Reverend Paul Colton on laying down his crozier after 28 years

AN unexpected phone call in January 1999 from the Archbishop of Dublin was how the Right Reverend Dr Paul Colton learned he had been elected Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.

He fondly recalls ringing his wife Susan, who was in the hairdressers at the time, with the momentous news and how everything changed after that. A move back down to Cork was on the cards, the city where he grew up having moved from Derry at the age of two.

Having embarked on his 28th year on March 25th, it is a longer tenure as Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross than anyone else since the first Reformation bishop died in 1617, and the second longest ever. For several years now he has been the longest serving, diocesan bishop, still in office in the Anglican Communion in these islands, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England.

‘I was in charge of a parish in Dublin that took in Castleknock and Clonsilla from 1990. There was an election for the new bishop of Cork, Cloyne & Ross and I was in my office at home writing a sermon one day in January 1999 when the Archbishop rang me,’ he remembers.

‘I didn’t even know I was a candidate to be honest. But I said that if people want me then I better take up the position as it was God’s call. Within three days I had received almost 700 cards and letters from well-wishers as well as numerous phone calls from parishioners.’

It’s almost a case of history repeating itself as the cards and letters are already piling in ahead of his retirement next month.

‘I have a box here beside me and it was almost half full weeks before my retirement. It’s been amazing and the time has truly flown. There’s been a lot of pastoral work and then on top of that we’ve had so many things during that time including 9/11, foot and mouth scare and more recently the COVID pandemic.’

The diocese covers all of County Cork and a small bit of Waterford. Bishop Colton started and finished his confirmations in West Cork, attending his first in Dunmanway and his final one this year at St Peter’s Church in Bandon.’

He spent time in Canada as a teenager having received a scholarship to study there and later graduated with a Law Degree from UCC. That was followed by time at Trinity College studying Theology and a spell in Kenya afterwards. Following his ordination as a priest he served in parishes in Lisburn and Belfast during the height of the Troubles.

‘The diocese will be coming together on April 18th at Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral for my last day while my last service in West Cork will be in Rosscarbery on April 12th. The process of electing a new bishop won’t actually happen until I’m gone.’

Rev Cliff Jeffers, formerly rector of Fanlobbus Union, being installed as Dean of Ross by the Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross, Dr Paul Colton at St Fachtna’s Cathedral in Rosscarbery. Rev Jeffers, with clergy after the service.

His advice to his successor is to listen to the people of the diocese, get to know them well and spend plenty of time out and about.

‘There are 76 churches within this diocese so they will have to visit them all and some are even still even hard for me to find despite being here 28 years and knowing Cork well,’ he
admitted.

At the age of 66, he decided that the time felt right for him to lay down his crozier, seeing it as a good opportunity for someone else to come and take over.

‘We have children living in England and America so we want to visit them too. I’m going to take the first six months off to give my brain a rest. I don’t have any grand plan as such and won’t be taking anything on.’

Rev Colton will retain the title of bishop following his retirement but he won’t be holding the particular office of Cork, Cloyne and Ross.

‘Once a bishop, always a bishop,’ he quipped.

For some, he will always be remembered as the Man United-loving Bishop who married Posh and Becks in Luttrellstown Castle on July 4th 1999, just months after his ordination.

‘Victoria had decided to get married at the castle which was in my parish in Dublin at the time. In between setting it all up with me I was elected bishop in the interim so instead of getting an ordinary priest for their wedding they ended up with a bishop,’ he reflected.

He was told by his Archbishop that because he had been involved in their wedding plans from the beginning then it was only right he should officiate at their wedding.

‘I always found both David and Victoria very down to earth to be honest and it was a fantastic day.’

Rev Colton officiated Posh and Becks ‘ 1999 Dublin wedding.

On a recent trip to Strängnäs in Sweden with wife Susan, he was presented with a medal of honour to recognise his commitment to relations with the Church of Sweden, something which is usually only awarded locally within the diocese.

‘For a long time I was responsible for relations between the Church of Ireland, the Nordic and Baltic countries and I had a lot of work done there particularly in Sweden and Finland. It was like a swansong visit so to speak.’

Some of the contacts he made there, including some bishops, will be Leeside bound for his retirement ceremony on April 18th much to his delight.

Ahead of that date, he has plenty to do - a list of 317 things to be exact which will keep him going.

‘I couldn’t have done anything without the great people of this diocese and of other dioceses and other organisations. Everyone has been marvellous and I will miss visiting West Cork in particular in my role as we had a house there for almost 18 years.’

For now, he is aiming to work through that very long to do list before he can finally relax and enjoy his well-earned retirement.