Diarmuid Martin

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Diarmuid Martin D.D. (born 8 April 1945) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin and Primate of Ireland. He was born in Dublin.

Diarmuid Martin
Image:Archbishop Martin.jpg
Denomination   Roman Catholic
Senior posting
See   Dublin
Title   Archbishop of Dublin
Period in office   26 April 2004 —present
Predecessor   Desmond Cardinal Connell
Successor   Incumbent
Religious career
Priestly ordination   May 25 1969
Previous bishoprics   Glendalough (titular) 1998
Previous post   Holy See diplomat
Personal
Date of birth   April 8, 1945
Place of birth   Dublin

Contents

[edit] Early life and education

Diarmuid Martin was raised and educated in Dublin, at the Oblate school in Inchicore, the De La Salle School in Ballyfermot and the Marian College, Ballsbridge. Following that, he went to University College Dublin, where he studied philosophy, and then went to the Dublin Diocese's seminary at Clonliffe, where he studied theology. He was ordained a priest on 25 May 1969 by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid. Following this he pursued further education at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, though, it appears, without attaining any degrees.

[edit] Pastoral Experience

From 1973 to 1974 he was Curate at the Parish of St Brigid in Cabinteely, but actively sought to return to Rome.

[edit] Work for the Holy See

Archbishop Martin, with Pope John Paul II and anti-debt campaigner, U2's Bono, in the Vatican.
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Archbishop Martin, with Pope John Paul II and anti-debt campaigner, U2's Bono, in the Vatican.

In 1976 Diarmuid Martin began to work in the service of the Holy See for the Pontifical Council for the Family. He later worked on the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, being appointed the Under Secretary in 1986 and the Secretary in 1994. On 6 January 1999 he was ordained as Titular Bishop of Glendalough by Pope John Paul II. On 17 January 2001, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of the same diocese. This marked his appointment as the Holy See Permanent Observer in Geneva, at the United Nations Office and Specialised Agencies and at the World Trade Organisation. He led the delegations of the Holy See to the Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (Doha, 2001), the World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

During the 1990s, Diarmuid Martin represented the Holy See at major United Nations International Conferences, spoke about the Church's teachings on social matters at a variety of Bishop Conferences, and was a member of various Vatican Offices, including the Central Committee for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000. Also, he was involved in discussions between the World Council of Churches and the Catholic Church as well as the World Faiths Development Dialogue. He also represented the views of the Holy See to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, where he advocated for debt relief for less developed countries.

[edit] Archbishop of Dublin

Diarmuid Martin was appointed Co-Adjutor Archbishop of Dublin on 3 May 2003, and was installed as such on 30 August of that year. On 26 April 2004, following the acceptance of Desmond Cardinal Connell's resignation by Pope John Paul II, Diarmuid Martin automatically succeeded him as Archbishop of Dublin. On 21 February 2006 The Irish Times published a front page article which stated that Martin was due to receive the red hat in the next consistory, suggesting the date for this would be the 25 March the Feast of the Annunciation.

Styles of
Diarmuid Martin
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Grace
Religious style Archbishop
Posthumous style none

However on the 22 February 2006 Pope Benedict XVI announced the names of the 15 new Cardinals to be installed, and it soon became apparent that Diarmuid Martin was not on the list. However there is speculation that his "red hat" is inevitable, though possibly not till after the death of either Cahal Cardinal Daly or Cardinal Desmond Connell. Ireland has never had more than one serving Cardinal in the past and the Vatican will be reluctant to have three Irish cardinals from such a small country, even if 2 of them have retired.

It is also speculated that Martin will be recalled to Rome to head up a Vatican department. Most likely would be the Justice and Peace department, in which he served as secretary. The top job at Justice and Peace becomes vacant in 2007. Despite his many duties in Dublin, Martin maintains a punishing schedule of international travel, and this has been seen as an indication of his desire, and indeed suitability, to return to his former career as an international diplomat.

[edit] Family

His brother, Seamus Martin, was a journalist with The Irish Times newspaper.

Preceded by
Desmond Cardinal Connell
Archbishop of Dublin
3 May 2003-Present
Succeeded by
incumbent

[edit] External links

See also: Roman Catholic Church sex abuse scandal