New Rector of Tullow Group
The Revd Maria Carlsson has been nominated to the
Bishop of Cashel, Ferns and Ossory, to be the next
rector of Tullow Group of Parishes.
Bishop Wilkinson says, ‘I am delighted that the Revd
Maria Carllson has accepted the position as Rector of
Tullow Group. She has considerable experience in
ministry in different churches in Sweden. Maria was
ordained in 2014 in the Lutheran Church to serve in
Karlstad Diocese, where she has served in 5 different
Parishes in the west part of Sweden, close to the
border of Norway. However, she is no stranger to
Ireland. When she was 19, she spent a year working as
a volunteer with the Simon Community in Galway.Since then, she has been a regular visitor to these shores. Maria combines a deep Christian faith and commitment to pastoral care in the community with a love of the countryside. I know she will bring all this with her as she settles into ministry in the Church of Ireland and Tullow Group of Parishes. I look forward to working with her in the years ahead.’
Maria says ‘I have had Ireland in my prayers for more than 20 years, not knowing if the Lord would send me. With the love and support of my family, a call to explore ministry in the Church of Ireland became more focused. To be appointed the incumbent of the Tullow Group of Parishes is a great privilege and I am deeply grateful and humbled to be entrusted with this ministry. I am looking forward to getting to know the Church of Ireland and especially the people in the Tullow Group of Parishes. We are all gifts to each other, and I trust the Lord to guide us onwards to learn more about him and his will for us, learn more about each other and how we can be of help and support for each other, so we all can flourish in the gifts and graces that are entrusted to us.’
Maria is married to Johan. They have a teenage daughter Jehlia. As a family, they very much look forward to moving to Ireland and their new home in Tullow.
A date for the Service of Institution will be announced in due course.