Diocese by Archbishop Kevin McDonald.
Fr Patrick Lynch, SS.CC, 58, who was ordained a priest in 1972, has been given pastoral responsibility for the South-East area of the Diocese by Archbishop Kevin.
The Episcopal ordinations of the new Bishops-elect will take place at St. George’s Cathedral, Southwark on Tuesday 14th February 2006, the Feast of SS. Cyril and Methodius, patrons of Europe.
Comments from the Archbishop of Southwark, the Most Reverend Kevin McDonald:
“I am delighted that Pope Benedict has appointed Fr. Paul Hendricks and Fr. Patrick Lynch, SS.CC as our new Auxiliary Bishops in Southwark. We live in challenging times and this is a large and complex Archdiocese. I know that their wisdom and pastoral experience will be of invaluable help to me for the task of administration and in pastoral care within the diocese. They each bring their unique gifts and I am confident that they will receive a warm welcome within the diocese.”
Comments from Fr Paul Hendricks:
“My first thoughts on being offered this appointment took me back to the time when I was a student approaching ordination. I’d done all I could to prepare myself, but I realised that I’d still need to make (as you might say) an act of faith, that God could use me despite my limitations and would give me the help I’d need to be a good priest. We believe that when God calls someone, he gives the gifts necessary for the task.
As a priest, you’re learning things all the time: from the people as well as from other priests. At different times in your life, you take on different tasks, you’re presented with different challenges – and at each stage you find that you’re growing in your capacity to love and to serve others. This step is certainly a big one, and it’s something I certainly hadn’t anticipated – but in a way it still fits into the same pattern.
Archbishop Kevin has already been a great help in these early days. I’m looking forward to working with him and with the other Assistant Bishops.”
Comments from Fr Patrick Lynch SS.CC:
“The Archdiocese of Southwark is a diocese with a tremendous richness of gifts, cultures and communities so it is with a deep sense of hope and trust in the Lord that I feel privileged to accept the call to this ministry of auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese. Please keep me in your prayers.”
Fr Paul Hendricks – Biography
Paul Hendricks was born in Beckenham, Kent on 18th March, 1956, the first of four children. He grew up in Orpington, Kent and attended Holy Innocents Primary School and St Mary’s Grammar School, Sidcup, Kent. On leaving school he went up to Corpus Christi College, Oxford in 1974 and was awarded a degree in Physics in 1977.
He worked for two years at the GEC Hirst Research Centre, Wembley before going to study for the priesthood at the English College, Rome, from 1979 to 1985. He obtained a Licence in Philosophy from the Gregorian University, Rome.
Ordained deacon at Palazzola, by Bishop Cyril Restieaux in 1983, he was ordained priest at Holy Innocents, Orpington, by Archbishop Michael Bowen in 1984. His first appointment, in 1985, as assistant priest was to St Boniface, Tooting. In 1989 he was appointed Philosophy Lecturer and Bursar at St John’s Seminary, Wonersh.
His next appointment was as parish priest of Our Lady of Sorrows, Peckham, in 1999 following the departure of the Capuchins. He also serves on the Diocesan Finance Committee and is the Diocesan Advisor on New Religious Movements and Cults.
Fr Pat Lynch, SS.CC – Biography
Patrick Lynch was born on 14 April 1947 in Cork City, Ireland. He started his primary education in Presentation Convent, Killarney and completed it in St. Fintan’s, High school Sutton, Co Dublin. He began his secondary education in St. Fintan’s but completed the leaving certificate in Christian Brothers College, Cork in 1964.
On leaving secondary school he entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Cootehill, Co. Cavan and made a profession of temporary vows in August 1965.
He studied Philosophy and theology in the United States at the seminary run by the order. He graduated with an M.A. in theology from Augustinian College, Washington, D.C. in 1971. A short period teaching followed in the United States after which he returned to Ireland to be ordained a priest in July 1972.
Following completion of a diploma in social studies from the Richmond fellowship he was assigned to work in the parish of All Souls, Peterborough where he remained for two years. His next move was to the parish of Our Lady and St. Augustine, Daventry, Northants in the diocese of Northampton. He served there for nine years first as assistant priest and then as parish priest. It was at this time he became involved as a team priest in the ‘Engaged Encounter Movement’.
In 1984 he was transferred to London as director of the formation house of the order in London. During his time as formation Director he completed a Masters degree in theology at Heythrop College. In I987 he was appointed parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes in Acton in the Archdiocese of Westminster where he served for two years as Vicar for Religious for the West Area of the Diocese. During this time he was one of a number of people instrumental in setting up ‘Emmaus House’ – Acton Homeless Concern – a parish based project for homeless people.
In 1992 he was elected provincial of the Irish -English province of the Congregation. In the course of his six years as provincial he came in contact with the international dimension of the Congregation in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Africa.
He completed his term as provincial in 1998 and came to the Archdiocese of Southwark to the parish of St. Thomas the Apostle, Nunhead soon afterwards. His ministry and involvement there with many different migrant communities led to his appointment to the mission commission of the Congregation in the year 2000. Since 2000 he has served as Episcopal Vicar for religious within the Archdiocese. In 2003 he was appointed parish priest of St.Chad’s South Norwood.
Pastoral Care responsibilities of Auxiliary Bishops in Southwark
An Auxiliary, or assistant Bishop, assists the Bishop of the Diocese. The two new Bishops take on the responsibility formerly held by Bishop Charles Henderson and Bishop Howard Tripp both of whom have now retired.Bishop-elect Paul Hendricks will have responsibility for the South West pastoral area of the Diocese which comprises of the Deaneries of Balham, Cathedral, Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Mortlake and Sutton.
Bishop-elect Patrick Lynch SS.CC will have responsibility for the South East pastoral area of the Diocese which comprises of the Deaneries of Bexley, Bromley, Camberwell, Greenwich, Lambeth and Lewisham.
Bishop John Hine already has pastoral responsibility for the Kent area of the Diocese which comprises of the Deaneries of Canterbury, Chatham, Dover, Gravesend, Maidstone, Thanet and Tunbridge Wells.
About the Archdiocese of Southwark
Southwark is one of the largest dioceses in the country, comprising Greater London south of the Thames, as well as the County of Kent. The Diocese comprises of 185 parishes. In December 2005 there were 203 priests of the Diocese working in the Diocese with 22 priests from other dioceses and 151 priests of religious congregations and 77 permanent deacons.
