William Lee (2 December 1941 – 5 January 2024) was an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Waterford and Lismore between 1993 and 2013.
William Lee | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Waterford and Lismore | |
| Church | Roman Catholic |
| Metropolis | Cashel and Emly |
| Diocese | Waterford and Lismore |
| Appointed | 27 May 1993 |
| Installed | 25 July 1993 |
| Term ended | 1 October 2013 |
| Predecessor | Michael Russell |
| Successor | Alphonsus Cullinan |
| Other post(s) | President of Accord |
| Previous post(s) | President, Bursar and Professor at St Patrick's College, Thurles Director of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council of the Archdiocese of Cashel-Emly |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 19 June 1966 |
| Consecration | 25 July 1993 by Michael Russell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 December 1941 Newport, County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Died | 5 January 2024 (aged 82) Dungarvan, County Waterford, Ireland |
| Parents | John and Delia Lee |
| Alma mater | Pontifical Gregorian University St Patrick's College, Maynooth |
| Motto | Manete in dilectione mea (Remain in my love) |
| Styles of William Lee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Reference style | The Most Reverend |
| Spoken style | Your Grace |
| Religious style | Bishop |
Early life and education
editWilliam Lee was born in Newport, County Tipperary on 2 December 1941, the eldest of five children to John and Delia Lee. He attended primary school at the Convent of Mercy Boys' National School and secondary school at Rockwell College.[1][2]
Lee studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. He was subsequently ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Cashel-Emly on 19 June 1966.[1]
Presbyteral ministry
editFollowing ordination, Lee returned to St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he completed a doctorate in canon law in 1969. He subsequently received his first pastoral assignment, as curate in Finglas West parish, Dublin, before moving to Rome in 1971 to complete further studies in canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University.[1]
Lee returned to Ireland in 1972, where he was appointed professor of philosophy and bursar at St Patrick's College, Thurles, and subsequently as its president between 1987 and 1993. He also served as director of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (later Accord) for the Archdiocese of Cashel-Emly, and subsequently on the Cork Regional Marriage Tribunal.[1]
Episcopal ministry
editLee was appointed Bishop-elect of Waterford and Lismore by Pope John Paul II on 27 May 1993. He was consecrated on 25 July by his predecessor, Michael Russell, in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford.[1]
Lee was appointed episcopal secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference in 1998. He also served on the Commission for Clergy, Seminaries and Vocations, the Commission for the Laity and the Bishops' Department of Planning and Communications of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, as well as President of Accord.[3][2][4]
Following the establishment of a website providing information and assistance to people who wished to formally defect from the Catholic Church in the aftermath of the publication of the final report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse on 20 May 2009, Lee told the Irish Examiner on 16 July that there were no records of defections from his diocese, and that he wasn’t aware of any defections personally.[5]
Following his participation in a meeting between Irish bishops, Pope Benedict XVI and senior members of the Roman Curia from 15 to 16 February 2010 to discuss the publication of the Ryan and Murphy reports in 2009, Lee told The Munster Express that Pope Benedict XVI had described child sexual abuse as "a heinous crime and a grave sin that offended God".[6]
It was reported on 25 March 2010 that he had waited two years in the 1990s before informing Gardaí about complaints made by two people in connection to allegations of child abuse by a priest in the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore. In a statement, Lee apologised for mishandling the allegations, but did not give any further explanation as to why he had taken so long to report the matter.[7][8]
Retirement and death
editIt was announced on 1 October 2013 that Lee had tendered his episcopal resignation on medical grounds to Pope Francis some weeks previously, and that it had been accepted with immediate effect.[9][10][11][12]
Lee died on the morning of 5 January 2024 in Dungarvan Community Hospital, County Waterford, aged 82.[13][14][15]
His funeral Mass took place on 9 January in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity, Waterford, with burial afterwards in the cathedral grounds.[16][17][18]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Tipperary's Bishop William Lee resigns". Thurles Information. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ a b "Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan". Diocese of Waterford & Lismore. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Mac Donald, Sarah (11 October 2013). "New diocesan administrator for Waterford and Lismore". CatholicIreland.net. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Statement by the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, Dr William Lee, on the announcement today of job losses in Waterford Crystal". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ O'Sullivan, Claire (16 July 2009). "No records kept on people leaving Church". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ O'Connor, John (26 February 2010). "Bishop Lee tells Pope of outrage at sexual abuse". The Munster Express. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Carty, Ed (25 March 2010). "Another Irish bishop apologises over child abuse claims". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Statement of Bishop William Lee". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Roche, Barry (1 October 2013). "Ill-health causes Bishop Lee of Waterford and Lismore to step down". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ McGarry, Patsy (11 October 2013). "Administrator appointed to Waterford and Lismore diocese". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ Hennessy, Michelle (2 October 2013). "Pope accepts resignation of Irish bishop on health grounds". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ O'Mara, Marion (13 March 2014). "City honours Bishop Lee with civic reception". Waterford News & Star. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Statement by Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan on the death of Bishop William Lee RIP, Bishop Emeritus of Waterford and Lismore | Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Butler, Kyle (5 January 2024). "Tributes paid following passing of former Bishop of Waterford and Lismore". WLRFM.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Kane, Conor (5 January 2024). "Former Bishop of Waterford and Lismore dies age 82". Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ). Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Garde, Chah (11 January 2024). "Episcopal ministries of Bishops Patrick Walsh and William Lee recalled at Funeral Masses". Catholic News. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Butler, Kyle (8 January 2024). "Information on the Funeral for the late Bishop William Lee". WLRFM.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ Butler, Kyle (9 January 2024). "Funeral of former Bishop William Lee held in Waterford". WLRFM.com. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
External links
edit- Bishop William Lee on Catholic-Hierarchy.org
- Bishop William Lee on GCatholic