12 November 2016

Christ Church hosts reception for
new Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral

Dean William Morton

Patrick Comerford

The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral, the Very Revd Dermot Dunne, and many chapter members robed and processed at the recent installation of the Very Revd William Morton (59) as the new Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin.

Dean Morton is a former Dean of Saint Columb’s Cathedral, Derry, and from 2013 he had represented the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe in the chapter of Saint Patrick’s as Prebendary of Howth.

The installation of the new Dean of Saint Patrick’s on 24 September was attended by President Michael D Higgins, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, and the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness. The preacher was the former Archdeacon of Raphoe, Archdeacon Scott Harte.

Later that afternoon, a reception for the new dean was hosted in the nave of Christ Church Cathedral.

Dean Morton was elected Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in succession to the Very Revd Victor Stacey, who retired at the end of March.

The new dean is deeply committed to the arts, and diversified the role of Saint Columb’s Cathedral in hosting a number of cross-community and ecumenical events in the form of exhibitions, lectures, seminars and guided tours. He has also been very involved in several community initiatives.

Dean Morton was Dean of Derry from 1997. He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin and obtained a PhD from Queen’s University, Belfast, in 1996. He was ordained deacon in 1988 and priest in 1989. Prior to becoming Dean of Derry he was Rector of Conwal Union (Letterkenny) (Derry and Raphoe) from 1991 to 1997 and Curate of Drumachose (Derry and Raphoe) from 1988 to 1991.

He was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for the City of Londonderry in October 2014.

The chapter of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, in the procession at the installation of the new Dean of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin (Photograph: Patrick Hugh Lynch, 2016)

This full-page report is published in the current edition of the ‘Friends’ News,’ Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin (Autumn 2016, Vol 34, No 2), p 21.

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