- Media invited to meet with Bishop Kelly after the celebration of 11.00am Mass in the Cathedral
The Holy Father, Pope Francis, has appointed the Most Reverend Brendan Kelly, Bishop of Achonry, as the new Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.
The news of the appointment is strictly embargoed, and will be made public in Rome today at 12.00 noon (11.00am Irish time).
Media will have an opportunity to speak to Bishop Kelly after the celebration of 11.00am Mass this morning in the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas in Galway city. After Mass a media briefing will take place in the Conference Room of the Cathedral.
Please see below a brief biography of the life and ministry to date of Bishop Brendan Kelly.
ENDS
Notes for Editors
- The Diocese
The Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora includes portions of counties Galway, Mayo and Clare. Bishop Martin Drennan is Bishop Emeritus of Galway, having retired in July of 2016.
- Brief biography of the life and ministry to date of Bishop Brendan Kelly
A photograph of Bishop Brendan Kelly is available by contacting the Catholic Communications Office.
Born in Derrybrien in the parish of Ballinakill, Co Galway on 20 May 1946 to Sean and Annie Kelly, Bishop Brendan was the second of nine children. He attended Craughwell National School
and subsequently boarded at Saint Mary’s Diocesan College in Galway city.
Following the completion of his Leaving Certificate examination in 1964, he applied to and was accepted
by the then bishop, Michael Brown, to study for diocesan priesthood in the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora. He started his studies in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth in September of that year.
As a seminarian Bishop Brendan completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1967 and a Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1970.
He was ordained to the priesthood on 20 June 1971 by Bishop Brown in the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas in Galway city.
His first appointment was to the parish of Kinvara as a curate before being appointed to the teaching staff of Coláiste Éinde in Salthill in 1972, completing a Higher Diploma in Education in the then University College Galway (now the National University of Ireland, Galway) in 1973.
Bishop Brendan remained on the staff of Coláiste Éinde until 1980 when he was transferred to the teaching staff of Our Lady’s College, Gort, becoming President in 1986.
Following the 1995 amalgamation of the three Gort secondary schools, Bishop Brendan applied for and was granted sabbatical leave from his diocese for one year and went to live with the L’Arche Community at Cuise-la-Motte in France. Founded by Jean Vanier in 1964, the worldwide L’Arche movement seeks to create inclusive, creative and caring families where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work in friendship, joy and mutual respect.
Returning to his diocese in 1996, Bishop Brendan was appointed by Bishop James McLoughlin as
Parish Priest of Lisdoonvarna in Co Clare and subsequently as Parish Priest of An Spidéal in 2003.
On 20 November 2007, Bishop Brendan was named by Pope Benedict XVI as the Bishop of Achonry, succeeding recently retired Bishop Thomas Flynn. On 27 January 2008 he was ordained to the episcopate by Cardinal Seán Brady in the Cathedral of the Annunciation and Saint Nathy in Ballaghaderreen.
Today, 11 December 2017, Pope Francis, named Bishop Brendan as Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora, succeeding Bishop Martin Drennan who retired in July 2016.
It is planned that Bishop Brendan’s ‘Installation Ceremony’ will take place in the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas on 11 February 2018, the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.
Bishop Brendan’s episcopal motto is ‘De réir d’fhocail’ (‘According to your word’ Lk 1:38). He:
– is a fluent Irish speaker and has a working knowledge of the French language;
– was a member of the Standing Committee of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference for six years;
– is a member of the Bishops’ Council of the Liturgy;
– is a member of the Bishops’ An Coiste Comhairleach um Liotúirge i nGaeilge;
– is a member of the Bishops’ Commission for Catholic Education and Formation;
– is Chairman of the Bishops’ Council for Education;
– is a member of The Council for the West.
ENDS
For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678 and David Macken 00353 (1) 5053055
