Thomas Deenihan

{{Short description|Irish Roman Catholic prelate}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2019}} {{Use Hiberno-English|date=November 2019}} {{Infobox Christian leader | name = Thomas Deenihan | title = [[Bishop of Meath]] | church = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] | diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath|Meath]] | appointed = 18 June 2018 | enthroned = 2 September 2018 | predecessor = [[Michael Smith (bishop)|Michael Smith]] | ordination = 1 June 1991 | ordained_by = [[Michael Murphy (bishop)|Michael Murphy]] | consecration = 2 September 2018 | consecrated_by = [[Eamon Martin]] | alma_mater = [[University of Hull]] [[Maynooth College|St Patrick’s College, Maynooth]] | motto = ''Illuminabit te Christus'' (Christ will give you light) | coat_of_arms = Coat of arms of Thomas Deenihan.svg | honorific_prefix = [[The Most Reverend]], [[Doctor (title)|Dr.]] | honorific_suffix = [[Doctor of Education|D.Ed]] [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic)|KC*HS]] | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|year=1967|month=6|day=20}} | birth_place = [[Cork (city)|Cork]], Ireland | previous_post = Diocesan Secretary, Education Secretary and Advisor for Post-Primary Catechetics of the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross|Diocese of Cork and Ross]] General Secretary of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association Chair of the Board of Directors of the [[Christian Leadership in Education Office]] Teacher at St Goban's College }} {{Infobox bishop styles | name = Thomas Deenihan | dipstyle = [[The Most Reverend]] | offstyle = [[Your Grace]] | relstyle = [[Bishop]] | image = | image_size = }} '''Thomas Deenihan''' [[Order of the Holy Sepulchre (Catholic)|KC*HS]] (born 20 June 1967) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[prelate]] who has served as [[Bishop of Meath]] since 2018.

==Early life and education==

Deenihan was born in [[Blackpool, Cork|Blackpool]], [[Cork (city)|Cork]] on 20 June 1967. He attended secondary school at the [[North Monastery|North Monastery Christian Brothers School]] and studied for the priesthood at [[St Patrick's College, Maynooth|St Patrick's College, Maynooth]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=18 June 2018 |title=Pope Francis appoints Canon Thomas Deenihan as the new Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.catholicbishops.ie/2018/06/18/pope-francis-appoints-canon-thomas-deenihan-as-the-new-bishop-of-meath/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference}}</ref>

Deenihan was [[Holy orders in the Catholic Church|ordained a priest]] for the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Cork and Ross|Diocese of Cork and Ross]] in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bermingham |first=Darragh |date=2018-06-18 |title=Blackpool-born Fr Tom Deenihan appointed Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.echolive.ie/corknews/arid-40168581.html |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Echo |language=en}}</ref>

== Presbyteral ministry == Following ordination, Deenihan's first pastoral assignment was as [[curate]] in [[Glanmire]]. He was appointed to the teaching staff of St Goban's College, [[Bantry]] in 1994, during which time he also served as curate in [[Ballydehob]], Bantry, [[Kealkill]] and [[Schull]]. As part of the [[Christian Leadership in Education Office]] programme, Deenihan also completed further studies at the [[University of Hull]], completing a [[Master of Education]] in 1999 and subsequently a [[Doctor of Education]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Deenihan |first=Thomas |title=An analysis of religious education in post-primary schools in the dioceses of Cork and Ross - with specific reference to the introduction of religious education as an examination subject |date=16 June 1999 |degree=Master of Education |publisher=University of Hull |url=https://www.cleocork.com/uploads/2/6/2/1/26219445/deenihan_thomas_1999.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bishop |url=https://www.dioceseofmeath.ie/most-reverend-thomas-deenihan |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Diocese of Meath |language=en}}</ref>

He was appointed diocesan advisor for post-primary catechetics in 2003, and subsequently as diocesan secretary and education secretary three years later.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryan |first=Eilís |date=30 August 2018 |title=Cork canon to be ordained bishop of Meath on Sunday |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2018/08/30/cork-canon-to-be-ordained-bishop-of-meath-on-sunday/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Meath Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>

On a national level, Deenihan served as general secretary of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association from 2013 to 2016, and acted as executive secretary to the Council for Education and the Commission for Catholic Education and Formation of the [[Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference]] from 2016 to 2018. He also served as a member of the Honan Governors at [[University College Cork]] and Mercy Care South, as diocesan [[juridical person]] for [[Mercy University Hospital]] and as chair of the Board of Directors of the Christian Leadership in Education Office.<ref name=":0" />

Deenihan was appointed a [[Canon regular|canon]] and member of the [[cathedral chapter]] in 2017.<ref name=":0" />

==Episcopal ministry== Deenihan was appointed [[Bishop of Meath|Bishop-elect of Meath]] by [[Pope Francis]] on 18 June 2018.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Little |first=Joe |date=18 June 2018 |title=Thomas Deenihan appointed new Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0618/971321-thomas-deenihan-bishop-of-meath/ |publisher=RTÉ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Becton |first=Gavan |date=18 June 2018 |title=Pope appoints Canon Thomas Deenihan as new Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.meathchronicle.ie/2018/06/18/pope-appoints-canon-thomas-deenihan-as-new-bishop-of-meath/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Meath Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mac Donald |first=Sarah |date=2018-06-18 |title=Canon Thomas Deenihan appointed by Pope as new Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.catholicireland.net/canon-thomas-deenihan-appointed-pope-new-bishop-meath/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=CatholicIreland.net |language=en-US}}</ref>

He was consecrated by the [[Archbishop of Armagh]] and [[Primacy of Ireland|Primate of All-Ireland]], [[Eamon Martin]], on 2 September at the [[Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar|Cathedral of Christ the King]], [[Mullingar]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Farry |first=Rodney |date=2 September 2018 |title=It's not always easy being a priest today, says new Bishop of Meath |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/it-s-not-always-easy-being-a-priest-today-says-new-bishop-of-meath-1.3616011 |access-date=2023-02-25 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Daly |first=Greg |date=2018-09-06 |title=We must go to the people – Bishop Deenihan |url=https://www.irishcatholic.com/we-must-go-to-the-people-bishop-deenihan/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Irish Catholic |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gledhill |first=Ruth |date=3 September 2018 |title=New Bishop of Meath: 'Our ministry must be joyful!' |url=https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/9684/new-bishop-of-meath-our-ministry-must-be-joyful- |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Tablet |language=en}}</ref>

Speaking at the funeral of [[Killing of Ashling Murphy|Ashling Murphy]] on 18 January 2022, Deenihan referred to her murder as "a depraved act of violence" and called on people to respect each other.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hussey |first=Sinéad |date=2022-01-18 |title=Teacher's murder a 'depraved act of violence' |url=https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2022/0118/1274345-ashling-murphy-funeral/ |access-date=25 February 2023 |website=RTÉ |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Grennan |first=Geraldine |date=18 January 2022 |title=Bishop makes heartfelt plea for "respect" at funeral of Ashling Murphy |url=https://www.anglocelt.ie/2022/01/18/bishop-makes-heartfelt-plea-for-respect-at-funeral-of-ashling-murphy/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Anglo Celt |language=en-US}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{wikiquote}}

*[http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bdeenih.html Bishop Thomas Deenihan] on [[Catholic-Hierarchy.org]] {{commons category}} * [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/diocese/meat0.htm#62105 Bishop Thomas Deenihan] on GCatholic

{{s-start}} {{s-rel|ca}} {{s-break}} {{s-bef | before = [[Michael Smith (bishop)|Michael Smith]] }} {{s-ttl | title = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Meath|Bishop of Meath]] | years = since 2018 }} {{s-aft | after = Incumbent }} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Deenihan, Thomas}} [[Category:Christian clergy from Cork (city)]] [[Category:1967 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Roman Catholic bishops of Meath]] [[Category:21st-century Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland]] [[Category:Alumni of St Patrick's College, Maynooth]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Hull]]