Dermot Farrell

The Most Reverend Dr Dermot Farrell KC*HS
Archbishop of Dublin Primate of Ireland
Church	Roman Catholic
Archdiocese	Dublin
Appointed	29 December 2020
Installed	2 February 2021
Predecessor	Diarmuid Martin
Previous post(s)	Bishop of Ossory Financial Secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference Vicar general of the Diocese of Meath Parish priest of Dunboyne President of St Patrick's College, Maynooth Lecturer at St Patrick's College, Maynooth Director of Formation at the Pontifical Irish College
Orders
Ordination	7 June 1980
Consecration	11 March 2018 by Diarmuid Martin
Personal details
Born	Dermot Pius Farrell (1954-11-22) 22 November 1954 (age 70) Castletown Geoghegan, County Westmeath, Ireland
Parents	Dermot and Carmel Farrell
Alma mater	St Patrick's College, Maynooth Pontifical Gregorian University
Motto	Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini "Our help is in the name of the Lord"
Coat of arms

Dermot Pius Farrell KC*HS (born 22 November 1954) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Dublin since 2021.

Early life and education

Farrell was born in Garthy, Castletown Geoghegan, County Westmeath, on 22 November 1954, the eldest of seven children to Dermot and Carmel Farrell. He was baptised in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, and attended primary school in Castletown Geoghegan and Streamstown and secondary school at St Finian's College, Mullingar. ^{[1] [2]}

Farrell began studying for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, in 1972, completing a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and physics from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth in 1976 and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Pontifical University in 1979. ^[1]

He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Meath on 7 June 1980. ^[2]

Presbyteral ministry

Following ordination, Farrell's first pastoral assignment was as a curate in the cathedral parish of Mullingar between 1981 and 1985. He completed a licentiate in theology from St Patrick's College, Maynooth between 1979 and 1981, before completing doctoral studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome between 1985 and 1988, where his doctoral thesis explored the dogmatic foundations of Bernhard Häring's dialogical approach to Catholic moral theology as a sacramental way of life. During his final year in Rome, Farrell also served as director of formation in the Pontifical Irish College. ^[1]

He returned to Ireland in 1989, serving as a curate in Tullamore and lecturing in moral theology at St Patrick's College, Maynooth. While continuing to lecture in moral theology, Farrell was appointed executive assistant to the president of the university in 1990. He was subsequently appointed vice-president on 13 October 1993 and president on 9 December 1996, following the sudden death of his predecessor, Matthew O'Donnell. ^{[2] [3]}

He was appointed Prelate of Honour of His Holiness on 6 June 1997, and made a member of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in 1998 before being promoted to the rank of Grand Officer in 2018.

President of St Patrick's College

Following the creation of the National University of Ireland from the separation of the faculties of Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy and Science from St Patrick's College by the Universities Act, 1997, Farrell remained president of the pontifical university, presiding over the revision of the formation programme Pastores Dabo Vobis and supervising the renovation of its heritage buildings. ^[3]

Following media reports in 2002 surrounding the resignation of his predecessor, Micheál Ledwith, in 1994, Farrell made public the circumstances of Ledwith's departure, that he had been accused of sexually abusing a minor and reached a confidential financial settlement with his accuser. ^[4]

Following the invitation of controversial American theologian, Charles Curran, to speak at a conference sponsored by the university in 2006, Farrell stated that he had been neither consulted about, nor informed of, the invitation. ^[5]

Return to pastoral ministry

Farrell retired as President of St Patrick's College in 2007 and returned to pastoral ministry in the Diocese of Meath, when he was appointed parish priest in Dunboyne. He was appointed vicar general of the diocese in 2009. ^[6]

Episcopal ministry

Bishop of Ossory

Farrell was appointed Bishop of Ossory by Pope Francis on 3 January 2018, and consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, on 11 March in St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Farrell became a member of the standing committee of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference, and subsequently its Financial Secretary in March 2019. ^{[10] [11]}

Archbishop of Dublin

Farrell was appointed Archbishop of Dublin by Pope Francis on 29 December 2020, continuing to serve as Apostolic Administrator of Ossory until his installation on 2 February 2021 in St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin. ^{[10] [11] [12] [13]}

Soon after his archiepiscopal appointment, Farrell told The Irish Times that while he is in favour of opening the diaconate to women, he also claimed not to be against the ordination of women. However, he feared that such move could cause a schism in the church, as it had in the Church of England and the Episcopal Church. He also called for a more flexible approach towards celibacy, similar to the one adopted by the Eastern Orthodox Churches. ^[14]

In 2021 when it came to same-sex blessings, he said that such situations should be dealt with “individually and pastorally”, lamenting that such blessings "are very often misconstrued as marriage". ^[15]

Following the release of Fiducia Supplicans, Farrell said couples in so-called irregular unions cannot be refused a blessing. He stated “prudence and attention to the ecclesial context and to the local culture” could allow for different forms of blessing, but not for “a total or definitive denial”. ^[16]

In 2024 Farrell said that until the sexual abuse crisis is fully addressed, there will not be “authentic, enduring renewal and reform” in the Church. Speaking at Saint Mary’s Pro-Cathedral he spoke of a “culture of denial” with respect to sexual abuse. ^[17]

References

1. "Biography of Archbishop Dermot Farrell". Archdiocese of Dublin . Retrieved 29 October 2022.
2. "Pope Francis appoints Monsignor Dermot Farrell as Bishop of Ossory". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
3. "Chapter X: Appointments from 1795 to Date". Kalendarium (PDF). Maynooth. 2021. pp. 258–259.
4. McGarry, Patsy (29 December 2020). "Incoming Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell faces daunting job". The Irish Times . Retrieved 29 October 2022.
5. Healy, Alison (28 April 2006). "Controversial theologian to speak at Maynooth". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
6. Kelly, Michael (29 December 2020). "Dermot Farrell appointed Archbishop of Dublin". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
7. "Pope Francis appoints Monsignor Dermot Farrell as Bishop of Ossory". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
8. "Monsignor Dermot Farrell named Bishop of Ossory". RTÉ. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
9. Looby, David. "Dermot Farrell ordained new Ossory Bishop". Irish Independent. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
10. "Rinunce e nomine, 29.12.2020" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 29 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
11. McGarry, Patsy (29 December 2020). "Incoming Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell faces daunting job". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
12. Conneely, Ailbhe (29 December 2020). "Dr Dermot Farrell appointed new Archbishop of Dublin". RTÉ . Retrieved 29 December 2020. Bishop Farrell becomes Archbishop-elect of Dublin and continues in the capacity of the Administrator of the Diocese of Ossory.
13. Donohoe, John (2 February 2021). "Dermot Farrell installed as Archbishop of Dublin". Meath Chronicle . Retrieved 29 October 2022.
14. McGarry, Patsy (2 January 2021). "Next archbishop of Dublin would like to see women deacons in Church". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
15. McGarry, Patsy (22 March 2021). "Vatican ban on same-sex blessings leaves 'sour imprint', priest says". The Irish Times. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
16. Same sex couples cannnot be denied a blessing, says Catholic Archbishop of Dublin
17. Irish Archbishop says until abuse crisis is addressed, ‘authentic’ renewal is impossible for Church

External links

• Archbishop Dermot Pius Farrell on Catholic-Hierarchy.org
• Archbishop Dermot Pius Farrell on GCatholic

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by Diarmuid Martin	Archbishop of Dublin since 2021	Succeeded by Incumbent
Preceded by Séamus Freeman	Bishop of Ossory 2018–2020	Succeeded by Niall Coll
Order of precedence in Northern Ireland
Preceded by Eamon Martin Archbishop of Armagh (Roman Catholic)	Gentlemen Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin	Succeeded by Michael Jackson Archbishop of Dublin (Church of Ireland)