Fr Peter Cryan
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Born in 1943, grew up in Warrington with a lively home, church & school pre- Vatican II faith upbringing.
In the early sixties took a science degree at Leeds University while absorbing the Vatican II Church Renewal starting to take place and deciding on a religious and priestly vocation. Then spent 8 years in the Capuchin Franciscans while pursuing priestly studies until the early seventies. For a couple of years lived in & helped to run a residential rural rehabilitation community for rootless male ex-prisoners. In the aftermath of the city centre Pub Bombings resumed the remaining priestly preparation at Oscott Seminary in Birmingham until ordination on 17th July 1976. For six years was then assistant at St. Paul’s Hyde and two years at St. Theresa’s Chester. In late 1984 joined the other volunteer priests from Shrewsbury diocese helping the still struggling Kisii diocese in the West of Kenya in the hills bordering Lake Victoria. Shrewsbury priests had established and developed the new parish of St. Theresa’s Manga and by the time of return to Shrewsbury Diocese in late 1989 it was ready to hand over to the care of a local Kisii priest.
Initially resettled at St Anthony’s Wythenshawe then ministered for the next ten years as parish priest in Market Drayton, St. John’s Wythenshawe, St. George’s Whitchurch and O.L. of Pity Harlescott in Shrewsbury and while there was chaplain in Shrewsbury Prison. During this time maintained links with Kisii diocese and visited there every few years. |
In early 2000 returned to work in Kisii Diocese to set up and develop a newly established parish of St. Peter’s Magwagwa for the next five years. By this time Kisii diocese had been transformed from a missionary diocese largely with the Mill Hill missionaries to a nearly completely indigenized one with only a very few Mill Hill missionary priests and sisters left..
After handing over St. Peter’s Magwagwa to local priests in 2005 for the next year began setting up the new parish of St. Kizito’s Suneka until returning to Shrewsbury Diocese in the middle of 2006 to have the pastoral care of St. Edward’s Macclesfield for the last fifteen years and combining it with chaplaincy of the local General Hospital.
After handing over St. Peter’s Magwagwa to local priests in 2005 for the next year began setting up the new parish of St. Kizito’s Suneka until returning to Shrewsbury Diocese in the middle of 2006 to have the pastoral care of St. Edward’s Macclesfield for the last fifteen years and combining it with chaplaincy of the local General Hospital.
