Paul Colton attended St Luke's National School, Douglas, Cork, Cork Grammar School and Ashton Comprehensive School, Cork, before being awarded a scholarship to the Lester B Pearson United World College of the Pacific, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, where he completed the International Baccalaureate in 1978.
11 Facts About Paul Colton
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Paul Colton studied law at University College Cork and was the first graduate of the university to be elected to a bishopric in the Church of Ireland.
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Paul Colton was enthroned in St Fin Barre's Cathedral, Cork on 24 April 1999, in St Colman's Cathedral, Cloyne on 13 May 1999, and in St Fachtna's Cathedral, Ross on 28 May 1999.
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Paul Colton officiated at the wedding of footballer David Beckham and Spice Girl Victoria Adams on 4 July 1999 at the medieval Luttrellstown Castle on the outskirts of Dublin.
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Paul Colton is married to Susan Colton, who was deputy principal of a primary school until her retirement in 2022 and they have two adult sons.
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Paul Colton was the first Church of Ireland bishop to openly support same-sex marriage.
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Paul Colton is involved in education debates and in charity work.
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Paul Colton is chairman of the board of governors of Midleton College.
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At the episcopal ordination of Bishop Fintan Gavin as Catholic bishop of Cork and Ross in June 2019, Colton presented the crozier at Bishop Gavin's own request.
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On 27 February 2022, Paul Colton was the invited preacher at the Patronal Eucharist in Lichfield Cathedral, to mark the 1,350th anniversary of the death of Saint Chad.
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Paul Colton is the author of almost a dozen book chapters, mostly in the area of the interface between religion and law.