Dermot Clifford (Roman Catholic Bishop)
Encyclopedia
Dermot Clifford, Ph.D.
, D.D. (born 25 January 1939), is the Archbishop of Cashel & Emly
and the Apostolic Administrator
of the Diocese of Cloyne
, Ireland
.
, County Kerry
, Ireland, on 25 January 1939. He was educated at Clogher National School and St Brendan's College, Killarney
. Among his teachers at St. Brendan's was the late Bishop of Kerry, Dr. Diarmaid Ó Súilleabháin. From Killarney
, he moved to St Patrick's College, Maynooth
, where he graduated with a B.Sc. Degree in 1960. After Maynooth
, he went to the Irish College
in Rome
, where he was to study for the next four years and was ordained priest on 22 February 1964. Whilst in Rome, he studied at the Lateran University
and obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Theology, being in Rome for the first two sessions of Vatican Council II. As a student, he was given the responsibility of looking after the Irish bishops who stayed in the Irish College.
, where he taught from 1964 to 1972. He commuted to Cork five days per week (1965–1966) for his Higher Diploma in Education. He was later to lecture on a part-time basis in University College Cork in Social Science (1975–1981). He is now a member of the Governing Body representing north and south Tipperary.
Dr. Clifford then studied Social Administration at the London School of Economics
(1972–1974), where he was conferred with a Master's Degree with distinction. From London
, he returned to his native Kerry in August 1974 to become Diocesan Secretary. During that time he also served as Chaplain to St. Mary of the Angels, Beaufort, a home for children with learning disabilities.
was Archbishop Thomas Morris
; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi
and Bishop Diarmaid O'Súilleabháin, the Bishop of Kerry. He was parish priest of Tipperary town for two and a half years. On 12 September 1988 he was installed as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in a ceremony in Thurles Cathedral, presided over by the late Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich.
A keen footballer in his earlier years, he became the first Kerryman to hold the office of Patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association
, in 1989. That same year he was awarded a Ph.D.
degree for a thesis on Carers of the Elderly and Handicapped at Loughborough University
; this was based on studies he conducted in Kerry just before he left.
Archbishop Clifford has served on the Emigrant Commission of the Bishops' Conference and he helped to set up the Chaplaincy Scheme to the young emigrants in the USA in 1987. He is currently Chairman of the Irish Bishop's Research and Development Commission. He is a Trustee of the Bóthar project, which sends livestock to Uganda and other countries recovering from the effects of war and famine.
On 24 March 2010 it was announced by the Holy See that Bishop Magee had formally resigned from his duties as Bishop of Cloyne and was now bishop emeritus and that Archbishop Clifford, already apostolic administrator there, will remain as such until the appointment of a full time successor to the Cloyne diocese.
of Tuam, along with Cardinal Brady, Archbishops Diarmuid Martin
of Dublin and Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly for high-level talks with heads of Vatican congregations over the apostolic visitation of Irish dioceses in the wake of the Murphy and Ryan reports. While in Rome, the Irish churchmen will come face to face with a team of investigators appointed by Pope Benedict to examine the four Irish archdioceses and "some other as yet unspecified dioceses".
These will include Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop emeritus of Westminster, who will inspect Cardinal Brady's archdiocese of Armagh, and Cardinal Seán O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, who is to inspect the Dublin diocese
. Toronto's Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins
will investigate Cashel, while Ottawa's Archbishop Terrence Prendergast
will look at the west of Ireland archdiocese of Tuam. An investigation of the state of Irish seminaries will be conducted by Archbishop Timothy Dolan
of New York
. The investigators, known as apostolic visitors, will report their findings directly to Pope Benedict XVI
.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, D.D. (born 25 January 1939), is the Archbishop of Cashel & Emly
Archbishop of Cashel
The Archbishop of Cashel is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Cashel, County Tipperary in Ireland. The title is still in use in the Roman Catholic Church, but in the Church of Ireland it was downgraded to a bishopric in 1838....
and the Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
of the Diocese of Cloyne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Cloyne
The Diocese of Cloyne is a Roman Catholic diocese in southern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and is subject to the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The diocese is in the secular province of the same name - Munster...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
Early life and education
Archbishop Clifford was born in BallymacelligottBallymacelligott
Ballymacelligott is a parish in the north of County Kerry in Ireland. It is situated east of Tralee.-History:A quarry was first built in Ballymacelligott in 1811 as a source for building materials for construction of a barracks in Tralee. The present day Ballymacelligott Church was built in 1824...
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland, on 25 January 1939. He was educated at Clogher National School and St Brendan's College, Killarney
St. Brendan's, Killarney
St. Brendan's, Killarney, known locally as The Sem, is a secondary school in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.-History:St. Brendan’s is a Catholic Diocesan College, founded in 1860 by Bishop David Moriarty as a boarding and day-school for boys under the name of ‘ St. Brendan’s Seminary’. The first...
. Among his teachers at St. Brendan's was the late Bishop of Kerry, Dr. Diarmaid Ó Súilleabháin. From Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
, he moved to St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
, where he graduated with a B.Sc. Degree in 1960. After Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
, he went to the Irish College
Irish College
Irish Colleges is the collective name used for approximately 34 centres of education for Irish Catholic clergy and lay people opened on continental Europe in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The Colleges were set up to educate Roman Catholics from Ireland in their own religion following the...
in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he was to study for the next four years and was ordained priest on 22 February 1964. Whilst in Rome, he studied at the Lateran University
Pontifical Lateran University
The Pontifical Lateran University is a university by pontifical right based in Rome, Italy. The university also hosts the central session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family...
and obtained a Licentiate in Sacred Theology, being in Rome for the first two sessions of Vatican Council II. As a student, he was given the responsibility of looking after the Irish bishops who stayed in the Irish College.
Priesthood
Dr. Clifford's first post after ordination was as a teacher and Dean of Discipline in St Brendan's College, KillarneySt. Brendan's, Killarney
St. Brendan's, Killarney, known locally as The Sem, is a secondary school in Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.-History:St. Brendan’s is a Catholic Diocesan College, founded in 1860 by Bishop David Moriarty as a boarding and day-school for boys under the name of ‘ St. Brendan’s Seminary’. The first...
, where he taught from 1964 to 1972. He commuted to Cork five days per week (1965–1966) for his Higher Diploma in Education. He was later to lecture on a part-time basis in University College Cork in Social Science (1975–1981). He is now a member of the Governing Body representing north and south Tipperary.
Dr. Clifford then studied Social Administration at the London School of Economics
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1972–1974), where he was conferred with a Master's Degree with distinction. From London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he returned to his native Kerry in August 1974 to become Diocesan Secretary. During that time he also served as Chaplain to St. Mary of the Angels, Beaufort, a home for children with learning disabilities.
Archbishop of Cashel and Emly
The Holy See chose him as Coadjutor Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on 17 December 1985. The Principal ConsecratorConsecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
was Archbishop Thomas Morris
Thomas Morris
Thomas Morris may refer to:*Thomas Morris , U.S. Representative from New York*Thomas Morris , Senator from Ohio* Thomas John Morris , U.S. federal judge...
; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi
Gaetano Alibrandi
Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi of the Roman Catholic Church was a senior papal diplomat and former Personal Secretary to Giovanni Battista Montini .Mgr. Alibrandi was ordained priest on 1 November 1936, and Consacreted Bishop in 1961...
and Bishop Diarmaid O'Súilleabháin, the Bishop of Kerry. He was parish priest of Tipperary town for two and a half years. On 12 September 1988 he was installed as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in a ceremony in Thurles Cathedral, presided over by the late Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich.
A keen footballer in his earlier years, he became the first Kerryman to hold the office of Patron of the Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
, in 1989. That same year he was awarded a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree for a thesis on Carers of the Elderly and Handicapped at Loughborough University
Loughborough University
Loughborough University is a research based campus university located in the market town of Loughborough, Leicestershire, in the East Midlands of England...
; this was based on studies he conducted in Kerry just before he left.
Archbishop Clifford has served on the Emigrant Commission of the Bishops' Conference and he helped to set up the Chaplaincy Scheme to the young emigrants in the USA in 1987. He is currently Chairman of the Irish Bishop's Research and Development Commission. He is a Trustee of the Bóthar project, which sends livestock to Uganda and other countries recovering from the effects of war and famine.
On 24 March 2010 it was announced by the Holy See that Bishop Magee had formally resigned from his duties as Bishop of Cloyne and was now bishop emeritus and that Archbishop Clifford, already apostolic administrator there, will remain as such until the appointment of a full time successor to the Cloyne diocese.
Apostolic visitation
In October 2010, Archbishop Michael NearyMichael Neary
Michael Neary is a retired Irish consultant obstetrician/gynecologist. He gained notoriety when it was discovered that he had performed what was considered an inordinate number of caesarian hysterectomies during his time at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda, County Louth...
of Tuam, along with Cardinal Brady, Archbishops Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin
Diarmuid Martin is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.-Early life and education:...
of Dublin and Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Emly for high-level talks with heads of Vatican congregations over the apostolic visitation of Irish dioceses in the wake of the Murphy and Ryan reports. While in Rome, the Irish churchmen will come face to face with a team of investigators appointed by Pope Benedict to examine the four Irish archdioceses and "some other as yet unspecified dioceses".
These will include Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, Archbishop emeritus of Westminster, who will inspect Cardinal Brady's archdiocese of Armagh, and Cardinal Seán O'Malley, Archbishop of Boston, who is to inspect the Dublin diocese
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dublin, , is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in eastern Ireland centred around the republic's capital city – Dublin. The see of Dublin was raised to the status of a Metropolitan Province by the Synod of Kells in 1152. Its jurisdiction includes much of the Province of...
. Toronto's Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins
Thomas Christopher Collins
Thomas Christopher Collins is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the tenth and current Archbishop of Toronto, having previously served as Bishop of Saint Paul in Alberta and Archbishop of Edmonton .-Early life and education:Collins was born in Guelph, Ontario, the son of the...
will investigate Cashel, while Ottawa's Archbishop Terrence Prendergast
Terrence Prendergast
Terrence Thomas Prendergast, SJ is Archbishop of Ottawa, Canada. He was formerly Auxiliary Bishop of Toronto and Archbishop of Halifax.-Early life:...
will look at the west of Ireland archdiocese of Tuam. An investigation of the state of Irish seminaries will be conducted by Archbishop Timothy Dolan
Timothy Dolan
Timothy Michael Dolan is an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He is the tenth and current Archbishop of New York, having previously served as Archbishop of Milwaukee and Auxiliary Bishop of St. Louis ....
of New York
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York covers New York, Bronx, and Richmond counties in New York City , as well as Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester counties in New York state. There are 480 parishes...
. The investigators, known as apostolic visitors, will report their findings directly to Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
.