New rector for Ushaw

Source: Liverpool Archdiocese

Father Terry Drainey, Spiritual Director to the Royal English College of St Albans at Valladolid in Spain and a priest of the Diocese of Salford has been named as Rector of St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Durham.

Born in Manchester in 1949, Fr Terry 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 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 as spiritual director to the Royal English College of St Albans at Valladolid in Spain 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. Fr Terry eventually became the Director of the Year.

He said: 'I am overwhelmed that I should have been considered for such an important position as Rector of Ushaw College, and am very moved by the trust and confidence that has been extended to me by the Bishops of the Northern Province and Shrewsbury. "To be asked to cooperate in the Bishops' care for the formation of vocations to the priesthood is a very awe-inspiring task. I would also like to express my appreciation at the recognition that it was only right and fitting to make provision for training priests in the North of England and to re-emphasise the need for truly integrated formation so as to provide priests capable of and equipped for the "New Evangelisation".'

The Most Reverend Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool, who as Metropolitan Archbishop is Chair of Governors at Ushaw, said: "The Bishops of the Northern Province and Shrewsbury responding to the many representations about what is needed at this time have appointed not a President but a Rector to St Cuthbert's College, Ushaw, Durham. The meaning of this is a desire to ensure that the Rector has all the space needed for his focus to be the formation of students precisely for the priesthood.

"We have realised that the other activities, which must take place on the site of Ushaw College if we are able to make responsible use of this great asset, must benefit from different people concerned for their specific development. In the past everything tended to find its way to the desk of the one named President. I am sure that Fr Terry Drainey will enjoy the support of the entire Governing Body and all those involved in every aspect of life at Ushaw."

Archived story - June 2003