Patrick Coveney
Encyclopedia
Patrick Coveney is a Roman Catholic Archbishop
. He is the Apostolic Nuncio
Emeritus
to Greece
.
Coveney was born in Tracton
, County Cork
, Ireland
, and was ordained, aged twenty-four, as a priest
on 21 February 1959 by Cardinal Luigi Traglia. After doing parish work in England and teaching in Cork
, he went in September 1966 to work in the English-language section of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican.
On 27 July 1985 he was appointed titular Archbishop
of Satrianum
and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Zimbabwe
and Apostolic Delegate to Mozambique
, and ordained to the episcopate on 15 September 1985. The Principal Consecrator
was Cardinal Agostino Casaroli; the Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop
Gaetano Alibrandi
and Bishop Michael Murphy who was the Bishop of Cork and Ross.
On 25 January 1990 he was appointed Nuncio to Ethiopia
and he became Apostolic Delegate to Djibouti
on 26 March 1992 and on 30 September 1995 Nuncio to Eritrea
.
He became Nuncio to New Zealand
, Samoa
, Tonga
, and the Marshall Islands
on 27 April 1996. His remit was expanded to include Fiji
, Kiribati
, the Federated States of Micronesia
, Vanuatu
, and Nauru
later that year, and to include the Cook Islands
and Palau
in 2001. As the longest-serving diplomatic representative to New Zealand, Archbishop Coveney served for a time as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
. He was then appointed Nuncio to Greece in 2005. He retired in 2009, and was replaced by Archbishop
Luigi Gatti.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
. He is the Apostolic Nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
Emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
to Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
Coveney was born in Tracton
Tracton
Tracton is a southeast County Cork parish, lying roughly 7 kilometres south of Carrigaline. It is named after Tracton abbey a Roman Catholic monastery that was in the area in medieval times. The parish GAA team were Intermediate County hurling Champions in 1991. Irish Republican Diarmuid Lynch was...
, County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was ordained, aged twenty-four, as a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on 21 February 1959 by Cardinal Luigi Traglia. After doing parish work in England and teaching in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, he went in September 1966 to work in the English-language section of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican.
On 27 July 1985 he was appointed titular Archbishop
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 Satrianum
Satrianum
The Diocese of Satrianum or Satriano is now a Roman Catholic titular see, that is, an episcopal see that is no longer a geographical diocese. It takes its name from a now destroyed town situated in Lucania and was a suffragan of the metropolitan see of Salerno. The adjectival form of the Latin...
and Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
and Apostolic Delegate to Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, and ordained to the episcopate on 15 September 1985. The Principal Consecrator
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...
was Cardinal Agostino Casaroli; the Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
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 Michael Murphy who was the Bishop of Cork and Ross.
On 25 January 1990 he was appointed Nuncio to Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and he became Apostolic Delegate to Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
on 26 March 1992 and on 30 September 1995 Nuncio to Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
.
He became Nuncio to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
, Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
, and the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
on 27 April 1996. His remit was expanded to include Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
, the Federated States of Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
, Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
, and Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
later that year, and to include the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
and Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
in 2001. As the longest-serving diplomatic representative to New Zealand, Archbishop Coveney served for a time as Dean of the Diplomatic Corps
Diplomatic corps
The diplomatic corps or corps diplomatique is the collective body of foreign diplomats accredited to a particular country or body.The diplomatic corps may, in certain contexts, refer to the collection of accredited heads of mission who represent their countries in another state or country...
. He was then appointed Nuncio to Greece in 2005. He retired in 2009, and was replaced by Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Luigi Gatti.