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Paul Connell

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The Most Reverend, Dr.

Paul Connell

BA BD HDip MA PhD
Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseArdagh and Clonmacnoise
Appointed5 April 2023
Installed18 June 2023
PredecessorFrancis Duffy
Previous post(s)Chancellor of the Diocese of Meath
Chaplain at St Mary's Hospital
Executive Secretary of the Council for Education of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference
President of the Secretariat for Secondary Schools
President, Principal and Teacher at St Finian's College
Lecturer at Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy
Orders
Ordination20 June 1982
Consecration18 June 2023
by Eamon Martin
Personal details
Born (1958-01-27) 27 January 1958 (age 66)
Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland
Parents
  • Thomas Connell
  • Philomena Begley
Alma materNational University of Ireland, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
Coat of arms

Paul Connell (born 27 January 1958) is an Irish Roman Catholic priest who was appointed Bishop-elect of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise on 5 April 2023.

Early life and education

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Connell was born in Mullingar, County Westmeath, on 27 January 1958, the second of four children to Thomas and Philomena Connell (née Begley).[1] He attended primary school at Scoil Mhuire CBS and secondary school at St Finian's College, completing his Leaving Certificate in 1975.[2]

Connell studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, completing a Bachelor of Arts from the National University of Ireland in 1978 and a Bachelor of Divinity from the Pontifical University in 1981. The following year, he was recipient of the Gilmartin prize in ecclesiastical history from St Patrick's College.[2]

Connell was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Meath on 20 June 1982.[2]

Presbyteral ministry

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Following ordination, Connell's first pastoral appointment was a brief attachment to Rochfortbridge, before his appointment to the teaching staff at St Finian's College. He subsequently completed a higher diploma in education in 1983. Connell was appointed vice-president of the college in 1989, and subsequently as its president and principal in 1998. During his presidency, the college transitioned from a diocesan all-male boarding school to a co-educational secondary school in 2003, while its boarding school closed in 2007.[3][4]

He completed a Master of Arts in local history at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth between 1992 and 1994, and was subsequently awarded a doctorate in history by the university in 2002. Connell also lectured part-time in ecclesiastical history at the Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy before its closure in 2015, and has published a number of works in the area of local history.[5][6]

In addition to his presidency at St Finian's College, he served as president of the Secretariat for Secondary Schools between 2013 and 2018.[7]

Following his appointment as executive secretary of the Council for Education of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference in October 2018, Connell resigned as principal of St Finian's College in January 2019.[8] He was appointed chancellor of the Diocese of Meath in 2020 and as administrator of Multyfarnham in August 2021.[9][10]

Connell also served as chaplain to the Cluain Lir community nursing unit at St Mary's Hospital in Mullingar, and gained summer pastoral experience in the United States, ministering at All Saints and St Gabriel's parishes in the Archdiocese of Miami and at St Gregory's parish in the Diocese of San Diego.[2]

Episcopal ministry

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Connell was appointed Bishop-elect of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise by Pope Francis on 5 April 2023.[11][12][13][14] In his first address following his appointment, he emphasised the need to not only care and respect others, but also to love and respect the world.[15]

Connell was consecrated by the Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Eamon Martin, on 18 June at St Mel's Cathedral, Longford.[16][17][18][19]

References

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  1. ^ "Death Notice of Phyl CONNELL (née Begley) (Mullingar, Westmeath) | rip.ie". rip.ie. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d "Pope Francis appoints Father Paul Connell as Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  3. ^ Mac Donald, Sarah (5 April 2023). "Fr Paul Connell: Who is the man Pope Francis has appointed as new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  4. ^ Hussey, Sinéad (5 April 2023). "Pope appoints new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". RTÉ. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Mullingar native appointed bishop". Westmeath Examiner. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  6. ^ McGarry, Patsy (5 April 2023). "New Catholic bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois appointed by Pope Francis". The Irish Times. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  7. ^ Jones, Ruadhán (5 April 2023). "Pope appoints Fr Paul Connell as bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fr Connell appointed to IEC post". Diocese of Meath. 6 October 2018. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  9. ^ Lynch, John (5 April 2023). "New Bishop announced for Dioceses of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". Ocean FM. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  10. ^ Mac Donald, Sarah (5 April 2023). "Meath priest appointed Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". The Tablet. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  11. ^ Cox, Tom (5 April 2023). "Ardagh & Clonmacnois welcomes Bishop Elect Fr. Paul Connell". Diocese of Ardagh And Clonmacnois. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  12. ^ Donohoe, John (5 April 2023). "Meath diocesan chancellor appointed Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". Meath Chronicle. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  13. ^ Jones, Ruadhán (5 April 2023). "Pope appoints Fr Paul Connell as bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  14. ^ Cosgrove, Liam (5 April 2023). "Longford mass-goers welcome new Bishop". Longford Leader. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  15. ^ "New Bishop elect believes young people are the future of the church". Shannonside. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Ordination of Paul Connell as new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois this Sunday". Westmeath Examiner. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Statement of the Summer 2023 General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023. Bishops offered their prayerful blessing to Bishop-elect Paul Connell, who will be ordained as the next Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois this Sunday, 18 June.
  18. ^ Walsh, Oisín (29 June 2023). "Bishop Paul Connell Ordained as Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois". Catholic News. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
  19. ^ "New bishop is published historian". Anglo Celt. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 8 December 2023.
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