The Most Reverend Anthony J. Farquhar D.D., S.T.L., B.A. (b. 6 September 1940) is the Roman Catholic Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Down and Connor.
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Anthony Farquhar, popularly known as "Bishop Tony", was born in Belfast and educated at St. Malachy's College. He later studied Classics at Queen’s University, Belfast. He was then sent to study Theology at the Pontifical Lateran University, Rome. He was ordained to the priesthood on 13 March 1965, aged 24.
From 1965-66 he was Assistant Priest at Dunsford and Ardglass Parish. He was a hospital chaplain in 1966. He was later assigned to teach Latin at St MacNissi's College, Garron Tower. where he stayed as a teacher from 1966-70. From 1970-75 he was Assistant Chaplain, along with Fr Rt Rev Msgr Ambrose Macaulay, to Queen's University, Belfast and finally as Chaplain/Lecturer at the University of Ulster from 1975-83.
His main outside interests are folk music and football, particularly student football. He is a very active President of Queens University Association Football Club and Patron of the Irish Universites Football Union. He is also a long-term and dedicated supporter of Dundee United Football Club.
On 6 April 1983, aged 42, he was appointed Titular Bishop of Hermiana and, with Canon Patrick Walsh, as Auxiliary Bishop of Down & Connor. The Principal Consecrator was the Bishop of Down and Connor, Cahal Daly, (now Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of Armagh) and Principal Co- Consecrators were Archbishop Gaetano Alibrandi, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland and Bishop William J. Philbin (Bishop Emeritus of Down and Connor). His Episcopal Motto is 'Sapientia Proficere' ('to increase in wisdom') from Luke 2:52. He is currently Chairman of the Irish Bishops Conference on Ecumenism.
He was one of the Bishops that travelled to Rome for their Quinquennial Visit Ad Limina visit in October 2006. In December 2007 he officiated at the dedication of the new Altar in the Church of the Good Shepherd in his native Parish of the Most Holy Rosary, Belfast, following the renovation programme.
A new book titled Inter-Church Relations: Developments and Perspectives has been published by Veritas to mark the 25th anniversary of his ordination as a bishop.
In it, a number of distinguished contributors have praised Farquhar's work, including the Sean Cardinal Brady who notes that he was “engaged actively in promoting bonds of friendship and understanding at times when it has been far from easy to do so”.