Media information for the Episcopal Ordination of Mons Eamon Martin as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh

17 Apr 2013

Media information for the Episcopal Ordination of Monsignor Eamon Martin as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh

  • Ordination Mass to be live streamed on www.rte.ie

You or a representative are invited to attend the episcopal ordination of Monsignor Eamon Martin as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh.  This ordination Mass will be live streamed on the internet by the Archdiocese of Armagh (see below) and also by RTÉ on www.rte.ie.  The last episcopal ordination of a Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh took place on 19 February 1995 when Cardinal Seán Brady was ordained in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh.  Details:

Time and date          3.00pm on Vocations Sunday 21 April 2013

Venue                            Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh

In attendance           Laity, religious, clergy, family and guests

The chief celebrant for the ordination Mass will be Cardinal Brady, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, who will preach the homily.  The ordaining bishops are: Cardinal Brady; His Excellency Archbishop Charles J Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland; and Bishop Gerard Clifford, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Armagh.  All priests in attendance at the ordination – from the Archdiocese of Armagh, the Diocese of Derry and other dioceses – have been invited to concelebrate the Mass.

Media arrangements

At 2.00pm on 21 April Martin Long of the Catholic Communications Office will be available to brief journalists at the dedicated media centre in the Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library and Archive, which is situated behind Cardinal Brady’s house.  Mr Roddy Hegarty, Director of the Library, will also be in attendance on the day.  The library will be open from 2.00pm until 6.00pm on Sunday and will offer Wifi facilities and refreshments.  Hard copies of the homily, other addresses from the Mass and the ordination booklet will be available here.

Due to pressure of space, seating in the Cathedral is strictly reserved and/or ticketed.  Only journalists who have been accredited by the CCO, Maynooth, can be accommodated.

Liam McArdle has been retained as the official photographer for the ceremony and he can be contacted on 0044 7900 107362. Email: [email protected]

Live streaming of the ordination Mass

Saint Patrick’s Cathedral web cam will broadcast a live stream of the ordination ceremony on the Cathedral web camera which can be viewed on the following websites:

www.archdioceseofarmagh.com

www.armaghparish.net

www.mcnmedia.tv

This ordination Mass will also be live-streamed on the internet by RTÉ on www.rte.ie

Notes for Editors

  • His Holiness Benedict XVI Pope Emeritus appointed as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh, the Right Reverend Monsignor Eamon Martin, Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Derry on 18 January 2013.
  • The Archdiocese of Armagh has a Catholic population of over 237,000 people, comprises 61 parishes and has 150 churches. The archdiocese includes almost all of counties Armagh and Louth, approximately half of County Tyrone and parts of counties Derry and Meath. See www.armagharchdiocese.org for more information.  The patron saints of the Archdiocese of Armagh are: Saint Malachy, Saint Patrick and Saint Oliver Plunkett
  • Life and ministry of Monsignor Eamon Martin

Eamon Martin was born on 30 October 1961 in Pennyburn, Derry.  His mother Catherine Crossan lives in Derry and his father John James Martin is deceased (RIP June 2006).  He comes from a family of twelve children – six boys and six girls.

Eamon was ordained a priest in Saint Eugene’s Cathedral, Derry, by Bishop Edward Daly, Bishop Emeritus of Derry, on 28 June 1987.  In September of that year Monsignor Martin was appointed Assistant Priest, Parish of Templemore, Derry.  He was appointed to the teaching staff of Saint Columb’s College, Derry in September 1990 to teach Mathematics and Religion and became Head of Religious Education in the College in September 1997.  Monsignor Martin was appointed President of Saint Columb’s College in May 2000.

In June 2008 Monsignor Martin was appointed Executive Secretary to the Irish Episcopal Conference in Maynooth, Co Kildare.  Two years later in June 2010 he was appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Derry by Bishop Séamus Hegarty, Bishop Emeritus of Derry.  On 18 November 2010 Monsignor Martin was appointed Chaplain to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and he was elected Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Derry on 25 November 2011.

Since ordination in 1987 Monsignor Martin has held the following responsibilities in the Diocese of Derry: Assistant Priest, Saint Eugene’s Cathedral; Chaplain and member of the Board of Governors, Rosemount Primary School; member of the Board of Governors, Saint Anne’s Primary School; Executive Secretary, Feis Dhoire Colmcille (civic festival); Diocesan Advisor in Sacred Music; Director of Sacred Music, Saint Eugene’s Cathedral; trainer/conductor of Saint Eugene’s Cathedral Mixed Voice Choir and Saint Eugene’s Cathedral Boys Choir; member of the Council of Priests; member of the College of Consultors; Vicar General; and Diocesan Administrator.

As well as holding the post of Executive Secretary of the Irish Episcopal Conference between 2008 – 2010, Monsignor Martin is currently a member of the Irish Episcopal Conference as Diocesan Administrator of Derry; a member of the Council for Governance of the Episcopal Conference; member of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE); member of the Catholic Bishops’ Joint Bioethics Committee (of the three Bishops’ Conferences of Ireland, Scotland and England & Wales); a Director of Saint Luke’s Manchester on behalf of the Irish Episcopal Conference; a Director of the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland.

Monsignor Martin attained a BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Science from NUI Maynooth; BD (Hons) Theology from the Pontifical University, Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth; PGCE from Queen’s University, Belfast; National Professional Qualification for Headship from the Institute of Education, London; and an M Phil Degree of Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge.

Monsignor Martin has been a regular media contributor on BBC’s Thought for the DayPrayer for the Day and celebrant and preacher on Sunday Morning Worship, and other programmes on RTÉ, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service.  He has a keen interest in music, particularly in choral and classical music as well as liturgical music generally.  He has a particular interest in Sacred Music, especially Gregorian Chant. He is also enjoys walking and gardening.

 Participants in Ordination Mass of Monsignor Eamon Martin as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh

Celebrant:                              HE Cardinal Sean Brady

Co-Consecrators:                  Most Rev Charles Brown     (Papal Nuncio)

Most Rev Gerard Clifford   (Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Armagh)

Deacons:                                 Rev Paul Murphy                 (Armagh Archdiocese)

Rev Michéal McGavigan      (Derry Diocese)

Chaplain to the ADC of An tUachtaran: Fr Eugene Sweeney; Chaplain to the ADC of An Taoiseach: Fr Padraig Murphy; Chaplain to Governments Representatives: Fr John McKeever

Assistant to Bishops: Fr Thomas McHugh; Assistant to Clergy: Damien Quigley; Assistant to Laity: Fr Emlyn McGinn

Assistant-Priests to Archbishop Eamon: Fr Colm O’Doherty; Fr Michael McCaughey

Commentator: Fr Paul Clayton-Lea

Servers and Acolytes:

Seminarians from Maynooth College and Irish College, Rome

Aidan McCann- Thurifer; Francis Hand – Candle; Barry Matthews – Candle; Sean McGuigan – Cross; Brian Slater – Book; Christopher McDermott – Vesting; Sean O’Donnell –  Book

Seminarians from the Neocatechumenal Way

Br Joseph – Gifts; Br Maciej – Gifts; Br Roberto – Mitre; Br Callum – Crozier; Br Sabas – Vesting; Br James – Vesting; Br Cian – Vesting

Servers from Armagh Parish

Niamh Maxwell – Bell; Malachy Donaldson – Bell

1st Reading: Joseph Martin, (a brother of Archbishop Eamon); Psalm: Marie-Thérese Devins (a sister of Archbishop Eamon); 2nd Reading: Monica Gribben, (a native of the parish of Armagh)

Choir: St Patrick’s Cathedral Choir; Conductor: Mr Colm Murphy; Organist: Mr Peter Elliott; Assistant Organist:        Mr James Murphy Harpist:

Archbishop Eamon’s Episcopal Ring, Mitre and Crozier are brought forward by members of his family and friends: Mitre: Nóirín Boucher; Crozier: Martin McDaid;

Episcopal Ring: Rosemary McDaid

During the ceremony, Archbishop Eamon will greet a number of representatives of the Archdiocese: Sharon Haughey-Grimley, Lord Mayor of Armagh; Finan McCoy, Chairman of Louth County Council; Sr Mairead Gorman MMM, Drogheda; Sr Kathleen Friel, SSCJ, Armagh; Br Ronan Lynch, OH, Drumcar; Pearse O’Hanrahan, Chairman, Diocesan Pastoral Council; Liz Maloney, Legion of Mary; Elaine O’Neill, Catechist; Lynette McShane, Youth Ministry; Bosco McShane, Youth Ministry; Ignatius Donnelly, Diocesan Lourdes Pilgrimage; Orlagh Dynes, St Vincent de Paul;

Stella Mallon, Pioneer Association; Benignus Ndubuisi, Candidate for the Permanent Diaconate; Fr Ryan McAleer, CC Dungannon; Fr Brian White, CC Haggardstown and Blackrock.

Offertory Procession:

Ludivine Martin (Niece and God-child of Archbishop Eamon); Christopher Duggan (Nephew and God-Child of Archbishop Eamon); Lara and Garry Trainor (A couple who were recently married in the Cathedral)

Chief- Steward: Mr Pearse Dynes

Sacristy Team: Ms Eileen Martin; Mr Gary McGuirk; Mr Pat Hamilton; Mr Victorio Caffola

Master of Ceremonies: Fr Rory Coyle

Concelebrants of the Ordination Mass include:

The Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland; The Archbishop of Westminster; The Archbishop Emertius of Glasgow; Diocesan Administrators; The President of St Patrick’s College, Maynooth; The Director of Formation of the Irish College, Rome; The Abbots  of Mellifont Abbey, and Portnaglone Abbey; The Canons of the Metropolitan Chapter of Armagh Archdiocese; Classmates of Archbishop Eamon; Representatives of the priests of Armagh Archdiocese, (including the Vicar General, members of the Senate of Priests, College of Consulters, Vicars Forane), Administrator of St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish, Armagh; Administrator of St Patrick’s Parish, Dundalk; Secretary to the HE The Papal Nuncio; Executive Secretary to the Irish Episcopal Conference. 

ENDS

 For media contact: Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: 00353 (1) 505 3017 and Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678