Thomas Morris (bishop)

The Most Reverend Dr.
Thomas Morris
D.D.
Archbishop Emeritus of Cashel and Emly
Archdiocese Cashel and Emly
Installed 21 Dec 1959
Term ended 12 Sep 1988
Predecessor Jeremiah Kinane
Successor Dermot Clifford
Orders
Ordination 18 Jun 1939
Consecration 28 Feb 1960
by Cardinal John D’Alton
Personal details
Born (1914-10-16) 16 October 1914
Killenaule, County Tipperary, United Kingdom
Died 16 Jan 1997
Tipperary
Buried Thurles
Nationality Irish
Denomination Roman Catholic

Thomas Morris, D.D. (16 Oct 1914 - 16 Jan 1997), was the Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in Ireland from 1959 to 1988.[1]

Biography

Morris was born in Kilkennybeg, in parish of Killenaule, County Tipperary, and was educated first at Killenaule, and then by the Christian Brothers in Thurles.

He entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth in September 1932 where he took a first class Honours degree in English in 1935 before embarking on theological studies.[2]

He was one of six Cashel and Emly students ordained to the priesthood on 18 June 1939 and proceeded to the Dunboyne Institute for postgraduate studies which culminated in a doctorate in theology in June 1941. He taught at Glenstal Abbey for a few month, moving to St. Patrick's College, Thurles, in January 1942, where he taught theology until 1960 when he became archbishop.

Aside from his seminary teaching he was appointed part-time secretary to Archbishop Kinane in 1947 and Vice-President of the seminary in 1957.[3]

It is reported he often spent his holidays in the Gaeltacht in Ballyferriter where he became deeply steeped in Irish literature and culture.[4] In April 1954 he was chosen to preach (in Irish) at the first Mass celebrated in Cormac's Chapel on the Rock of Cashel since the Reformation.

Archbishop of Cashel and Emly

Styles of
Thomas Morris
Reference style The Most Reverend
Spoken style Your Grace
Religious style Archbishop

The Holy See chose him as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on 21 December 1959 and he was consecrated on 28 February 1960. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Cardinal D'Alton; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Denis Moynihan the Bishop of Kerry.

Dr Morris attended the Second Vatican Council, where he became familiar with the Archbishop of Kracow, and future pope Karol Wojtyla. He was the only Irish member of the Pontifical Commission on Birth Control that preceded Humane Vitae where predictably he voted against any change.[5]

During his period as archbishop he was responsible for the restoration of Holy Cross Abbey where he continued to work as a priest after retirement.

References

  1. "Thomas Morris". Catholic Hierarchy.
  2. http://tipperarystudies.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/news8.pdf
  3. Oliver, Emmet. "Former Archbishop of Cashel dies, aged 82". Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  4. http://tipperarystudies.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/news8.pdf
  5. Danaher, Gerry. "Bishop's voting on contraception". Gerry Danaher.

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