Jenkins was born in 1898, and following his school career entered the banking profession, with the Royal Bank of Ireland.[3]
Following a lengthy banking career, Jenkins entered Trinity College, Dublin (TCD), as a mature student. He subsequently enrolled at the Divinity Hostel of the Church of Ireland (attached to TCD) and completed professional training for ordination. He was ordained as a deacon in 1930, and as a priest (aged 32) in 1931,[4][3] followed by training curacies at two Dublin churches.[5][4][3]
Church career
Jenkins occupied a number of prominent roles in Church life in and around Dublin. Owing to the nature of his work, and of the Church community, many of these appointments overlapped, and there were many times when he held more than one appointment.
In 1935 he returned to his old college, occupying a number of roles including Dean of Residence, and Warden of the Divinity Hostel (1935 – 1949), and college Lecturer (1939 – 1970).[4][6][3]
In 1939 he was appointed Rector (parish priest) of All Saints Church, Grangegorman,[7][3] one of three leading churches of the Anglican Tractarian movement in Dublin.[6] He served in this post for over thirty-five years, retiring in 1976. During the same period (1939 – 1976) he also served as Chaplain of St. Brendan's Hospital, Dublin, a psychiatric facility.[4]