William Lee (bishop)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

William Lee is the Catholic bishop of the Irish diocese of Waterford and Lismore. He was born in Newport, Co. Tipperary, on 2 December 1941, the eldest of five children of John and Delia Lee who ran a public house and auctioneering business in the town.

He received his early education at the local Convent of Mercy and Boys’ National Schools and later went to Rockwell College. He studied for the priesthood at St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, and was ordained for the priesthood in the Cashel and Emly Diocese on 19 June 1966.

He studied in Canon Law at Maynooth where he received a doctorate in 1969. He then served for two years in the large parish of Finglas West, Dublin. He also studied for a time at the Gregorian University, Rome.

He was appointed Professor of Philosophy and Bursar at St. Patrick’s College, Thurles. For fifteen years he was Director of the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council of Cashel Diocese. He also served on the Cork Regional Marriage Tribunal. He was President of St. Patrick’s College, Thurles from 1987 to 1993.

He was ordained Bishop of the diocese of Waterford and Lismore on 25 July 1993. In 1998 Bishop Lee was appointed Secretary of the Irish Episcopal Conference.