Pope Appoints Mgr Eamon Martin As Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh

Independent Catholic News
January 18, 2013

http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=21786

Mgr Eamon Brady

Cardinal Sean Brady announced this morning that Pope Benedict has appointed Mgr Eamon Martin, the Diocesan Administrator of Derry, as Coadjutor Bishop of the Archdiocese. Mgr Martin will assist the Cardinal in his work and should succeed Cardinal Brady as Archbishop on his retirement.

Speaking at St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, the Cardinal congratulated Monsignor Martin and thanked Pope Benedict for his appointment. “Today, in choosing Mgr Eamon Martin for the office of bishop, he has chosen a man of great gifts and great generosity who knows how to use those talents in the education of people – young and old,” he said.

Mgr Martin said he was shocked by the appointment but looking forward to his new role. “I was shocked some days ago, when I heard Archbishop Brown say that Pope Benedict XVI had nominated me as Coadjutor Archbishop of Armagh. I am very conscious of the great trust that the Holy Father has placed in me, but in truth I have to admit it was with considerable nervousness and trepidation that I accepted his call,” he said.

He also said he will be sorry to leave Derry and thanked the people of the diocese for their support.

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 Martin 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 Mgr 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. Mgr Martin was appointed President of Saint Columb's College in May 2000.

In June 2008 Mgr 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 Seamus Hegarty, Bishop Emeritus of Derry. On 18 November 2010 Mgr 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 Mgr 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 Vocie 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 Dicoesan Adminstrator 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 Day; Prayer for the Day and celebrant and preacher on Sunday Morning Worship, and other programmes on RTE, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service.

Monsignor Martin 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.