Archbishop Donald Reece

Archbishop of Kingston Lawrence Burke, SJ has announced that the Most Rev Donald J Reece, DD., will be presented to the People of God in the Archdiocese of Kingston as the Coadjutor Archbishop on December 12, at a Solemn Eucharistic Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kingston, Jamaica at 4.00 p.m.

Archbishop Reece was born in Jamaica where he had his early education. His initial Religious formation was with the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement.

His tertiary education includes a BA in Philosophy (1966), STB in Theology (1969) and MA in Theology (1971) all from the Catholic University of America.

He was Chaplain to the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus, Jamaica, 1971-1981) and during that period served as pastor of St Thomas Aquinas, the University related parish and the University Hospital. He served as Rector of St Michael’s Seminary, Kingston (1973-1981) and Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Kinston. (1974 -1981).

On October 8, 1981, he was consecrated Bishop of St John’s-Basseterre (Antigua & Barbuda; St Kitts & Nevis; Montserrat; Anguilla; and the British Virgin Islands) which post he has held until his recent appointment as Coadjutor Archbishop of Kingston.

Archbishop Reece’s close involvement in the work of the Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) comprising 19 diocesan jurisdictions of the English, French and Dutch-speaking Caribbean includes his service as Secretary General of the AEC (1982-1992) and is the current chairman of the Commissions of Liturgy and of Ecumenism of the AEC. At different times he has also served as Chairman of the AEC Commission of Youth & Vocations and Chairman of the Regional Seminary Board.

Archbishop Reece has been a Member of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Christian Unity since 1982, as well as a Member of the Joint Working Group [Vatican and WCC]. He is also currently a President of the Caribbean Conference of Conference (CCC).

A number of his fellow bishops and archbishops from across the region have already confirmed that they will be attending the solemn Eucharistic liturgy on December 12 at which he will be presented by Archbishop Burke to the people of the Archdiocese.

Messages of congratulations include those already received from the Apostolic Nuncio to the AEC, Archbishop Thomas Gullickson, and the President of the Episcopal Conference of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAM) Archbishop Raymundo Damasceno Assis of Aparecida, Brazil.