Papal chaplain appointed Bishop of Middlesbrough

Nov 19, 2007 / 11:09 am

Pope Benedict XVI recently selected Monsignor Terence Patrick Drainey, a papal chaplain, to become Bishop of Middlesbrough.

A graduate and past spiritual director of Royal English College, Valladolid, the 58 year-old Bishop-elect Drainey is currently president of the seminary at Ushaw College in Durham.

He also spent five years in Western Kenya.

In a letter to his future diocese in Middlesbrough, Bishop-elect Drainey gave thanks to God for his appointment.  After expressing gratitude to Pope Benedict for his decision, he wrote of his eagerness to become their bishop:  "All my life as a priest I have only wanted to be a pastor serving the Lord and his people wherever the Church has sent me. So I sincerely rejoice to be given the ministry of pastor of this great diocese rich in lives faithful to the Gospel throughout history and to this present day."

He further wrote of the Christian mission to evangelize, saying "the Gospel that we bring must proclaim God’s infinite love and pardon. Even in darkness we trust that Christ will be our light and as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, we can face all disappointments, broken promises and even overcome despair. It is in this joyful hope that I look forward to serving the people of the Diocese of Middlesbrough as soon as I can."

Bishop-elect Drainey will fulfill his duties as a seminary president until the end of the current term.  He will be ordained to the episcopacy on January 25.