His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, has appointed Monsignor Terence Patrick Drainey the Seventh Bishop of Middlesbrough.

On accepting the appointment, Mgr Drainey said:

I give thanks to Almighty God for all his gifts and blessing, especially the gift of priestly ministry. I personally thank the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, for appointing me to Middlesbrough and for allowing me to serve the Church as a bishop here. 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.

As your bishop elect, I come among you as a brother who, from personal experience, knows the need we all have of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. 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 Saviour, 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. Particularly I would like to meet with the clergy of the diocese at the earliest opportunity for they are my helpers and counsellors.

I realise that I tread on holy ground here where many great and saintly ones have gone before me. How could I not remember that especially today, the feast of St Hilda of Whitby? I am very proud and privileged to follow a good and kindly pastor like Bishop John Crowley. In my present position as President of Ushaw College I worked closely with him and was a frequent recipient of his patient, generous wisdom.

The work in which I am at present engaged in the Seminary at Ushaw College demands that I remain there for a little while longer before being ordained as Bishop of Middlesbrough. I will finish this academic term and then will receive episcopal ordination on 25 January at 12.00 noon.

In the meantime, I ask for prayers: prayers for your former Bishop, John Crowley and those who have undertaken the task of running the diocese since his resignation was accepted; prayers for the good of all the people of this Church, and finally prayers that I might be a good and effective pastor for the diocese of Middlesbrough.

With my sincere and deep affection

Terence Patrick Drainey, Bishop elect of Middlesbrough

17th November 2007, Feast of St Hilda of Whitby

About Bishop Drainey

Terence Patrick Drainey STB was born in Manchester 01.08.1949. He went to Ushaw College as a student in the Junior House but left before entering Major Seminary. Eventually he was sent to the Royal English College Valladolid in Spain where he studied in the Augustinian Studium of the University of the Comillas. He was ordained for the diocese of Salford in 1975 and worked for ten years as an assistant priest. In 1986 he was loaned to the Archdiocese of Kisumu in Western Kenya as a “fidei donum” priest. On his return in 1991 he worked as parish priest until he was appointed spiritual director to the Royal English College of St Albans at Valladolid in 1997. During this time, the staff of the College embarked on the project of developing a propaedeutic or foundational year to help candidates thoroughly prepare for priestly formation. He eventually became the Director of this programme.

He was appointed to the position of President of St Cuthbert’s College Ushaw in June 2003.

On 12th April 2006 he was made a papal chaplain by his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

He was appointed the seventh Bishop of Middlesbrough by Pope Benedict on 17th November 2007