A Liverpool Hope University academic has been appointed to a prestigious new role within the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool
Reverend Paul Rooney is Head of Geography & Environmental Science at Hope, a specialist when it comes to the ecology and conservation management of coastal sand dunes.
Away from the ‘day job’ at Hope, Rev. Rooney is also an ordained minister - a ‘Permanent Deacon’ - helping in the day-to-day ministry of two parishes in St Helens, the St Helens pastoral area and at Liverpool Hope University. It’s a role he’s enjoyed since his ordination in 2019.
Following an official announcement made recently, Rev. Rooney is delighted to have been appointed Assistant Director for the Permanent Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Liverpool - a brand new position, bestowed by Archbishop Malcolm McMahon OP (Order of Preachers), who is also Co-President of Hope.
Rev. Rooney says this new appointment complements the ‘Ministry Research Project’ based in the university - a joint initiative between Hope and the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
The overall aim of the Ministry Research Project is to improve the understanding and practice of ministry, in particular that relating to permanent deacons in the Archdiocese of Liverpool. The Church is living through changing times in many ways. The research project aims to help decision makers respond to this challenge by developing innovative geospatial scientific data sets and then combining them with traditional social science data.
Rev. Rooney says: “I am grateful to Archbishop McMahon for this new appointment, and for the opportunity to assist the diaconate community in its wonderful service to the Word, Altar and Charity. Our research at Hope into the diaconate ministry has obvious links to this new appointment. I hope that our research findings will help us to continue to respond to become the Church we are called to be in these changing times”.
The Ministry Research Project is run by Rev. Rooney and Rev. Dr. Peter McGrail, Subject Lead for Theology, Philosophy and Religious Studies at Hope.
The project team benefits from the guidance of Hope Governor the Rev. Canon Dr. Chris Fallon as Chair of the research project Steering Group. Fr. Fallon is also the Director for the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Liverpool.
To find out more about the role of the deacons within the Archdiocese here and the Ministry Research Project here.