Five Fast Facts On The New Archbishop Of Kingston, Jamaica

Archbishop Kenneth David Oswin Richards

By NAN Contributor

News Americas, KINGSTON, Jamaica, Weds. July 6, 2016: Today, in Jamaica, a new Metropolitan Catholic Archbishop will be ordained at a special service at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on North Street in Kingston. Here are five things you should know about Archbishop Kenneth David Oswin Richards:

1: Bishop Richards was born in Jamaica so it’s a coming home for him essentially. He was born in Linstead, St Catherine and is the eldest of seven children. He converted to Catholicism as a child at age 10 and was the first in his family to do so.

2: Bishop Richards was ordained in 1985 as a priest and served as associate pastor at the Holy Cross Church in Half-Way-Tree, pastor of St Patrick’s Church in Waterhouse, pastor of St Benedict’s Church, Harbour View, Pastor of two parishes St Jude and St Patrick, and archdiocesan Director of Vocations, before becoming rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral where he oversaw the restoration in time for its 100th anniversary in 2011.

3: In 2009, Father Richards became a Monsignor, and in December 2011, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Bishop of St Johns-Basseterre in Antigua and Barbuda and St Kitts and Nevis.

4: He has served as Bishop of the Diocese St John’s-Basseterre since December 2011 and will now serve as the new Metropolitan Archbishop of Kingston, Jamaica. He replaces Archbishop Lawrence A. Burke in the post.

5: In Antigua, he helped with the establishment of the Building and Property Commission and the construction of a new building block at the St Joseph’s Academy while also sharing a vision of completing a multipurpose facility in Hatton to also aid in community development by offering training and skills.