Francis John McDowell is the current

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...

Archbishop of Armagh In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdio ...

and

Primate of All Ireland The Primacy of Ireland was historically disputed between the Archbishop of Armagh and the Archbishop of Dublin until finally settled by Pope Innocent VI. ''Primate'' is a title of honour denoting ceremonial precedence in the Church, and in t ...

Education and ministry

He was born in 1956 and educated at Annadale Grammar School and

Queen's University Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...

where he took a degree in history. He also holds a diploma in business studies from the

London School of Economics , mottoeng = To understand the causes of things , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £240.8 million (2021) , budget = £391.1 millio ...

and a BTh in theology and biblical studies from

Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

. He pursued a career in business before being

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...

in 1996.

Priestly ministry

He initially served as Curate of Antrim, in the

Diocese of Connor The Diocese of Connor, Territory of Dalriada, was established in the Synod of Rathbreasail in 1111. The diocese itself was erected in 480. Tradition holds that St. Patrick herded sheep on Slemish, in the heart of the Diocese, when first brought ...

(1996–1999), and subsequently Rector of

Ballyrashane Ballyrashane () is a small village and civil parish outside Coleraine, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. The civil parish of Ballyrashane covers areas of County Antrim (in the historic barony of Dunluce Lower), as well as County Londonderry ...

, in the same diocese (1999–2002), and Rector of

St Mark's Church, Dundela St Mark's Church, Dundela, is a Grade A listed parish church of the Church of Ireland located in the Sydenham area of Belfast, Northern Ireland. History For much of its history, the parish of Dundela was located within the neighbouring parish ...

, in the

Diocese of Down and Dromore The Diocese of Down and Dromore (also known as the United Dioceses of Down and Dromore) is a diocese of the Church of Ireland in the south east of Northern Ireland. It is in the ecclesiastical province of Armagh. The geographical remit of the d ...

(2002–2011), during which time he was also an Honorary Secretary of the General Synod (2008–2011).

Episcopal ministry

He was appointed

Bishop of Clogher The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the ot ...

by the House of Bishops on 30 May 2011; and consecrated on 23 September that year in

St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen St Macartin's Cathedral, Enniskillen, is one of two cathedral churches in the Diocese of Clogher (Church of Ireland), Diocese of Clogher (the other is St Macartan's Cathedral, Clogher) in the Church of Ireland. It stands on high ground overlook ...

. He was elected

and

in 2020 and took up his role on 28 April of that year.

References

External links

* 1956 births Living people Alumni of Queen's University Belfast 21st-century Anglican bishops in Ireland Bishops of Clogher (Church of Ireland) Anglican archbishops of Armagh Irish Anglican archbishops {{Ireland-Anglican-bishop-stub