The Right Reverend Dr. Patrick Harrington, SMA, (pictured above) a native of Beara, was ordained Bishop of Lodwar, Kenya, on March 20th, this year. He is brother of Barry Harrington, proprietor of Old Bank Restaurant and Accommodation, Castletownbere , Claire Wiseman, of Wiseman's Drapery, also in Castletownbere, V. Rev. Fr. Denis Harrington, P.P. Clane, Co. Kildare, Maura Harrington, Rathfarnham, Dublin, Catherine Lawton, Perth, Australia and Nuala O'Kelly now residing in Sligo.

Bishop Harrington had a varied missionary career.  After his ordination as priest on Dec. 16th 1964, he was posted to St. Brendan's College, Perth, Western Australia. In 1969, having acquired a degree at the University of Western Australia, Perth, he sought a transfer to the more traditional missions of the Society in West Africa and soon found himself assigned to the Archdiocese of Monrovia in Liberia.  He served as Dean of Students in St.Paul's Seminary in Gbarnga up country from Monrovia.  Later, recognising his undoubted administrative abilities, Archbishop Michael Francis of Monrovia appointed him Vicar General of the jurisdiction.  It will come as no surprise to Archbishop Michael Francis that his former Vicar should be made a bishop.  He always said it would happen some day.  

Subsequently Father Harrington acquired a Masters degree from the Catholic University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the Gregorian University in Rome. 

While serving in Monrovia, Fr. Harrington was Associate lecturer in Anthropology and Chaplain to the University of Liberia from 1977-82.  A man of versatile talents he was founder and editor of the Catholic Herald newspaper and he started the Catholic Radio Station in 1980.

His career on the missions was interrupted in 1983 when he was elected Superior General of our Society at an Assembly in Rome.  For the next twelve years, the statutory period allowed by our Constitutions, he discharged that office of service to the Society.  During his mandate as Superior General, he visited practically every SMA mission station on the African continent, a mind boggling achievement in itself, and also visited the SMA foundations in India, the Philippines and South America.

It was during his period of office as General that the Society of African Missions took the hitherto unfeasible option of formulating a policy for the acceptance of students from our mission territories as candidates for membership of the Society.  Up to that time, 1983, the efforts of the SMA missionaries had bee directed towards preparing African students for the Diocesan priesthood.  Now, at last, with the approval of the African Ordinaries in the dioceses where we worked, it was thought opportune, in response to Pope Paul V1's plea at Kampala in 1969 - 'you must be missionaries to your selves' - to launce a campaign of recruitment for the SMA.  This was a singularly prophetic stance that has borne fruit in that today the majority of the students for the SMA priesthood are from the countries of Africa where we worked in former times.  Not only are they poised to become missionaries to themselves at they are also ready for the re-evangelisation of Europe, a continent which, in the words of the New York Herald Tribune, has become the most godless place on Earth.

Towards the end of his mandate as Superior General, Father Harrington was chosen to act as secretary for the Synod of African Bishops that was held in Rome.  His performance in that office was in keeping with the high standards that he had always set for himself and it did not go unnoticed by the powers that be in the Vatican.

On finishing his term as Superior General, Father Harrington returned to work on the missions in Kenya.  There, as well as discharging his duties as a Seminary Professor and serving as Sean of Studies in Tangazi, he was also involved in the drafting of a Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Lodwar.  This plan came into operation in 1997.  He himself now has an opportunity to bring the plan to completion.  We wish him every success in his efforts.

In the picture we show the members of Bishop Patrick's family who were able to make the journey to Kenya to attend the Episcopal ordination.

Reading form right to left they are: Deirdre O'Kelly (niece), Mr. John Wiseman (brother-in-law), Mrs. Clare Wiseman (sister), Ms. Maura Harrington (sister), Bishop Patrick, David Wiseman (nephew), Mrs. Catherine Lawton (sister), Very Rev. Fr. Denis Harrington (brother) P.P. Clane, Co. Kildare, Sandra O'Sullivan (niece) and Barry Harrington (brother).

Some years back it would have been scarcely imaginable that so many members of a missionary's family would have been able to travel to Africa for such a memorable event. That is possible now is a tribute to the development in communications and infrastructure that has taken place in so many of the newly independent countries on that vast continent. In Kenya itself the journey from Nairobi to Lowdar is a formidable one, near to eight hundred kilometres.

Last month, Bishop Harrington celebrated Mass at Castletownbere and Ardgroom.  For those who attended, it was indeed a great honour.