Hugh Connolly
BornSeptember 1961 (age 62)
Burren, County Down
Alma materAbbey Christian Brothers' Grammar School,, St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome
Occupation(s)Priest, academic, university president, registrar
ReligionRoman Catholic

Hugh Gerard Connolly (b.1961) is an Irish Catholic priest. He is a parish priest in the diocese of Dromore and a former Aumônier des Irlandais at the Collège des Irlandais in Paris. He previously served as president of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, Ireland.

Early life

Born in September 1961, Connolly is a native of Burren near Warrenpoint, County Down, and is a priest of the Diocese of Dromore with the ecclesiastical title Monsignor.[1]

Ministry

Connolly attended the Abbey Grammar in Newry before commencing his studies for the priesthood in Maynooth, gaining a BA Honours (NUI) degree in French before studying a theology degree at Maynooth. He was ordained in Maynooth in May 1987. He completed postgraduate doctoral studies in moral theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, in 1991.[2]

Connolly worked as a lecturer in moral theology in Maynooth, becoming a professor in 2007. He has also lectured at St. Patrick's, Carlow College.

He was executive secretary of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference from 1991 to 1997. He published a book on and called The Irish Penitentials in 1995[3] and in 2002 published the volume Sin in the "New Century Theology" series.[4]

He served as registrar (2001–2006) at the Pontifical University Maynooth and as vice-president of St Patrick's College (1999-2007).

President of Maynooth College

On 10 August 2007, the trustees of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, announced his appointment as President in succession to Dermot Farrell.[2]

In March 2011, Connolly denied rumours that Maynooth Seminary may be closing. "Media reports today about the possible closure of the seminary are without foundation. The media outlet leading with this incorrect story was sent a reply from us yesterday and its absence from the published copy is disappointing and damaging."[5] A year later, when the Summary of the finding of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland was published, there was no reference to seminary closures but there were recommendations to improve the quality of seminary formation.[6] In his capacity as rector of the national seminary, Connolly spoke on the dearth of vocations to the diocesan priesthood in Ireland.[7]

He was reappointed for a second term as President on 29 May 2012 at the summer meeting of the college trustees.[8]

In June 2016, it was announced that Connolly was taking a sabbatical year for the final year of his statutory ten-year term as president which concluded on 31 August 2017, nonetheless it was an announcement that created some reporting that needed clarification.[9] It was noted that the move was in accordance with the new sabbatical provisions of the Pontifical University, adopted some years earlier to reflect standard practice in the third level sector.[10] Several months later advertisements were placed seeking a new college president, to assume office on 1 September 2017.

He was succeeded in the post by Fr Michael Mullaney.

Throughout his time as President, Connolly sought to raise the international profile of the Pontifical University at Maynooth and served as one of two board members for the Continent of Europe on IFCU the umbrella body for rectors of Catholic Universities worldwide.[11][12]

Post-Maynooth Ministry

In March 2017, Connolly was appointed chaplain-designate at the Irish College Paris (or Aumônier, Collège des Irlandais) effective 1 September 2017. He had previously been a board member of this institution for ten years during its renovation and relaunch as a cultural centre and chaplaincy.[13] Having completed a five year term in this role he subsequently returned to his Diocese in August 2022 to serve as a parish priest there.

References

  1. ↑ Bishops' Conference, Irish (2015). Irish Catholic Directory 2015 (2015 ed.). Dublin: Veritas Publications. p. 168. ISBN 9781847305794. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 "St Patrick's College appoints new President". RTÉ. 10 August 2007. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  3. ↑ Connolly, Hugh (1995). The Irish Penitentials. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978-1851821617.
  4. ↑ Connolly, Hugh (2001). Sin (1 ed.). London: Bloomsbury Academic. ISBN 978-0826451842.
  5. ↑ "Dolan to recommend closure of Maynooth: Report | CathNewsUSA". CathNewsUSA. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  6. ↑ Visitation, Apostolic. "Summary of the Findings of the Apostolic Visitation in Ireland". vatican.va. Holy See. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Kane, Conor. "Maynooth gets 17 new seminarians". irishtimes.com. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Maynooth College reappointment". leinsterleader.ie. Leinster Leader. 6 June 2012.
  9. ↑ "St Patrick's…". 31 May 2022.
  10. ↑ "Clarification – Monsignor Connolly". Independent News & Media. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  11. ↑ Secretariat, IFCU. "IFCU Board of Administration 2015 to 2018". fiuc.org. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "IFCU XXVI General Assembly - Maynooth - 23/07/18 Opening Ceremony- Introduction MSGR. Hugh Connolly". YouTube.
  13. ↑ "Troubled passage of Irish college into cultural centre". The Irish Times. Irish Times. 23 May 2001. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
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