{{Short description|Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1946)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Use Irish English|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox Christian leader |type = Bishop |honorific_prefix = The Most Reverend |name = Maurice Anthony Crowley |title = Bishop Emeritus of Kitale, Kenya |image = |church = Catholic Church |archdiocese = Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kisumu |see = Kitale |appointed = 3 April 1998 |term_start = 15 August 1998 |term_end = 4 November 2022 |predecessor = None (Diocese created) |successor = Henry Juma Odonya |other_post = Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eldoret (22 November 2017 until 1 February 2020) |ordination = 4 June 1972 |ordained_by = James Moynagh |consecration = 15 August 1998 |consecrated_by = Jozef Cardinal Tomko |cardinal = |rank = Bishop | birth_name = Maurice Anthony Crowley |birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|05|11|df=y}} |birth_place = Berrings, County Cork, Ireland |death_date = |death_place = |motto = }} {{Infobox bishopstyles | name= Maurice Anthony Crowley | dipstyle= *Your Lordship *The Most Reverend | offstyle=His Lordship | relstyle= Bishop | image = | image_size = 200px }}
'''Maurice Anthony Crowley''' S.P.S. (born 11 May 1946), is an Irish-born prelate who served as Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kitale, Kenya from 1998 until his age-related retirement in 2022. He concurrently served as Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Eldoret, Kenya from 2017 until 2020. He is a member of the Saint Patrick's Missionary Society. He was appointed bishop on 3 April 1998 by Pope John Paul II.
==Early life and education== He was born on 11 May 1946 in Berrings, in the Diocese of Clovne, County Cork, Ireland. He studied Philosophy and Theology before he was ordained a member of the Kiltegan Fathers and a priest in June 1972.<ref name="1R">{{cite web| title=MicroData Summary for Bishop Maurice Anthony Crowley S.P.S. (born 11 May 1946), Bishop Emeritus of Kitale |date=16 July 2024 |work=Catholic-Hierarchy.org | url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcrowm.html |author=David M. Cheney | access-date=2 February 2025 |location=Kansas City}}</ref> In 1968, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University College Cork, prior to his priestly ordination.{{cn|date=February 2025}}.
==Priest== On 4 June 1972 he was ordained a priest of the St. Patrick's Missionary Society at Killamoate, Wicklow, Leinster, Ireland by the hands of Bishop James Moynagh, S.P.S., Bishop Emeritus of Calabar. He served in that capacity until 3 April 1998.<ref name="1R"/> Father Crowley taught physics at Saint Patrick's High School. He concurrently served as parish priest and school chaplain. This was during the 1980's.{{cn|date=May 2026}}
==Bishop== On 3 April 1998 Pope John Paul II appointed him Bishop of the newly-created Diocese of Kitale. He was consecrated and installed at Kitale on 15 August 1998 by the hands of Jozef Cardinal Tomko, Cardinal-Priest of Santa Sabina assisted by Bishop Cornelius Kipng’eno Arap Korir, Bishop of Eldoret and Bishop Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo, Bishop of Kericho.<ref name="1R"/>
On 22 November 2017, following the death of Bishop Cornelius Kipng'eno Arap Korir of the adjacent diocese of Eldoret, The Holy Father appointed Bishop Maurice Anthony Crowley as the Apostolic Administrator of Eldoret, Kenya.<ref name="2R">{{cite web| url=https://nation.africa/kenya/news/pope-picks-bishop-crowley-to-oversee-eldoret-diocese-479768 |title=Pope Picks Bishop Crowley To Oversee Eldoret Diocese | work=Daily Nation |date=22 November 2017 |author=Gerald Bwisa |access-date=2 February 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref> That administratorship ceased on 1 February 2020 when a new bishop was installed at Eldoret that day.<ref name="1R"/>
Bishop Crowley is a member of the governing council of the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA). In 2020 Bishop Crowley was appointed to the first governing Council of Tangaza University in Nairobi, following it being granted University status.<ref name="3R">{{cite web|url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/irish-missionaries-take-governing-roles-at-kenyan-university/88968 |title=Irish Missionaries Take Governing Roles At Kenyan University: Bishop Maurice Crowley and Father Patrick Devine appointed to Tangaza University College's Council |work=Union of Catholic Asian News |date=30 June 2020 |author=Matt Moran |access-date=2 February 2025 |location=Hong Kong}}</ref><ref name="4R">{{cite web| date=30 July 2020 | url=https://www.catholicireland.net/nairobi-college-honours-two-irish-missionaries/ | title=Nairobi College Honours Two Irish Missionaries |work=Catholicireland.net |author=Sarah Mac Donald |access-date=2 February 2025}}</ref>
On 4 November 2022 the retirement request submitted by Bishop Maurice Anthony Crowley, Ordinary of the diocese of Kitale was approved by The Holy Father. Pope Francis appointed Bishop Henry Juma Odonya, S.P.S., as the successor.<ref name="5R">{{cite web| work=ACIA Africa |date=4 November 2022 |author=Silas Isenjia |access-date=2 February 2025 | url=https://www.aciafrica.org/news/7009/pope-francis-accepts-retirement-of-catholic-bishop-of-kitale-in-kenya-appoints-successor |title=Pope Francis Accepts Retirement of Catholic Bishop of Kitale in Kenya, Appoints Successor |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref> He was installed on 21 January 2023. Bishop Crowley lives on as Bishop Emeritus of Kitale, Kenya.<ref name="1R"/><ref name="6R">{{cite web |work=CISA News Africa |date=25 January 2023 |author=Silas Isenjia |url=https://cisanewsafrica.com/2023/01/kenya-president-ruto-hails-bishop-crowley-as-a-giant-of-faith-as-he-retires/ |title=President of Kenya Hails Pioneer Catholic Bishop of Kitale Diocese as "a giant of faith" |access-date=2 February 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref><ref name="7R">{{cite web| date=25 January 2023 |url=https://cisanewsafrica.com/2023/01/kenya-president-ruto-hails-bishop-crowley-as-a-giant-of-faith-as-he-retires/ |title=Kenya: President Ruto Hails Bishop Crowley As A "Giant of Faith" As He Retires |work=CISA News Africa |author=Arnold Neliba | access-date=2 February 2025 |location=Nairobi, Kenya}}</ref>
==See also== * Catholic Church in Kenya
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Succession table== {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef|before=None (Diocese created)}} (Before 3 April 1998) {{s-ttl|title=Bishop of Kitale<br/>(since3 April 1998 - 4 November 2022)}} {{s-aft|after=Henry Juma Odonya}} {{s-break}} {{s-end}}
==External links== * [https://catholickitale.org/about/ About The Catholic Diocese of Kitale]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crowley, Maurice Antony}} Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Irish Roman Catholic priests Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Kenya Category:Alumni of University College Cork Category:Christian clergy from County Cork Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Kitale Category:Irish expatriates in Kenya Category:Roman Catholic missionaries in Kenya Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Kenya