St Matthew’s rector is new Rural Dean

Tuesday July 31st 2007

Canon Gregory Dunstan, Rural Dean of Mid Belfast The Rev Canon Gregory Dunstan, rector of St Matthew’s, Shankill, Belfast, has been appointed Rural Dean of Mid Belfast.

It is Canon Dunstan’s second major appointment this year, as he was installed a Canon of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, in January.

Canon Dustan succeeds Archdeacon Barry Dodds to the Mid Belfast Rural Deanery. The St Michael’s rector was appointed Archdeacon of Belfast following the reorganisation of Connor’s archdeaconries.

A native of southern England, Canon Dunstan, 56, moved to Dublin to work as a landscape architect in 1977. After training for the ministry, he was curate in St Patrick’s, Ballymena, with Canon Stuart Lloyd before his appointment as rector of St Matthew’s at the top of Belfast’s Shankill Road, more than 14 years ago.

Canon Dunstan is chairman of the Down, Dromore and Connor Organ Scholarship Management Board.

He said it was ‘an honour’ to have been appointed Rural Dean by the Bishop of Connor.

“The challenge is to continue to look after a parish with the added responsibility of being a Rural Dean and being available to clergy in the deanery and with particular duties, particularly pastoral duties, in any parish that is vacant,” Canon Dunstan said.

His appointment as rural dean became effective on August 1.