John McAreavey
Encyclopedia
John McAreavey is the Bishop
of the Diocese of Dromore. He was born in Banbridge
, County Down
, Northern Ireland
.
. In September 1966 he entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth
where in 1969 he finished a B.A.
in Modern Languages and in 1972 a B.D.
in Divinity.
by the late Bishop Eugene O’Doherty on 10 June 1973. Fr McAreavey returned to Maynooth
after his ordination and completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1974. He was a post-graduate student of Canon Law
at the Pontifical Gregorian University
, Rome from 1974-1978 when he graduated with a Doctorate in Canon Law
.
From 1978-1979 Fr McAreavey was on the teaching staff of St. Colman's College
. In the latter year he was appointed to the Armagh Regional Marriage Tribunal. He became head on the death of Fr Mulvenna in 1983 and held this post until 1991. Meanwhile he had been appointed in 1988 Professor of Canon Law
in the St Patrick's College, Maynooth
. While there he wrote widely on Church Law, publishing in 1997 The Canon Law of Marriage and the Family. He had served on the Editorial Board of the Irish Theological Quarterly from 1998. He is also a member of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Canon Law Society of America. In 1994 he became secretary of the Greenhills Ecumenical Conference Committee.
Throughout his entire ministry John has been involved in the pastoral care of engaged and married couples. A fluent Gaelic
speaker he is a member of the committee of Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste. He is also fluent in Italian
, German
and French
.
on 19 September 1999. The Principal Consecrator
was Archbishop Seán Brady
; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Bishop John Magee, SPS
and his predecessor Francis Brooks.
McAreavey is currently involved in the revision of the Liturgy of the Mass.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Diocese of Dromore. He was born in Banbridge
Banbridge
Banbridge is a town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Bann and the A1 road. It was named after a bridge built over the Bann in 1712. The town grew as a coaching stop on the road from Belfast to Dublin and thrived from Irish linen manufacturing...
, County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
Early life and education
John McAreavey was born at Drumnagally, Banbridge on 2 February 1949. He is the son of Mary and the late John McAreavey and has two sisters and two brothers. He received his primary education at Ballyvarley School and then the Abbey Primary School, Newry. He received his secondary education at St. Colman's CollegeSt Colman's College, Newry
St Colman's College is a Roman Catholic school in Newry, Northern Ireland. Now named in honour of St. Colman, it was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by a Father J.S. Keenan. The College stands on Violet Hill, the same 60 acre site it has occupied since 1829, adjacent to the...
. In September 1966 he entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
where in 1969 he finished a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Modern Languages and in 1972 a B.D.
Bachelor of Divinity
In Western universities, a Bachelor of Divinity is usually an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course taken in the study of divinity or related disciplines, such as theology or, rarely, religious studies....
in Divinity.
Priest
Dr McAreavey was ordained as priest for the Diocese of DromoreDiocese of Dromore
Diocese of Dromore can refer to:*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore*The Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore...
by the late Bishop Eugene O’Doherty on 10 June 1973. Fr McAreavey returned to Maynooth
Maynooth
Maynooth is a town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to a branch of the National University of Ireland, a Papal University and Ireland's main Roman Catholic seminary, St. Patrick's College...
after his ordination and completed a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 1974. He was a post-graduate student of Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
at the Pontifical Gregorian University
Pontifical Gregorian University
The Pontifical Gregorian University is a pontifical university located in Rome, Italy.Heir of the Roman College founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola over 460 years ago, the Gregorian University was the first university founded by the Jesuits...
, Rome from 1974-1978 when he graduated with a Doctorate in Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
From 1978-1979 Fr McAreavey was on the teaching staff of St. Colman's College
St Colman's College, Newry
St Colman's College is a Roman Catholic school in Newry, Northern Ireland. Now named in honour of St. Colman, it was founded in 1823 as the Dromore Diocesan Seminary by a Father J.S. Keenan. The College stands on Violet Hill, the same 60 acre site it has occupied since 1829, adjacent to the...
. In the latter year he was appointed to the Armagh Regional Marriage Tribunal. He became head on the death of Fr Mulvenna in 1983 and held this post until 1991. Meanwhile he had been appointed in 1988 Professor of Canon Law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
in the St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth
St Patrick's College, Maynooth is the "National Seminary for Ireland" , and a Pontifical University, located in the village of Maynooth, 15 miles from Dublin, Ireland. The college and seminary are often referred to as Maynooth College. The college was officially established as the Royal College...
. While there he wrote widely on Church Law, publishing in 1997 The Canon Law of Marriage and the Family. He had served on the Editorial Board of the Irish Theological Quarterly from 1998. He is also a member of the Canon Law Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Canon Law Society of America. In 1994 he became secretary of the Greenhills Ecumenical Conference Committee.
Throughout his entire ministry John has been involved in the pastoral care of engaged and married couples. A fluent Gaelic
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
speaker he is a member of the committee of Coláiste Bhríde, Rann na Feirste. He is also fluent in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
and French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Bishop
Dr John McAreavey was ordained as Bishop of DromoreDiocese of Dromore
Diocese of Dromore can refer to:*The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dromore*The Church of Ireland Diocese of Down and Dromore...
on 19 September 1999. The Principal Consecrator
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
was Archbishop Seán Brady
Seán Brady
Seán Baptist Brady is an Irish cardinal of the Catholic Church. He is the current Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 2007.-Early life and education:...
; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Bishop John Magee, SPS
John Magee (bishop)
John Magee, SPS was a Roman Catholic bishop in Ireland. He resigned his episcopal seat on 24 March 2010.-Early life:...
and his predecessor Francis Brooks.
McAreavey is currently involved in the revision of the Liturgy of the Mass.