Patrick Kearon Biography: Age, Education, Family, Net Worth & Achievements. A Journey of Faith, Service, and Compassion – A Complete Biography

Who is Patrick Kearon?

Lets talk about Patrick Kearon Biography: In the world of religious leadership, few stories are as compelling as that of Patrick Kearon, a man who went from being a skeptical young Englishman to becoming one of the highest-ranking leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His journey is one of profound spiritual transformation, dedicated humanitarian service, and unwavering commitment to helping the most vulnerable people on earth. As the first convert in over a century to be called as an apostle in his church, Elder Kearon’s story resonates far beyond religious circles, offering insights into faith, compassion, and the power of service to transform lives.

Let me take you through the remarkable life of Elder Patrick Kearon, a biography that spans continents, challenges, triumphs, and a calling that has touched millions of lives around the world.

Patrick Kearon Early Life: A British Boy in a Changing World

Patrick Kearon was born on July 18, 1961, in Carlisle, Cumberland, England. Carlisle, a historic city in northwest England near the Scottish border, provided the backdrop for his earliest years. However, his childhood was far from typical.

As the son of a career Royal Air Force officer in the United Kingdom, Patrick Kearon was already well-traveled by the time he was introduced to the Church in his young adulthood, having established a career as a business executive. He spent part of his youth in Saudi Arabia, where his father worked.

Growing up as a military child meant frequent moves, adapting to new environments, and experiencing diverse cultures from a young age. Elder Kearon attended boarding school while his parents lived in Saudi Arabia. This separation from family at a young age, common for British children of military and expatriate families, would shape his character, teaching him independence, resilience, and the ability to connect with people from different backgrounds.

A Life-Changing Loss

After his father’s death when Kearon was 19, he gave up on additional formal education and entered the workforce. This tragedy at such a formative age profoundly impacted his life trajectory. The loss of his father meant taking on adult responsibilities earlier than expected and charting his own path forward without the guidance and support of a parent.

Education: Concluded formal education in his late teens, having attended schools in Saudi Arabia and England. While this might seem like a limitation, Patrick would prove that formal education is just one path to knowledge and success. His life experience, work ethic, and continuous learning would serve him remarkably well in his future endeavors.

Patrick Kearon Building a Career: The Business Years

Early Professional Life

His first job was working for a Member of Parliament, and he later worked for Nestlé in England, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. This early position in politics gave him insights into public service, policy-making, and the complexities of governance.

His career with Nestlé, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies, took him across continents. A series of positions first with the Nestle food company took him to the Middle East, where he worked four years in Saudi Arabia, then to England and eventually to the United States. These international postings exposed him to different cultures, business practices, and ways of life, broadening his perspective and developing his adaptability.

Entrepreneurship and Consulting

Eventually, Patrick and his future wife took a bold step into entrepreneurship. He owned his own public affairs consulting company before beginning his full-time service in the church. Until his call as a General Authority Seventy, owner with his wife of a communication consultancy.

Running their own business required vision, risk-taking, and the ability to serve clients effectively. His civic and community involvement has included service on the boards of charities, a school, an enterprise agency, and a college. Even before his religious calling, Patrick was committed to serving others and contributing to his community.

He has lived and worked in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. He has also worked in the healthcare, food, transport, and automotive industry. This diverse professional background would later prove invaluable in his church leadership roles, where he would need to understand and relate to people from vastly different backgrounds and industries.

Patrick Kearon Spiritual Awakening: A Journey to Faith

First Encounters with Faith

Kearon was first introduced to the church in the mid-1980s while staying with a Latter-day Saint family in Laguna, California. He said they “lived a joyful existence founded on service.” This observation would prove prophetic – it was this same principle of joyful service that would eventually define his own life and ministry.

What struck Patrick about this family wasn’t religious doctrine or theological arguments. It was the way they lived – their happiness, their commitment to serving others, their strong family bonds. Sometimes the most powerful testimony isn’t what people say but how they live.

The Long Road to Conversion

Patrick didn’t immediately embrace the faith. He met missionaries in London several years later and began learning about the church. This gap of several years shows that his conversion wasn’t impulsive or emotional but the result of careful consideration, questioning, and seeking.

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles drew upon his personal conversion, a long journey of skepticism, persistent love and faith to later teach others about the conversion process. His own experience of doubt, questions, and gradual understanding would make him particularly empathetic to others struggling with faith.

Christmas Eve Baptism

After joining the Church on Christmas Eve of 1987, Elder Kearon served in numerous Church callings. He was 26 years old when he was baptized, an adult convert who came to faith through personal seeking and spiritual experience rather than family tradition. Meet Elder Patrick Kearon, the first LDS convert in a century to be named apostle, this distinction would later become historically significant.

The timing of his baptism on Christmas Eve carries symbolic weight, beginning his life of faith on the very day Christians celebrate Christ’s birth, a night associated with hope, new beginnings, and divine gifts to humanity.

Patrick Kearon Family Life: Love and Loss

Meeting Jennifer

He married Jennifer Carole Hulme in January 1991. Married Jan. 12, 1991, in the Oakland California Temple. Jennifer would become not just his spouse but his partner in ministry, business, and life’s joys and sorrows.

Their marriage in the Oakland California Temple reflected their shared commitment to their faith. Temple marriages in the LDS tradition are considered eternal, binding couples not just “until death do us part” but for time and all eternity.

Parenthood and Tragedy

They are the parents of four children, one of whom is deceased. While the details of this loss have been kept private, the death of a child is among life’s most profound sorrows. This personal tragedy would deepen Patrick’s empathy and his understanding of human suffering – qualities that would become hallmarks of his ministry.

The Kearons’ experience of loss positioned them to comfort others who grieve, to understand the depths of human pain, and to minister with genuine compassion rather than platitudes.

Rising Through Church Leadership

Local Service

Elder Kearon served in numerous Church callings, including counselor in a bishopric, branch president, stake president, and Area Seventy. In the LDS Church structure, these are all lay leadership positions – members serving without compensation while maintaining their professional careers.

Each of these callings brought increasing responsibility:

• A bishopric counselor assists in leading a local congregation
• A branch president leads a smaller congregation
• A stake president oversees multiple congregations in a geographic area
• An Area Seventy serves regionally while still maintaining secular employment

This progression through local leadership gave Patrick deep understanding of the challenges members face and the pastoral care required to serve diverse congregations effectively.

Called as a General Authority

Elder Kearon was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 3, 2010. This calling marked a major transition – he would now serve full-time in church leadership, leaving behind his business career.

While humbled and grateful for the opportunity to serve, he was the only Latter-day Saint among his parents and siblings, and it was difficult to leave his family in England to take on this worldwide ministry. This detail reveals both the personal cost of his calling and his family’s respect for his religious convictions even though they didn’t share his faith.

Presidency of the Seventy

He has served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy since 2017, an even more senior leadership position overseeing the work of other General Authority Seventies worldwide. In this role, he helped coordinate the church’s global operations and ministered to church leaders across continents.

The Humanitarian: Champion of Refugees

Assignment to Europe

The Kearon family currently resides in Frankfurt, Germany. Patrick’s assignment to lead the church’s Europe Area came at a critical moment in world history.

My current assignment is in Europe, where one and a quarter million of these refugees have arrived over the last year from war-torn parts of the Middle East and Africa. We see many of them coming with only the clothes they are wearing and what they can carry in one small bag.

Witnessing Human Crisis

“There are an estimated 60 million refugees in the world today, which means that ‘one in every 122 humans has been forced to flee their homes,’ Elder Kearon said. ‘Half of these are children.'” He didn’t just cite these statistics from afar – he witnessed the crisis firsthand.

Elder Kearon is known for his compassion, empathy and understanding. He was with President Ballard in 2015 when they met a 9-year-old Syrian refugee named Amer on the Greek island of Lesbos. Elder Kearon watched as Amer and his family, wet and cold from their arduous sea crossing, arrived in a refugee camp.

The story that followed became legendary among church members. The little boy, having just received Oreo cookies after his harrowing journey, immediately offered one to President Ballard, a profound act of generosity from a child who had lost everything. This encounter deeply affected Elder Kearon and reinforced his commitment to refugee assistance.

Leading Humanitarian Response

As president of the church’s Europe Area, Kearon initiated programs to assist refugees in the area and also led out in the church working to support existing programs to help refugees.

Members around the world are already heeding Christ’s commandments and giving aid to refugees and those in need in their communities, but more can lend their support. Elder Kearon reminded members not to serve at the expense of their own families or responsibilities, and not to expect their local leaders to do it for them, but to serve as individuals and families in “this great humanitarian endeavor.”

His approach was practical and inclusive, encouraging individual and family service rather than just institutional responses. He challenged people to look in their own communities for ways to help those adapting to new homes and circumstances.

“We as the church will continue to try to help where people are displaced for whatever reason, and to bring some healing, food and shelter,” he said. Kearon added that he hopes the humanitarian work done by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will continue to grow in the years ahead.

Continuing Humanitarian Ministry

On May 27, 2025, Elder Kearon visited Maa Central Elementary School in Davao City to lead the official handover of the newly installed water and electricity facilities provided by the Church. Even after his call as an apostle, his commitment to humanitarian service continues, now expanding to other regions like the Philippines.

Kearon is known for his compassionate leadership and dedication to humanitarian efforts. He has spoken extensively about the refugee crisis and the church’s role in providing aid. His work has had a significant impact on the church’s humanitarian outreach.

Patrick Kearon Historic Calling: Apostle

Filling a Vacancy

Elder Patrick Kearon has been called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Filling a vacancy left in the quorum after the death of President M. Russell Ballard, Elder Kearon, 62, was ordained on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

In LDS Church structure, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is the second-highest governing body, serving under the First Presidency. Apostles are considered special witnesses of Jesus Christ and help lead the worldwide church of over 17 million members.

Making History

The significance of this calling cannot be overstated. Meet Elder Patrick Kearon, the first LDS convert in a century to be named apostle – this marked a historic moment. For over 100 years, all apostles had been born into LDS families or converted as children. Patrick’s call as an adult convert broke this pattern, sending a powerful message about the value of all members regardless of their path to faith.

Patrick Kearon, a British convert known to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for his compassion toward refugees and abuse survivors, was announced Friday as the faith’s newest apostle. He was called to the position Thursday and ordained later that day by 99-year-old President Russell M. Nelson, the church’s prophet and president.

Currently, he is the junior and fourteenth most senior apostle in the church. As new apostles are called, they begin as the most junior member, with seniority determined by the date of ordination. This system ensures orderly succession in church leadership.

Patrick Kearon Message to Those Who Struggle

“If you’re without faith at the moment, please come back. We’ll try and do better.” This statement by Elder Kearon reflects his empathetic approach to ministry. Having experienced his own journey from skepticism to faith, he understands that faith is not always easy or constant. His invitation is gentle, humble, and acknowledges that sometimes church communities and leaders fall short.

In his new role, Kearon will, along with his fellow apostles, help shape church policy, oversee church programs and travel the world to give guidance and encouragement to church members.

Patrick Kearon Character and Leadership Style

Known for Compassion

Multiple sources describe Elder Kearon’s defining characteristic. Patrick Kearon, a British convert known to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for his compassion toward refugees and abuse survivors – his empathy extends beyond refugees to all who suffer, including survivors of abuse.

His compassion isn’t sentimental or abstract. It’s practical, action-oriented, and rooted in his personal experiences of loss, struggle, and finding faith through darkness.

Prepared by the Lord

The Lord has prepared Elder Kearon in unique ways and endowed him with an array of spiritual gifts that will allow him to bless others in his sacred call as a special witness “of the name of Christ in all the world.”

His preparation included:

• International experience across three continents
• Business acumen from various industries
• Personal loss and grief that deepened his empathy
• His journey from skepticism to faith
• Decades of service in various church callings
• Direct experience with humanitarian crises
• Understanding both British and American cultures

Teaching from Experience

Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles drew upon his personal conversion — a long journey of skepticism, persistent love and faith — to teach this principle to new mission leaders at the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, sharing that “no effort is wasted” in serving others and sharing faith.

His teaching style is personal, vulnerable, and relatable. He doesn’t speak from a position of always having had faith but from the authentic experience of finding it through doubt and questions.

Patrick Kearon Legacy and Impact

Changing Perceptions

Elder Kearon’s call as an apostle sends several important messages:

1. Converts are valued equally: His historic calling shows that adult converts can reach the highest levels of church leadership, validating their spiritual experiences and contributions.
2. International church: A British apostle reflects the church’s global reach and the increasing diversity in its leadership.
3. Compassion as qualification: His selection emphasizes that Christlike compassion and humanitarian service are as important as administrative skills in church leadership.
4. Faith journeys vary: His long road to conversion validates that coming to faith through questioning and doubt is a legitimate spiritual path.

Influencing Humanitarian Focus

Elder Kearon’s passionate advocacy for refugees has influenced the church’s humanitarian priorities and encouraged members worldwide to engage in refugee assistance and support for displaced persons.

His firsthand accounts from refugee camps, his emotional appeals for compassion, and his practical suggestions for service have mobilized thousands of church members to volunteer, donate, and advocate for refugee welfare.

A Voice for the Vulnerable

Throughout his ministry, Elder Kearon has consistently used his platform to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves, refugees, abuse survivors, the poor, and the marginalized. His leadership style emphasizes going to where people are suffering rather than waiting for them to come to the church.

From Doubt to Faith

His journey from a non-religious Englishman to one of the highest leaders in a worldwide church is remarkable. But what makes it truly inspiring is that he’s never hidden or downplayed his initial skepticism. Instead, he’s used his experience of doubt and questioning to make himself more accessible and relevant to others who struggle with faith.

In an era when many religious leaders come from multi-generational faithful families, Elder Kearon represents something different – the possibility that anyone, at any age, through any path, can find meaningful faith and serve in significant ways. His historic calling as the first adult convert apostle in over a century sends a powerful message: your journey to faith, however long or difficult, is valid and valued.

The Power of Compassion

If there’s one quality that defines Elder Patrick Kearon, it’s compassion. Not the abstract, theoretical compassion that issues statements from comfortable offices, but the active, present compassion that travels to refugee camps, holds Oreo cookies from desperate children, and advocates tirelessly for the world’s most vulnerable people.

His work with refugees, particularly during the European migration crisis, demonstrated what religious leadership can look like at its best – present in the midst of human suffering, mobilizing resources and people to help, and never forgetting that statistics represent real human beings with names, faces, and stories.

The image of Elder Kearon witnessing young Amer offering his Oreo cookie to President Ballard – a child who had lost everything yet still wanted to share – captures the heart of his ministry. He sees the divine in every person, especially those the world overlooks or fears.

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Prepared Through Life Experience

Elder Kearon’s diverse background, from his military family upbringing to his international business career, from his personal loss to his journey to faith, from local church service to global humanitarian work, prepared him uniquely for his apostolic ministry.

He understands grief because he’s lost a father and a child. He understands cultural differences because he’s lived on three continents. He understands business and economics because he’s worked in multiple industries. He understands conversion because he experienced it as an adult. He understands humanitarian crises because he’s stood in refugee camps and looked into desperate eyes.

This breadth of experience makes him relatable to people from vastly different backgrounds. A businessperson can see their experience reflected in his. A convert finds validation in his journey. Someone who has lost a child knows he understands their pain. A person questioning their faith knows he’s been there too.

A Different Kind of Leadership

In some ways, Elder Kearon represents a shift in religious leadership paradigms. His message to those struggling with faith – “If you’re without faith at the moment, please come back. We’ll try and do better” – is remarkably humble and self-aware.

He acknowledges that churches and their leaders aren’t perfect, that they sometimes fail people, and that faith isn’t always easy or constant. This humility and honesty make his leadership more approachable and authentic. He’s not standing above people judging their struggles; he’s walking alongside them, remembering his own struggles.

His emphasis on practical service over theological debate, on helping refugees over arguing doctrinal points, on showing Christlike love over enforcing rules, reflects a leadership style focused on what Jesus actually did – ministered to the poor, the sick, the outcast, and the struggling.

Impact Beyond His Church

While Elder Kearon’s primary responsibility is to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, his influence extends beyond his faith community. His humanitarian advocacy, his compassionate approach to religious leadership, and his interfaith cooperation in serving refugees have earned respect across religious and secular lines.

His work demonstrates that religious faith, at its best, motivates people to serve humanity, to ease suffering, and to advocate for the vulnerable. In an era when religion is often associated with division and judgment, Elder Kearon embodies its potential for compassion and healing.

The Road Ahead

At 64 years old (as of 2025), Elder Kearon potentially has many years of apostolic ministry ahead of him. His influence will likely continue to grow as he travels the world, ministers to church members, and advocates for humanitarian causes.

Given the LDS Church’s system of seniority-based succession, he may one day serve in the church’s highest leadership positions. If and when that time comes, he will bring his unique background, his compassionate heart, and his commitment to serving the vulnerable to the forefront of church leadership.

Lessons for All

Patrick Kearon’s life offers lessons that transcend religious boundaries:

1. It’s never too late: His adult conversion shows that transformation can happen at any age.
2. Doubt isn’t the opposite of faith: His journey through skepticism to faith validates questioning as part of spiritual growth.
3. Diverse experience enriches leadership: His varied career and international exposure prepared him for global ministry.
4. Personal loss deepens compassion: His experiences of grief made him more empathetic and effective in ministry.
5. True religion serves the vulnerable: His focus on refugees and the suffering embodies authentic faith in action.
6. Humility strengthens leadership: His willingness to acknowledge imperfection makes his leadership more relatable.

Frequently Asked Questions about Patrick Kearon

Conclusion

Patrick Kearon’s biography is still being written. Each day brings new opportunities for service, new lives touched by his compassion, new examples of what religious leadership can be at its best. But already, his life story offers a compelling narrative of transformation, service, and the power of compassion to change the world.

From a British boy who lost his father at 19 to an international business executive, from a skeptical inquirer to a devoted convert, from a local church leader to a global humanitarian advocate, from a member of the Seventy to a historic apostle – Elder Patrick Kearon’s journey demonstrates that lives of significance are built through service, that true leadership serves the vulnerable, and that compassion may be the most powerful force for good in our world.

His story reminds us that the most important question isn’t “What do you believe?” but “How do you serve?” That in the end, faith is measured not by doctrinal knowledge but by love demonstrated through action. That transformation is possible for anyone willing to question, seek, and ultimately commit to something larger than themselves.

As Elder Kearon continues his ministry, traveling the world, speaking to millions, and advocating for the vulnerable, his life stands as a testament to the transformative power of faith lived through compassionate service. And perhaps that’s the greatest legacy any religious leader can leave – not in the positions held or titles earned, but in the lives touched, the suffering eased, and the love shared in Christ’s name.

Here’s to Elder Patrick Kearon – a leader prepared through diverse experiences, transformed by faith, and devoted to serving the most vulnerable among us. His story continues to inspire, his compassion continues to heal, and his ministry continues to demonstrate what religious leadership can be when centered on service rather than status, on compassion rather than judgment, and on the fundamental human dignity of every person, regardless of their circumstances.