Brendan Leahy

{{short description|Irish prelate of the Catholic Church (born 1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}} {{Infobox Christian leader | name = Brendan Leahy | consecrated_by = [[Dermot Clifford]] | honorific_suffix = [[Doctor of Sacred Theology|SThD]] | honorific_prefix = [[The Most Reverend]] | alma_mater = [[University College Dublin]] [[Mater Dei Institute of Education]] [[Clonliffe College]] [[King's Inns]] [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] | religion = [[Roman Catholic]] | death_date =  | birth_place = [[Dublin]], Ireland | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1960|03|28|df=yes}} | rank =  | consecration = 14 April 2013 | title = [[Bishop of Limerick]] | ordained_by = [[Joseph Carroll (bishop)|Joseph Carroll]] | ordination = 5 June 1986 | other_post = President of [[Veritas Communications]] | predecessor = [[Donal Murray (bishop)|Donal Murray]] | term_start = 14 April 2013 | appointed = 10 January 2013 | diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick|Limerick]] | church = [[Roman Catholic]] | previous_post = Professor of Systematic Theology at [[St Patrick's College, Maynooth|St Patrick's College]] Registrar of [[Mater Dei Institute of Education]] }} '''Brendan Leahy''' (born 28 March 1960) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[prelate]] and [[theologian]] who has served as [[Bishop of Limerick]] since 2013.

== Early life == Leahy was born in the [[Rotunda Hospital]], [[Dublin]], on 28 March 1960, the third of four children to Maurice and Treasa Leahy, both of whom originated in west [[County Kerry]] and were primary school principals in Dublin. His father taught for a year in [[Athea]], [[County Limerick]], in the 1940s, while as a child, he spent long periods of the year living in [[Ballyferriter]], County Kerry.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=10 January 2013 |title=Pope Benedict XVI appoints Father Brendan Leahy as Bishop of Limerick |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2013/01/10/pope-benedict-xvi-appoints-father-brendan-leahy-bishop-limerick/ |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref>

Leahy lived in [[Crumlin, Dublin|Crumlin]] until he was six, before moving to [[Ballyroan, Dublin|Ballyroan]], [[Rathfarnham]]. He attended primary school in St Damian's National School, [[Walkinstown]], and secondary school at [[Coláiste Éanna]].<ref name=":0" />

Leahy completed his undergraduate studies in [[Civil law (legal system)|civil law]] at [[University College Dublin]] between 1977 and 1980, and theology, spirituality and psychology at [[Mater Dei Institute of Education]] between 1980 and 1981. He studied for the [[Bar (law)|bar]] at [[King's Inns]] between 1981 and 1983, before being called to the bar in 1983.<ref name=":0" />

Leahy completed further undergraduate studies in philosophy at [[Holy Cross College (Dublin)|Holy Cross College]] between 1981 and 1983, and theology at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] between 1983 and 1986. He was [[Holy orders in the Catholic Church|ordained to the priesthood]] for the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin|Archdiocese of Dublin]] on 5 June 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bishop Brendan Leahy |url=https://limerickdiocese.org/who-we-are/bishop-brendan-leahy |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=[[Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick|Diocese of Limerick]] |language=en}}</ref>

== Presbyteral ministry == Following his ordination, Leahy completed his [[Doctor of Sacred Theology|doctorate in sacred theology]] at the [[Pontifical Gregorian University]] between 1983 and 1991, leading to a [[Thesis|doctoral thesis]] on the Marian principle in the [[Catholic ecclesiology|ecclesiology]] of [[Hans Urs von Balthasar]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=10 January 2013 |title=Nomina del vescovo di Limerick (Irlanda) |url=https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2013/01/10/0014/00040.html#NOMINA%20DEL%20VESCOVO%20DI%20LIMERICK%20(IRLANDA)%20NOMINA%20DEL%20VESCOVO%20DI%20LIMERICK%20(IRLANDA) |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=[[Holy See Press Office]]}}</ref>

He was appointed [[curate]] in [[Clonskeagh]] between 1991 and 1992, serving as the [[chaplain]] to [[St Kilian's German School]], before being appointed in 1992 to the staff of [[Mater Dei Institute of Education]] until 2006, and [[Holy Cross College (Dublin)|Holy Cross College]] until its closure in 1999. Leahy also ministered in [[Sutton, Dublin|Sutton]] between 1995 and 1996, and was appointed archdiocesan censor in 1999 while also serving as a curate in [[Lusk, County Dublin|Lusk]] until 2004. He was later appointed [[Registrar (education)|registrar]] of [[Mater Dei Institute of Education]] between 2004 and 2006.<ref name=":0" />

On an archdiocesan level, Leahy served as a member of the [[presbyteral council]] and the [[Consultor|College of Consultors]] between 1998 and 2004, as well as chair of the commission for ecumenism.<ref name=":0" />

On a national level, Leahy served as secretary of the advisory committee on [[ecumenism]] of the [[Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference]] between 1999 and 2010, and as a member of the [[Faith and Belief Forum|Three Faiths Forum]] since 1999. He has also served as co-chair of the theology forum of the [[Irish Council of Churches|Irish Inter-Church Meeting]] since 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |date=11 June 2020 |title=Bishop Brendan Leahy: The pandemic has changed us as church communities |work=[[The Irish News]] |url=https://www.irishnews.com/lifestyle/faithmatters/2020/06/11/news/bishop-brendan-leahy-the-pandemic-has-changed-us-as-church-communities-1967738/ |access-date=2 April 2022}}</ref>

Having been involved with the [[Focolare Movement]] since his time at [[University College Dublin]], Leahy lived in the Focolare Centre in [[Prosperous, County Kildare|Prosperous]], [[County Kildare]], between 2004 and 2013. He was nominated as an associate member of the [[Pontifical Academy of Theology]] in 2004, and appointed professor of [[systematic theology]] at [[St Patrick's College, Maynooth]] in 2006. He has also been a [[Visiting scholar|visiting lecturer]] at the {{Interlanguage link|Sophia University Institute|it|Istituto Universitario Sophia}} since its foundation in 2007.<ref name=":0" />

== Episcopal ministry == Leahy was appointed [[Bishop of Limerick|Bishop-elect of Limerick]] by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on 10 January 2013.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=10 January 2013 |title=New Bishop of Limerick announced |url=https://www.limerickleader.ie/news/local-news/88021/New-Bishop-of-Limerick-announced-.html |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=[[Limerick Leader]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=10 January 2013 |title=Fr Brendan Leahy appointed Bishop of Limerick |work=[[Raidió Telefís Éireann]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0110/362071-bishop-of-limerick-brendan-leahy/ |access-date=31 March 2022}}</ref> He was ordained bishop on 14 April by the [[Archbishop of Cashel|Archbishop of Cashel-Emly]], [[Dermot Clifford]], in [[St John's Cathedral (Limerick)|St John's Cathedral]], [[Limerick]]. He was the first bishop to be ordiained in Ireland since the election of Pope Francis the previous March, and in the diocese since [[Jeremiah Newman]] in 1974.<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 April 2013 |title=Brendan Leahy ordained 47th Bishop of Limerick at Saint John's Cathedral |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2013/04/14/brendan-leahy-ordained-47th-bishop-limerick-saint-johns-cathedral/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=14 April 2013 |title=New Bishop of Limerick ordained |publisher=[[RTÉ News]] |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0414/381297-brendan-leahy-limerick-bishop/ |access-date=25 August 2021}}</ref>

Leahy is also President of [[Veritas Communications|Veritas]] and was appointed chair of the section on interfaith dialogue of the Commission of Evangelisation and Culture of the [[Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe|Council of European Bishops' Conferences]] in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Donnelly |first=Katherine |date=8 April 2017 |title=Bishops publish only textbooks that are approved for use in schools |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/education/bishops-publish-only-textbooks-that-are-approved-for-use-in-schools-35605399.html |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref>

Following the passing of a [[Thirty-sixth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|referendum]] on [[Abortion in the Republic of Ireland|liberalising abortion laws]] on 25 May 2018, Leahy stated in an end-of-year reflection on 28 December that while he acknowledged that a majority voted in favour of the amendment, he hoped "that no-one, or at least very few, willing voted primarily for the abolition of the life of the unborn child in the womb". He added that while legislation provided for the introduction of abortion services in the Republic of Ireland from 1 January 2019, a culture must be promoted that defaults to protecting the unborn, rather than allowing abortion to become the default option for [[Unintended pregnancy|crisis pregnancies]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 December 2018 |title=Ireland must promote a culture that defaults to protecting the unborn – Bishop Brendan Leahy |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2019/01/02/ireland-must-promote-a-culture-that-defaults-to-protecting-the-unborn-bishop-brendan-leahy/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=McGarry |first=Patsy |date=28 December 2018 |title=Bishop warns against 'inglorious watermark' on abortion |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/bishop-warns-against-inglorious-watermark-on-abortion-1.3743211 |access-date=2022-04-02 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref>

Ahead of a [[Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution of Ireland|referendum]] on [[Marriage in the Republic of Ireland|easing divorce restrictions]] in May 2019, Leahy expressed concern at the lack of discussion about the referendum, saying that it would be a shame for voters to tick a box without considering the social context and challenges faced by marriage in the present day. He asked for consideration to be given to establishing a marriage support agency in Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 May 2019 |title=Statement by Bishop Brendan Leahy on the marriage referendum |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2019/05/21/statement-by-bishop-brendan-leahy-on-the-marriage-referendum/ |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Little |first=Joe |date=20 May 2019 |title=Bishop calls for creation of marriage support agency |work=Raidió Telefís Éireann |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2019/2019/0520/1050649-bishop-calls-for-creation-of-marriage-support-agency/ |access-date=2 April 2022}}</ref>

In response to claims from some Christians that God had punished the world with the onset of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], Leahy stated on 5 May 2020 that these claims were "a form of blasphemy".<ref>{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Sarah |date=5 May 2020 |title='Claiming Covid-19 is God's punishment is blasphemy' - Bishop of Limerick |url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/claiming-covid-19-is-gods-punishment-is-blasphemy-bishop-39181308.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref>

===Synod Participant=== He is one of two Irish bishops to have represented the Irish Episcopal Conference at the [[Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops]] in both 2023 and 2024, widely seen as a landmark event in contemporary Catholicism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bishop Brendan Leahy and Bishop Alan McGuckian share their experience from the Universal Synodal Assembly held in Rome from 4 - 29 October 2023 |url=https://synod.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Report-from-Synodal-Assembly-Bishop-Brendan-Leahy-and-Bishop-Alan-McGuckian-4.pdf |website=synod.ie}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ekklesiaonline.org/leahy21 | title=MGR Brendan Leahy | A Church bearing witness }}</ref>

== Bibliography == Leahy has both edited and authored a number of publications, both during his presbyteral ministry and his episcopal ministry.

* {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=Il principio mariano nella Chiesa |publisher=Città Nuova |year=1999 |isbn=9788831132572 |location=Rome |language=it}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=The Marian Profile In the Ecclesiology of Hans Urs Von Balthasar |publisher=New City Press |year=2000 |isbn=9781565481398 |location=Hyde Park, NY |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last1=Leahy |first1=Brendan |title=Contemplating Jesus Through the Eyes of Mary: Living the Rosary in the Light of Focolare Spirituality |last2=McGlynn |first2=Fergus |publisher=Veritas |year=2003 |isbn=9781853907852 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last1=Leahy |first1=Brendan |title=Christianity: Origins & Contemporary Expressions |last2=Norris |first2=Thomas |publisher=Veritas |year=2004 |isbn=1853907960 |editor-last=Cassidy |editor-first=Eoin G. |location=Dublin |language=en-IE |editor-last2=Devitt |editor-first2=Patrick M.}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=O princípio Mariano da igreja |publisher=Cidade Nova |year=2005 |isbn=9788578211042 |location=São Paulo |language=pt-BR |translator-last=de Almeida |translator-first=José Maria}} * {{cite book |title=No Peace Without Justice, No Justice Without Forgiveness |publisher=Veritas |year=2005 |isbn=9781853909863 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |title=Priests Today: Reflections on Identity, Life, and Ministry |publisher=New City Press |year=2010 |isbn=9781565483460 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Hyde Park, NY |language=en-IE |editor-last2=Mulvey |editor-first2=Michael}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=Believe in Love: The Life, Ministry and Teachings of John Paul II |publisher=Veritas |year=2011 |isbn=9781565484214 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=Ecclesial Movements and Communities: Origins, Issues and Significance |publisher=New City Press |year=2011 |isbn=9781565483965 |location=New York |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |title=Having Life in His Name: Living, Thinking and Communicating the Christian Life of Faith |publisher=Veritas |year=2011 |isbn=9781847303219 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE |editor-last2=O'Connell |editor-first2=Séamus}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=His Mass and Ours: Meditations on Living Eucharistically |publisher=New City Press |year=2012 |isbn=9781565484481 |location=New York |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |title=Treasures of Irish Christianity: People and Places, Images and Texts |publisher=Veritas |year=2012 |isbn=9781847303646 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE |editor-last2=Ryan |editor-first2=Salvador}} * {{cite book |title=Treasures of Irish Christianity: A People of the Word |publisher=Veritas |year=2012 |isbn=9781847304315 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE |editor-last2=Ryan |editor-first2=Salvador}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=Year of Faith: Stations of the Cross |publisher=Catholic Truth Society |year=2013 |isbn=9781860828461 |location=London |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Brendan |title=Going to God Together: Reflections Along the Way |publisher=New City Press |year=2013 |isbn=9781565484832 |location=New York |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Purcell |first=Fr. Brendan |title=The Human Voyage of Self-Discovery |publisher=Veritas |year=2013 |isbn=9781847304308 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE |editor-last2=Walsh |editor-first2=David}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |title=Who Leads The Church? Noticing the Holy Spirit at Work |publisher=Veritas |year=2015 |isbn=9781847306616 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |title=Let's Remember, Let's Review, Let's Renew: The Second Vatican Council, Fifty Years On |publisher=Veritas |year=2015 |isbn=9781847306654 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |title=Dreaming Big; Living the Reality |publisher=Veritas |year=2017 |isbn=9781847307521 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |title=Graced Horizons: A Journey through Mercy |publisher=Veritas |year=2017 |isbn=9781847307583 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Leahy |first=Bishop Brendan |title=Dear Young Friends: Pope Francis in Conversation with Young People |publisher=Veritas |year=2017 |isbn=9781847307750 |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}} * {{cite book |last=Lubich |first=Chiara |title=Maria |publisher=Città Nuova |year=2017 |isbn=9788831144520 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Rome |language=it |author-link=Chiara Lubich |editor-last2=Povilus |editor-first2=Judith M.}} * {{cite book |last=Lubich |first=Chiara |title=La Chiesa |publisher=Città Nuova |year=2018 |isbn=9788831144537 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Brendan |location=Rome |language=it |author-link=Chiara Lubich |editor-last2=Blaumeiser |editor-first2=Hubertus}} * {{cite book |title=Towards a Better Education of Children: Extracts from Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation on Love in the Family, 'Amoris Laetitia' |publisher=Veritas |year=2021 |isbn=9781800970175 |editor-last=Leahy |editor-first=Bishop Brendan |location=Dublin |language=en-IE}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}}

* [https://www.limerickdiocese.org/who-we-are/bishop-brendan-leahy/ Bishop Brendan Leahy] on the Diocese of Limerick website * [https://catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop//bleahyb.html Bishop Brendan Leahy] on [[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] * [https://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/lime1.htm#51836 Bishop Brendan Leahy] on GCatholic * {{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-QREc88kGY |title=Fr Brendan Leahy, the new Bishop of Limerick Diocese |date=22 January 2013 |via=[[YouTube]]}} {{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-bef | before = [[Donal Murray (bishop)|Donal Murray]] }} {{s-ttl | title = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick|Bishop of Limerick]] | years = since 14 April 2013 }} {{s-aft | after = Incumbent }} {{end}}{{Roman Catholic dioceses in Ireland}}{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick}}{{Roman Catholic Bishops of Limerick}}{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leahy, Brendan}} [[Category:Alumni of University College Dublin]] [[Category:Alumni of Mater Dei Institute of Education]] [[Category:Alumni of Clonliffe College]] [[Category:Pontifical Gregorian University alumni]] [[Category:Irish barristers]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:1960 births]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Limerick]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland]] [[Category:Alumni of King's Inns]] [[Category:People educated at Coláiste Éanna]] [[Category:Christian clergy from County Dublin]] [[Category:Bishops appointed by Pope Benedict XVI]]