William Kenney (bishop)

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William Leonard Kenney, C.P. (born 7 May 1946) is an English Roman Catholic prelate who served as an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Stockholm from 1987 to 2006 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Birmingham from 2006 until his retirement in 2021. His titular see is Midica since 1987.

Early life and education

William Kenney was born on 7 May 1946 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and was raised in Birmingham in the parish of Saints Mary and John, Gravelly Hill. He attended St Philip's Grammar School in Edgbaston. He entered the Passionist congregation, making his religious profession in 1963, and was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1969 by George Dwyer.[1][2] After he studied sociology and psychology at the University of Växjö and the University of Gothenburg and pursuing doctoral studies at the London School of Economics from 1977 to 1979. Then he lectured in the Sociology of Religion and was Director of Studies at the Department of Religious Studies in the University of Gothenburg between 1979 and 1982 and from 1984 to 1987.[3]

Episcopal ministry

On 13 May 1987, Pope John Paul II appointed Kenney auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Stockholm and titular bishop of Midica. He received episcopal consecration on 24 August 1987 from Hubertus Brandenburg.[2]

During his years in Sweden he was active in Catholic charitable and ecumenical work. From 1991 to 1999 he served as chairman of Caritas Europa and vice-president of Caritas Internationalis. He later became a member of the Legal Affairs Commission of Caritas Internationalis and represented bishops' conferences within the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Union (COMECE).[1]

On 17 October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Kenney auxiliary bishop of Birmingham. He served as area bishop for Coventry, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire and was elected diocesan administrator of the Archdiocese of Birmingham in 2009 following the transfer of Archbishop Vincent Nichols.[1][4]

Kenney has been involved extensively in ecumenical dialogue, particularly with the Lutheran churches. In 2018 he was appointed Catholic co-president of the International Lutheran–Catholic Commission on Unity.[5]

On 7 May 2021, Pope Francis accepted Kenney's resignation upon reaching the canonical retirement age of 75.[6]

Recognition

In 2019, Kenney celebrated the silver jubilee of his episcopal ministry in Birmingham, marking 25 years since the beginning of his episcopal service.[7]

References

  1. 1.[1.2][1.3]"William Kenney". Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  2. 2.[2.2]"Bishop William Kenney, C.P." Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  3. 3."Bishop William Kenney". Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  4. 4."Bishop William Kenney, C.P. elected Diocesan Administrator of the Archdiocese of Birmingham". Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. 22 May 2009. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  5. 5."Bishop appointed Co-President of the International Lutheran-Catholic Commission on Unity". Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  6. 6."Rinunce e nomine, 07.05.2021". Holy See Press Office (in Italian). 7 May 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
  7. 7."Bishop William Kenney CP celebrates his Silver Jubilee". Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2026.