Michael Smith (bishop)

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Michael Smith (Irish: Mícheál Mac Gabhann; born 6 June 1940) is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Meath, Ireland.

1 Career
2 Recent
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Career

He was born in Oldcastle, County Meath, the son of Julia Tuite and ? Smith. Having studied for the priesthood at the Irish College in Rome, he was ordained a priest for the diocese on 9 March, 1963. Continuing his studies in Rome he earned a Doctorate in Canon Law. He is one of a handful of Irish people to have been present at every session of the Second Vatican Council, having been appointed as a recording secretary to the Council immediately after his ordination as a priest. Returning from Rome he served in the Cathedral Parish of Mullingar, as chaplain to St Loman's Hospital and as secretary to the bishop.

Styles of Michael Smith (bishop)


Reference style	The Most Reverend
Spoken style	Your Grace
Religious style	Bishop
Posthumous style	none

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese and Titular Bishop of Leges on 17 November, 1983. He was ordained a bishop on 29 January, 1984. The Principal Consecrator was Tomás Cardinal Ó Fiaich; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, and Cahal Cardinal Daly who then served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Down and Connor^[1].

On 13 October, 1988, he was appointed Coadjutor Bishop with the Right of Succession. On 16 May, 1990 he succeeded Dr. John McCormack on the latter's retirement.

[edit] Recent

In his years as Bishop of Meath he has served as Secretary to the Irish Bishops' Conference and has been actively involved in Church matters. Regarded as a traditional bishop he is well respected both by the people of his diocese and those in public life. He was considered by many as a possible successor to Desmond Cardinal Connell, the Archbishop of Dublin before the appointment of Archbishop Diarmuid Martin. He is also a possible candidate to assume a post of responsibility in the Roman Curia in the Vatican.

He takes a keen interest in world affairs and has led fund-raising campaigns to assist the victims of earthquakes in South America and victims of the recent Tsunami in South East Asia.^[2]

In October 2006 he travelled to Rome with the other bishops of Ireland for their five-yearly ad limina visit to the Pope.