{{Short description|Australian Roman Catholic prelate}} {{Orphan|date=May 2025}}

'''Monsignor Brian Edwin Charles Butterley Ferme''' (born 24 April 1955 in Port Pirie, South Australia) is an Australian Roman Catholic priest and canon lawyer who currently serves in the Roman Curia as Secretary of the Vatican [https://www.vatican.va/content/romancuria/it/organismi-economici/consiglio-per-l_economia/struttura.html Council of the Economy]<ref name=Ferme>{{Cite web|url=https://catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop//bferme.html|title=Father Brian Edwin Charles Butterley Ferme [Catholic-Hierarchy]|website=catholic-hierarchy.org}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncregister.com/news/pope-appoints-canon-law-expert-to-council-for-economy|title=Pope Appoints Canon-Law Expert to Council for Economy|date=March 24, 2014|website=NCR}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.patriarcatovenezia.it/site/nomina-del-papa-per-mons-brian-e-ferme-segretario-del-consiglio-per-leconomia-gli-incarichi-pastorali-e-accademici-a-venezia-le-felicitazioni-del-patriarca-moraglia/|title=Nomina del Papa per mons. Brian E. Ferme: Segretario del Consiglio per l'Economia. Gli incarichi pastorali e accademici a Venezia. Le felicitazioni del Patriarca Moraglia|website=www.patriarcatovenezia.it|date=22 March 2014 }}</ref> and as a Protonotary Apostolic.<ref name="ReferenceA">''Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office'', No. 221108a, 8.11.2022</ref>

==Early life and education== Brian Edwin Ferme was born in 1955 in Port Pirie, South Australia, the second child of Edwin (Ted) Ronald Butterley Ferme and May Cecilia Butterley Ferme, he is brother to John Ferme and Pauline Ferme. The Ferme family, of distant Scottish origin, migrated to South Australia after an aborted attempt to settle in New Zealand in the mid-nineteenth century.<ref>Greg Mayfield, "Maori Anger led to a 'Ferme' Landing", ''Port Pirie Recorder'', 10.04.2018</ref>

Brian Ferme was educated at Salesian College in Port Pirie. He obtained his B.A. from Monash University, Melbourne and also studied at the Catholic Theological College, Melbourne. He was ordained on 2 February 1980 as a priest of the Salesians of Saint John Bosco by Port Pirie's bishop Bryan Gallagher.<ref name=Ferme />

Brian Ferme was sent by the Salesians to complete a licentiate in canon law at the Salesian Pontifical University, Rome, with initial further studies at the University of Oxford. These studies were interrupted by a return to the Salesian provincial headquarters in Ascot Vale, Melbourne. He returned to Oxford in 1987 to complete a D.Phil in Medieval History on the ''Provinciale'' of William Lyndwood, during which period he also served as assistant chaplain at the Oxford University Catholic Chaplaincy. In 1996 he was invited to deliver the inaugural Lyndwood lecture by the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://canonlawsociety.org/history/the-lyndwood-lecture|title=The Lyndwood Lecture|date=December 7, 2022|website=Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland}}</ref> On receiving his doctorate he left the Salesian Order and in January 1993 was incardinated into the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth, England, though he did not serve there. This incardination at Portsmouth has repeatedly, but incorrectly, led to him being referred to as an English priest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2014/03/22/news/english-jurist-priest-appointed-secretary-of-council-for-the-economy-1.35780705/|title=English jurist priest appointed Secretary of Council for the Economy|date=March 22, 2014|website=La Stampa}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.vaticanhistory.de/wordpress/?tag=brian-ferme | title=Brian Ferme Archive > Vaticanhistory-News-Blog | date=23 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://international.la-croix.com/news/religion/vaticans-new-finance-expert-is-man-of-mystery/383|title=Vatican's new finance expert is man of mystery|date=November 21, 2014|website=La croix international}}</ref>

==Ecclesiastical career== Brian Ferme served for a brief period as bursar of Campion Hall before returning to Rome to teach canon law at the Pontifical Gregorian University and in 1994 he was named a Monsignor. He was named dean of the canon law faculty of the Pontifical Lateran University in 2000 and three years later he was appointed Dean of the School of Canon law at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. During this role, he was called upon for his opinion on the excommunication of Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo of Lusaka, Zambia for an unauthorised ordination of four married men as bishops at a Washington church.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://communications.catholic.edu/in-the-media/2010/03/ferme-ap-milingo.html|title=Monsignor Brian Ferme - CUA In the Media|first=Catholic|last=University|website=The Catholic University of America}}</ref> In September 2007, Cardinal Angelo Scola, the Patriarch of Venice, appointed Monsignor Ferme as Rector of the new Studium Generale Marcianum which includes presidency of the Marcianum's San Pio X Institute of Canon Law.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.patriarcatovenezia.it/site/nuove-nomine-al-marcianum-ferme-nuovo-preside-dellistituto-di-diritto-canonico-san-pio-x-richi-alberti-pro-direttore-dellistituto-di-scienze-religiose-san-lorenzo-giustiniani/|title=Nuove nomine al Marcianum: Ferme nuovo preside dell'Istituto di Diritto canonico San Pio X; Richi Alberti pro-direttore dell'Istituto di Scienze religiose 'San Lorenzo Giustiniani'|website=www.patriarcatovenezia.it|date=6 September 2007 |language=it|accessdate=1 January 2025}}</ref> Scola also appointed him a canon of St Mark's Basilica. Whilst rector he welcomed, amongst others, Pope Benedict XVI to the Marcianum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scrinium.org/en-us/Events/henry-viiis-petition-greets-pope-benedict-xvi-on-his-visit-to-the-studium-generale-marcianum-in-venice-1|title=Henry VIII's Petition greets pope Benedict XVI on his visit to the Studium Generale Marcianum in Venice|website=Scrinium}}</ref> On 24 July 2013, the new Patriarch of Venice, Francesco Moraglia, gave Monsignor Ferme the official designation of Monsignor for the University and Culture of Venice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/venezia/cronaca/2013/08/11/news/ecco-l-elenco-completo-dei-sacerdoti-che-possono-fregiarsi-del-titolo-1.7567776|title=Ecco l'elenco completo dei sacerdoti che possono fregiarsi del titolo|date=August 11, 2013|website=La Nuova Venezia}}</ref>

On 22 March 2014 Monsignor Ferme was appointed Secretary of the [https://www.vatican.va/content/romancuria/it/organismi-economici/consiglio-per-l_economia/struttura.html Council of the Economy] (''Consilium de Rebus Oeconomicis'') by the Holy See, a position he continues to hold.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nuovavenezia.gelocal.it/venezia/cronaca/2014/03/23/news/monsignor-ferme-segretario-in-vaticano-1.8912918|title=Monsignor Ferme segretario in Vaticano|date=March 23, 2014|website=La Nuova Venezia}}</ref><ref name="auto"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://insidethevatican.com/magazine/culture/people-6/|title=People - June/July 2014|date=June 1, 2014|website=Inside The Vatican}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicculture.org/news/headlines/index.cfm?storyid=20867&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+CatholicWorldNewsFeatureStories+(Catholic+World+News+(on+CatholicCulture.org))|title=English canonist named prelate-secretary of new Council for the Economy &#124; News Headlines|website=www.catholicculture.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/29279/pope-appoints-canon-law-expert-to-council-for-economy|title=Pope appoints Canon Law expert to Council for Economy|website=Catholic News Agency}}</ref> The Council of the Economy, under the directorship of Cardinal Reinhard Marx, determines the policies of the Vatican's Secretariat of the Economy, headed between 2014 and 2019 by Monsignor Ferme's fellow Australian, former Cardinal George Pell.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://angelusnews.com/uncategorized-on-import/pope-francis-shapes-vatican-finances-under-advice-from-his-cardinals/|title=Pope Francis shapes Vatican finances under advice from his cardinals|date=April 1, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/roman-observer/pell-takes-italians|title=Pell takes on the Italians|first=Robert|last=Mickens|website=www.ncronline.org}}</ref> On 8 November 2022, Pope Francis appointed Brian Ferme to the College of Protonotaries Apostolic ''de numero participantium''.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Publications== Monsignor Brian Ferme is the author of several publications, all in the field of Canon Law:

*"Testamentary procedure with special reference to the executrix" Archer, Rowena E. • Ferme, Brian Edwin. (1989) - In: ''Reading medieval studies'' vol. 15 (1989) pp.&nbsp;3–34. Also published as: *"Testamentary Procedure with Special Reference to the Executrix". Archer, Rowena E. • Ferme, Brian Edwin. (1989) - In: ''Medieval women in Southern England'' pp.&nbsp;3–34. *''Canon law in late medieval England: A study of William Lynwood's ''Provinciale'' with particular reference to testamentary Law''. Ferme, Brian Edwin. - Roma (1996). *''Introduzione allo studio delle fonti dell'utrumque ius''. Falchi, Gian Luigi • Ferme, Brian Edwin. - Città del Vaticano (2006). *''Introduction to the History of the Sources of Canon Law: The Ancient Law up to the Decretum of Gratian''. Ferme, Brian Edwin. - Montréal (2007). *"Dal Decretum Gratiani al Lateranense IV: origine dell'obbligo della confessione". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (2013) - In: ''La penitenza tra Gregorio VII e Bonifacio VIII. Teologia - pastorale - istituzioni'' pp.&nbsp;127–156. *"The Roman Primacy and the Canonical Collections of the First Millennium". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (2013) - In: ''Studi Agostino Marchetto'' pp.&nbsp;137–164. *"Quinque compilationes antiquae: a turning point in the history of canon law". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (2005) - In: M''iscellanea Velasio De Paolis'' pp.&nbsp;41–55. *"Chiesa e papato nella storia e nel diritto". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (2004) - In: ''Apollinaris'' vol. 77 (2004) pp.&nbsp;887–891. *"The magisterium and the medieval canonists". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (2002) - In: ''Miscellanea Ottorino Pasquato'' pp.&nbsp;397–408. *"The tendency to Roman law in English fifteenth century law: Lyndwood's ''Provinciale'' re-examined". Ferme, Brian Edwin. (1997) - In: ''Proceedings of the Ninth International Congress of Medieval Canon Law Munich'' pp.&nbsp;661–674.

==References== {{Reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ferme, Brian}} Category:1955 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century Australian Roman Catholic priests Category:21st-century Australian Roman Catholic priests Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:Australian expatriates in England Category:Australian expatriates in Italy Category:Australian expatriates in the United States Category:Australian religious writers Category:Australian Roman Catholic writers Category:Catholic University of America faculty Category:Monash University alumni Category:People from Port Pirie Category:Academic staff of the Pontifical Lateran University Category:Salesians of Don Bosco Category:Salesian Pontifical University alumni