The Most Reverend, Dr.

Fintan Gavin

HDip DCL
Bishop of Cork and Ross
ChurchRoman Catholic
DioceseCork and Ross
Appointed8 April 2019
Installed30 June 2019
PredecessorJohn Buckley
Orders
Ordination7 June 1991
by Desmond Connell
Consecration30 June 2019
by John Buckley
Personal details
Born (1966-01-01) 1 January 1966
Dublin, Ireland
Previous post(s)Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Dublin
Parish chaplain in Our Lady of Victories parish, Ballymun Road
Teacher at Killinarden Community School and St Thomas' Community College
Alma materPontifical Gregorian University
University College Dublin
Holy Cross College, Clonliffe
Styles of
Fintan Gavin
Reference styleThe Most Reverend
Spoken styleYour Grace
Religious styleBishop

Fintan Gavin (born 1 January 1966) is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Cork and Ross since 2019.

Early life and education

Gavin was born in Dublin on 1 January 1966, to Michael and Angela Gavin,[1] and baptised in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row on 5 January. He grew up in Marino, where he played hurling and football with St Vincent's GAA and was a member of Marino Athletic Club.[2]

Prior to his seminary formation in Holy Cross College, Gavin had begun training as a residential social worker in Our Lady's Hostel, Eccles Street, from September 1983 to August 1984. During his seminary formation, he trained at Liberty Hall, the Northlands addiction treatment counselling centre in Derry, and St Patrick's University Hospital.

Gavin was ordained a deacon for the Archdiocese of Dublin by the Archbishop of Dublin, Desmond Connell, in the Church of the Holy Cross, Clonliffe, on 11 March 1990, and gained summer parish experience at Brentwood Cathedral, Essex. He was subsequently ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dublin by Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, Éamonn Walsh, in St Vincent de Paul Church, Marino, on 7 June 1991.[2]

Presbyteral ministry

Following ordination, Gavin's first pastoral assignment was as curate in Holy Redeemer parish, Bray, where he also served as a teacher at St Thomas' Community College and chaplain to St Gerard's Junior and Senior School, and completed a higher diploma in education from University College Dublin. Gavin was appointed curate in Sacred Heart parish, Killinarden, Tallaght, in 1994, where he also served as a teacher at the local community school, while also gaining summer pastoral experience in Coram, New York between 1992 and 1995.[2]

Gavin moved to Rome in 1996 to complete a licentiate in canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in 1999, and subsequently a doctorate in 2002, with a specialisation in rotal jurisprudence. During his time in Rome, he resided at the Pontifício Colégio Português. During his postgraduate studies, Gavin assisted at parishes in Florence and Benidorm through both summer and migrant ministries. Gavin also participated in the ministry of Community of Sant'Egidio and collaborated with the community of Missionarie di Cristo Risorto and ministries led by local university students. He also gained summer pastoral experience in Argentina, working with an indigenous community in Patagonia and accompanying a group of Italian university students on a mission experience in the Diocese of San Miguel.[2]

Gavin returned to Dublin in 2002, where he was appointed curate in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row. During his time in Westland Row, he collaborated in a pastoral initiative centred around inviting and encouraging those who had drifted away to return to the church.[3]

Gavin was appointed vice-chancellor of the Archdiocese of Dublin in 2003.[2]

He was appointed parish chaplain in Our Lady of Victories parish, Ballymun Road, in 2010, serving as part of the parish grouping centred around Ballygall, Drumcondra and Glasnevin. During his time in Our Lady of Victories parish, Gavin developed the parish gospel choir to lead a Sunday evening Mass in the parish that was aimed at young people.[2][4]

Gavin was subsequently appointed chaplain to the Italian-speaking community in the archdiocese in 2015 and chancellor in 2017. He also served as chaplain to the archdiocesan children's pilgrimage to Lourdes each Easter.[2]

Episcopal ministry

Gavin was appointed Bishop-elect of Cork and Ross by Pope Francis on 8 April 2019.[5][6][7][8][9] His appointment was seen as historic, as he was the first bishop not to have previously served as auxiliary or coadjutor bishop since 1847, and the first bishop to be born outside the diocese since 1763.[10]

Gavin was consecrated by his predecessor, John Buckley, on 30 June in the Cathedral of St Mary and St Anne, Cork.[11][1]

He became the first bishop of the diocese to say a "station Mass" in November 2019.[12]

Ahead of the publication of a pastoral letter in August 2022 which outlined a restructuring of diocesan structures, Gavin stated in an interview with The Echo that while the Catholic Church had served Ireland well in some aspects, its previously dominant role in Irish society had led to corruption and a loss of focus on mission. He also emphasised the importance of greater lay involvement over a focus on the priesthood in the process of renewal.[13][14]

References

  1. 1 2 Roche, Barry (30 June 2019). "Church must reach out to those on the margins, says new Cork bishop". The Irish Times. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Pope Francis appoints Father Fintan Gavin as the new Bishop of Cork & Ross". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  3. ↑ Buckley, Dan (8 April 2019). "Father Gavin to become fourth bishop appointed by the Vatican to join Diocese of Cork and Ross". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  4. ↑ Bermingham, Darragh (26 June 2019). "Cork's new Bishop: 'Honesty is needed to bring young people back to the church'". The Echo. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "Resignations and Appointments, 08.04.2019" (Press release). Holy See Press Office. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  6. ↑ "Pope appoints new Bishop for Cork, Ireland". Vatican News. Dicasterium pro communicatione. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  7. ↑ English, Eoin (8 April 2019). "Fr Fintan Gavin appointed as new Bishop of Cork and Ross". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  8. ↑ Daly, Greg (8 April 2019). "New beginning for Cork as Dublin priest takes the reins". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  9. ↑ MacDonald, Sarah (8 April 2019). "Fr Fintan Gavin to be next Bishop of Cork and Ross". The Tablet. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  10. ↑ O'Donovan, Diarmuid (28 June 2019). "The fascinating history of Cork's bishops". The Echo. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  11. ↑ O'Sullivan, Jennie (30 June 2019). "Cork diocese ordains first non-Cork bishop in 300 years". RTÉ. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  12. ↑ O'Mahony, Kieran (11 November 2019). "Bishop surprises parish to say 'station mass'". The Southern Star. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
  13. ↑ O'Keeffe, Donal (27 August 2022). "Bishop Fintan Gavin: Church 'paying price' for allowing its power to corrupt". The Echo. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  14. ↑ O'Keeffe, Donal (27 August 2022). "More power to laity, less focus on priesthood, says Cork Bishop". The Echo. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
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