Bishop named as new Primate

The election of the Church of Ireland Bishop of Meath, Dr Richard Clarke, as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland has been given a warm welcome in his diocese. The archbishop-elect, who has been Bishop of Meath and Kildare since 1996, was born in Dublin in 1949. He studied history and theology in Dublin and London universities, respectively, and holds a doctorate from the former. Together with his late wife, Linda, Bishop Clarke has two children, Nicholas and Lindsey, both of whom are medical doctors, and one grandchild. Making the announcement of his election in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast, Dr Clarke expressed his sincere gratitude to the huge trust that his fellow bishops had placed in him in appointing him Archbishop of Armagh. "I truly feel neither worthy of the heritage into which I am to enter nor adequate for the tasks that lie ahead. The God of Christian belief is, however, a God of grace rather than a God who looks for human self-sufficiency. All I can pledge is that I will give this task the very best of which I am capable, and the prayer of all of us must be that God in his grace will enable some good to come from this," he said. He added that he knew his friends in Meath and Kildare would not need convincing that he would be deeply saddened to leave them after 16 years of happiness and fulfilment among them. "But I also know that I will remain in their prayers and retain their love and friendship. I thank them for all the generosity, kindness and support that they have given to me and to my family over the years."