Posted by Fr Timothy Lehane SVD is the new Provincial of the Society of the Divine Word Missionaries in the Irish – British Province. He was chosen as Provincial following elections within the province. He assumed his duties on the 1st of May 2016.
Timothy was born in 1955 and comes from near the village of Innishannon, in Co Cork. He 
is one of five children. He went to school in Colaiste Iosagain in Ballyvourney, Co Cork where he was educated through the Irish Language.
He went to Donamon in 1976, made his first vows in 1978 and was ordained a priest in 1986 at Donamon. Following his ordination he was missioned to Ecuador in South America where he was to remain until 2008.
During his time there he was appointed the Provincial of that Province. One of his achievements at that time was to successfully prepare for and carry out the great South American Missionary Congress of 2008, at which there were over 3000 participants, among whom were more than 100 bishops. Shortly after that success he was called to work in the office of the Propagation of the Faith in Rome as the executive chairman of that department. In that capacity he was in contact with 1200 newer dioceses throughout the world many of which he visited and strengthened.
Following his five year appointment there, he decided to return to Ireland. He has resided in Maynooth until his appointment as Provincial.
He is looking forward to his term in the IBP and hopes to contribute to the building up the “esprit de corps” of the members while ensuring that the Society will continue to be of service to the Church in Ireland and indeed around the world.
We pray for – and wish him and his council – every blessing in the years to come as they discern the will of God and strive to carry it out.
(source: The Harp, March-April 2016)
SVD IBP 