Michael J. O'Farrell

Michael Joseph O'Farrell (December 2, 1832 – April 2, 1894) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first Bishop of Trenton (1881–1894).

Michael Joseph O'Farrell
Born	(1832-12-02)December 2, 1832
Died	April 2, 1894(1894-04-02) (aged 61)

Biography

Michael O'Farrell was born in Limerick, and studied the classics and philosophy at All Hallows College in Dublin. He then studied theology at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, France. After his ordination in Ireland on August 18, 1855, he returned to Paris where he joined the Society of Saint-Sulpice. After completing his novitiate, he was made professor of dogmatic theology. He was sent by his superiors to teach at the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.[1] He served as pastor of St. Patrick's Church.

He left the Sulpicians and was incardinated into the Diocese of New York in the United States. He served as a curate at St. Peter's Church (Manhattan) until 1872, when he became pastor of St. Mary's Church in Rondout, New York. After a brief tenure at St. Mary's, he returned to St. Peter's in 1873 as its pastor.[1]

On August 11, 1881, O'Farrell was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on the following November 1 from Cardinal John McCloskey, with Archbishop Michael Corrigan and Bishop John Loughlin serving as co-consecrators.[2]

Bishop O'Farrell designated St. Mary's Church as his cathedral. According to historian John Gilmary Shea, O'Farrell's efforts to establish institutions to develop religion in the southern part of New Jersey "...did not fail to excite hostility".[3] St. John's Church, the oldest Catholic church in the diocese burned down in 1883. During his tenure, O'Farrell erected several new parishes and missions, and established an orphanage in New Brunswick and a home for the aged in Beverly.

He also attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884.[1] At the beginning of his tenure, the diocese contained 51 priests, 60 churches, and 24 parochial schools; by the time of his death, there were 92 priests, 101 churches, and 82 parochial schools.

O'Farrell later died at age 61.

References

1. Powers, James. "Trenton." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 24 July 2019 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. "Bishop Michael Joseph O'Farrell". Catholic-Hierarchy.org.
3. Shea, John Gilmary. The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the United States, Office of Catholic Publications, 1886, p. 382 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Trenton". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by none	Bishop of Trenton 1881—1894	Succeeded by James Augustine McFaul