Peter Gerard Magee was born in Ardrossan in 1958. His parents were William Magee (1913-1997) and his wife, Mary McMullan (1912-1988). Peter has siblings Paul, Hugh, Harry, Bernadette and Teresa.
Peter was educated at Saint Peter's Primary School, Ardrossan, Saint Michael's Academy, Kilwinning, the Pontifical Scots College, the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, all Rome.
On 2 July 1981, Peter was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Galloway in the Church of Saint Peter in Chains by Bishop Maurice Taylor. This was Bishop Taylor's first ordination as Bishop of Galloway, having been ordained Bishop four weeks previously on 9 June 1981.
Peter's first appointment was in the summer of 1981 as assistant priest in Saint Mary's Church, Irvine. After concluding his studies in Rome, he was assistant priest at Saint Teresa's Church, Dumfries from 1982 to 1984.
In October 1984, he resumed his studies at the Pontifical Scots College and Pontifical Gregorian University. In 1986 he was called to the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy, Rome. In 1988, Peter entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See. He served in Nunciatures in El Salvador from 1988, Zimbabwe from 1991, Venezuela from 1994, Cuba from 1996, Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland from 1997 and United States of America and the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the Organisation of American States from 1999.
In October 2004, Peter left diplomacy to begin a teaching career under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Washington. In autumn 2005, he began teaching Papal Diplomacy and International Affairs at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Peter holds degrees in philosophy and theology and a doctorate in canon law.
He was made a Prelate of Honour of His Holiness, Pope John Paul II on 3 May 2001 and assumed the title of Monsignor.
Peter
is fluent in English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Portuguese and author
of several articles on spiritual, theological and canonical matters. He has
published a small spiritual book called 'God's Mercy Revealed'. He is also an
accomplished pianist, organist and public speaker. His homilies may be read
at www.LuxEtVita.org.
Monsignor Magee celebrated
the Silver
Jubilee of his ordination by concelebrating Mass in Saint Peter's, Ardrossan
on 2 July 2006.
Peter returned to Scotland in 2007 and became the Parish
Priest of the Churches of Our Lady and Saint Ninian, Newton Stewart; Saint Martin
and Saint Ninian, Whithorn; and The Sacred Heart, Wigtown, all Wigtownshire
on 14 February.
On 27 March 2009, Monsignor Magee was appointed Judicial
Vicar of the Bishops of Scotland and Officialis of the Scottish National Tribunal,
based in Glasgow. Monsignor Magee left his post as parish priest in Wigtownshire
on 19 April 2009.
On 26 June 2012, Bishop John Cunningham installed Monsignor Magee
as a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter in Saint Margaret's Cathedral, Ayr. Peter
is now formally titled Right Reverend Monsignor Peter Canon Magee.
Peter became Parish Priest of Saint
Mary's Church, Largs and Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Millport on 25 May
2018 in succession to Father Eamonn Flynn.
The topmost photograph above was taken in 2005. The other photo was taken
on 26 June 2012 after the installation of Monsignor Peter, right, as a Canon
by Bishop John Cunningham, centre, who also installed Father Matin Poland, left,
parish priest of Saint John's Church, Stevenston as a Canon.