Michael Neary (Archbishop)
Encyclopedia
Michael Neary is an Irish
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
. He is the current Archbishop of Tuam
.
, County Mayo
, and received his early education at St. Patrick's National School, Castlebar and St. Jarlath's College
, Tuam
. He studied at St. Patrick's College
, Maynooth
and was ordained
to the priesthood
on 15 June 1971. Earning a doctorate in Divinity
in 1975, he served as a curate
in Belclare
for one year before being appointed to the staff at the Presentation College
, Headford
.
From 1978 to 1981, he furthered his studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
in Rome
, earning a licentiate
of Sacred Scripture
; during that time he was also spiritual director
at the Pontifical Irish College
. On his return he joined the staff at Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew
and served as a curate in Moylough
. In 1982 he was appointed lecturer
in Sacred Scripture at Maynooth and became professor
of New Testament
in 1991.
of Tuam
and Titular Bishop
of Quaestoriana by Pope John Paul II
. He received his episcopal consecration
on the following September 13 from Archbishop Joseph Cassidy, with Archbishops Emanuele Gerada
and Joseph Cunnane
serving as co-consecrators
. Following Archbishop Cassidy's resignation, he was later named Archbishop of Tuam
on 17 January 1995.
In May 2009, Neary described the Ryan Report
as "sad and disturbing" and "apologise[d] unreservedly, on behalf of the Church, for our failure to protect children."
Within the Irish Bishops Conference
, Neary is the Chairman
of the Doctrine Commission; a member of the Department of Catholic Education and Formation, Commission for Migrants, and Strategic Task Group for Education; and a trustee
of Trócaire
.
If lay people had been more involved in the Catholic Church the response to clerical child sex abuse
allegations “would have been different,” Archbishop Neary said. In a reflection on the Irish bishops’ summit with Pope Benedict XVI from 15-16 February 2010, he also said that “in the discussions he asked for the forgiveness of the victims”. The archbishop said “the need for co-operation with civil authorities, HSE and gardaí, and the complete implementation of the church’s own norms and procedures were seen as central to the safeguarding of children”.
At the meetings “it was acknowledged that while this is not a problem which is peculiar to Ireland or to the English-speaking world, or the church, nevertheless its impact is intensified in the church, damaging its credibility in a number of areas, for example, its teaching on marriage and the family, on sexual morality, and on the church’s role in education and Catholic schools” he said.
On 6 July 2010, he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI
as a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
in the Roman Curia
. Members not resident in Rome are invited to attend only the plenary meetings of the congregation, which in principle are held every year. The appointment is for five years and is renewable.
In August 2010 Archbishop Neary said “the truth of past pain is certainly coming to the surface. But this is good news. We should embrace the truth even though this can be a painful task.” He continued “however, we should also be aware of the dangers contained in what some have called a ‘culture of blame’. We seek out the negligence of doctors, the health service, bankers, the Church or the school. Maybe this makes it easier to deal with our own shortcomings, the neglect and indifference of others and the tyranny of blind chance. Christ did not encourage us to imprison people by their human failings. Instead he taught us the way of forgiveness.”
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 report
and Ryan report. 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 Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, who will inspect Cardinal Brady's archdiocese of Armagh, and Sean O'Malley, Cardinal Archbishop of Boston, who is to inspect the Dublin diocese
. Toronto's Archbishop Thomas Christopher Collins
will investigate Cashel, while Ottawa's Archbishop Terence 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
.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. He is the current Archbishop of Tuam
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
.
Early life
Michael Neary was born in CastlebarCastlebar
Castlebar is the county town of, and at the centre of, County Mayo in Ireland. It is Mayo's largest town by population. The town's population exploded in the late 1990s, increasing by one-third in just six years, though this massive growth has slowed down greatly in recent years...
, County Mayo
County Mayo
County Mayo is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the village of Mayo, which is now generally known as Mayo Abbey. Mayo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 130,552...
, and received his early education at St. Patrick's National School, Castlebar and St. Jarlath's College
St. Jarlath's College
St. Jarlath's College is a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys in Tuam, County Galway, Ireland. It is an amalgamation of the former St. Jarlath's College and St...
, Tuam
Tuam
Tuam is a town in County Galway, Ireland. The name is pronounced choo-um . It is situated west of the midlands of Ireland, and north of Galway city.-History:...
. He studied at St. Patrick's College
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...
, 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...
and was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
to the priesthood
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 15 June 1971. Earning a doctorate in Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
in 1975, he served as a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
in Belclare
Belclare
Belclare is a village in County Galway, Ireland. The village is on the R333 road approx 7 km from Tuam. It is has a church, school, pub, post office and community centre....
for one year before being appointed to the staff at the Presentation College
Presentation College Headford
Presentation College Headford is a second level mixed-gender Catholic school in Headford, Co Galway, Ireland, catering for several hundred students, and founded in 1949. Students come from a wide cachment area including: Claran, Corrandulla, Kilcoona, Glencorrib, Headford itself, Cross, Shrule,...
, Headford
Headford
Headford is a town in County Galway, located 26 km north of Galway city in the west of Ireland. The N84 national secondary route from Galway to Castlebar passes through the town. The R333 road travels from Headford to Tuam. There are many other 'boreens' and third-class roads on the...
.
From 1978 to 1981, he furthered his studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute
Pontifical Biblical Institute
The Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy is an institution of the Holy See run by the Jesuits that offers instruction at the university level...
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...
, earning a licentiate
Licentiate
Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
of Sacred Scripture
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
; during that time he was also spiritual director
Spiritual direction
Spiritual direction is the practice of being with people as they attempt to deepen their relationship with the divine, or to learn and grow in their own personal spirituality. The person seeking direction shares stories of his or her encounters of the divine, or how he or she is experiencing...
at the Pontifical Irish College
Pontifical Irish College
The Pontifical Irish College is a Roman Catholic seminary for the training and education of priests, in Rome.-Foundation and early history:Towards the close of the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII had sanctioned the foundation of an Irish college in Rome, and had assigned a large sum of money...
. On his return he joined the staff at Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew
Mountbellew
Mountbellew or Mountbellew Bridge is a village in County Galway, Ireland. It lies mostly within the townland of Treanrevagh on the N63 national primary road....
and served as a curate in Moylough
Moylough
Moylough is a small rural village located in County Galway in Ireland. It is located on the N63 national secondary road , and is served also by the R328 and R364 regional roads. It is 50 km from Galway, 30 km from Roscommon, and 5 km northwest of Mountbellew...
. In 1982 he was appointed lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
in Sacred Scripture at Maynooth and became professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
in 1991.
Bishop
On 20 May 1992, Neary was appointed Auxiliary BishopAuxiliary bishop
An auxiliary bishop, in the Roman Catholic Church, is an additional bishop assigned to a diocese because the diocesan bishop is unable to perform his functions, the diocese is so extensive that it requires more than one bishop to administer, or the diocese is attached to a royal or imperial office...
of Tuam
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Tuam
The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tuam is a Roman Catholic archdiocese in western Ireland. According to tradition, the "Diocese of Tuam" was established in the sixth century by St. Jarlath...
and Titular Bishop
Titular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
of Quaestoriana by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
. He received his episcopal consecration
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
on the following September 13 from Archbishop Joseph Cassidy, with Archbishops Emanuele Gerada
Emanuele Gerada
The Most Reverend Dr. Emanuele Gerada, D.D. , was a Maltese prelate of the Roman Catholic Church and Titular Archbishop of Nomentum....
and Joseph Cunnane
Joseph Cunnane
Joseph Cunnane was an Irish clergyman of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the Archbishop of Tuam from 1969 to 11 July 1987.- References :http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcunnane.html...
serving as co-consecrators
Consecrator
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...
. Following Archbishop Cassidy's resignation, he was later named Archbishop of Tuam
Archbishop of Tuam
The Archbishop of Tuam is an archiepiscopal title which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Roman Catholic Church.-History:...
on 17 January 1995.
In May 2009, Neary described the Ryan Report
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse
The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse is one of a range of measures introduced by the Irish Government to investigate the extent and effects of abuse on children from 1936 onwards. It is commonly known in Ireland as the Ryan Commission , after its chair, Justice Seán Ryan...
as "sad and disturbing" and "apologise[d] unreservedly, on behalf of the Church, for our failure to protect children."
Within the Irish Bishops Conference
Irish Bishops Conference
The Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference is the episcopal conference of the Roman Catholic bishops in Ireland. Their meetings generally take place a number of times a year in Maynooth, County Kildare, the location of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland's national Catholic seminary...
, Neary is the Chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of the Doctrine Commission; a member of the Department of Catholic Education and Formation, Commission for Migrants, and Strategic Task Group for Education; and a trustee
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Trócaire
Trócaire
Trócaire is an Irish non governmental organization development agency. The charity is registered in the Republic of Ireland under Irish Charity No...
.
If lay people had been more involved in the Catholic Church the response to clerical child sex abuse
Murphy Report
The Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
allegations “would have been different,” Archbishop Neary said. In a reflection on the Irish bishops’ summit with Pope Benedict XVI from 15-16 February 2010, he also said that “in the discussions he asked for the forgiveness of the victims”. The archbishop said “the need for co-operation with civil authorities, HSE and gardaí, and the complete implementation of the church’s own norms and procedures were seen as central to the safeguarding of children”.
At the meetings “it was acknowledged that while this is not a problem which is peculiar to Ireland or to the English-speaking world, or the church, nevertheless its impact is intensified in the church, damaging its credibility in a number of areas, for example, its teaching on marriage and the family, on sexual morality, and on the church’s role in education and Catholic schools” he said.
On 6 July 2010, he was appointed by 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...
as a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...
in the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
. Members not resident in Rome are invited to attend only the plenary meetings of the congregation, which in principle are held every year. The appointment is for five years and is renewable.
In August 2010 Archbishop Neary said “the truth of past pain is certainly coming to the surface. But this is good news. We should embrace the truth even though this can be a painful task.” He continued “however, we should also be aware of the dangers contained in what some have called a ‘culture of blame’. We seek out the negligence of doctors, the health service, bankers, the Church or the school. Maybe this makes it easier to deal with our own shortcomings, the neglect and indifference of others and the tyranny of blind chance. Christ did not encourage us to imprison people by their human failings. Instead he taught us the way of forgiveness.”
Apostolic visitation
In October 2010, Archbihop Neary along with Cardinal Brady, Archbishops Diarmuid MartinDiarmuid 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 report
Murphy Report
The Murphy Report is the brief name of the report of an investigation conducted by government of Ireland into the Sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic archdiocese of Dublin...
and Ryan report. 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 Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, the Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, who will inspect Cardinal Brady's archdiocese of Armagh, and Sean O'Malley, Cardinal 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 Terence 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
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...
.