Pontifical Irish College

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Pontifical Irish College in Rome

The Pontifical Irish College ( en . : Pontifical Irish College , ir. Coláiste Pontaifiúil na nGael , it . : Pontificio Collegio Irlandese ) in Rome is a papal college for the education and training of Irish priests . However, it also offers residency to priestly candidates from other countries. The college was founded in 1628 and approved by Pope Urban VIII (1623–1644).

Portrait of Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi on his grave monument by Pierre Le Gros (Rome, Sant'Ignazio).

founding

In 1625 the Irish bishops sent a request to Pope Urban VIII and expressed the wish to establish a national college in Rome. They were supported by the cardinal protector for Ireland the Cardinal Ludovico Ludovisi , the cost would take over the bishops. They rented a residence across from San Isodoro in Rome, and teaching began on January 1, 1628 with six seminarians . Archdeacon Eugene Callanan von Cashel was appointed the first rector, and Luke Wadding , later titular bishop of Zenopolis in Isauria and coadjutor bishop von Ferns , was appointed director of the Franciscans . Cardinal Ludovisi died in 1632 and left a large part of his property to the college. In his honor, the Irish college is also named “Kolleg Ludovicio Ludovisi”. According to his will , the leadership of the college was to be taken over by the Jesuits , but this was only implemented after a legal dispute in 1635.

The college in the 17th and 18th centuries

On February 8, 1635, the Jesuits took over responsibility for the college, and this guidance lasted until 1772. The first rector was the Jesuit Father James Forde , followed in 1637 by Father William Malone . In 1667 the college ran into financial problems, there were complaints and objections about the management. There were never more than 5-7 students enrolled at the college, and a papal commission discussed the fate of the college . The commission decided in 1772 to withdraw the leadership of the Jesuits and the Italian priest Luigi Cuccagni was appointed as the new rector. His term of office ended with the closure of the college by Napoleon's reign in 1798.

The college in the 19th century

Michael Blake , the last student at the Irish College in 1798 and later Bishop of Dromore , turned to the Pope asking for the Irish College to be reopened. The latter granted this request and on February 18, 1826, with Blake appointed as rector, the college was put into operation. In 1830 30 candidates were studying at the college, Paul Cullen had meanwhile become the new rector , the number of students now increased significantly and a new building was rented, Cullen bought a summer house for the seminarians and priests. In 1835 the institute received from Pope Gregory XVI. (1831–1846) the church of Sant'Agata dei Goti as a collegiate church . In 1850 Tobias Kirby (later titular Archbishop of Ephesus ) took over the post of rector, which he was to exercise for over 40 years. He was followed by Michael Kelly, the future Archbishop of Sydney . On January 25, 1948, Pope Pius XII awarded (1939–1958) gave the college the status of a papal college.

Library

The colleague's library was founded in 1639 after the college had moved into a house in Via degli Ibernesi. In 1642 it received the first large collection of liturgical and antiquarian writings. The books and documents written in Latin came from the collections of former students. After the college reopened in 1826, the library became a permanent assembly point. This also meant that it had to be relocated to the collegiate church in 1836 and moved into the current building on Via dei Santi Quattro in 1926. The library now has over 15,000 books, 300 books from the 16th century and 700 publications from the 17th and 18th centuries.

Oliver Plunkett

Oliver Plunkett Union

In 1910, former seminarians from the Irish College met in Dublin . To promote contacts and support practical work at the college, they founded the Oliver Plunkett Union. As a patron they chose the Holy. Oliver Plunkett . The constituent meeting took place on May 21, 1929 in Dublin, it consisted of 55 priests, a further 44 priests had expressed their interest in membership. The Presidium set the objective that the Union should maintain friendship with the former students at the Irish College, that a close relationship with the active students should be cultivated and that the Union should become a part of Catholic public life in Ireland. They supported and promoted the canonization of Oliver Plunkett. In 1930 the first joint statutes were adopted, the general assembly is held annually in September in Dublin. The presidium, consisting of the president, the secretary , the treasurer and an assessor , is elected every two years.

present

Today's Irish Pontifical College has its residence in Via dei Santi Quattro 1 in the immediate vicinity of the Basilica of Santi Quattro Coronati Rome. The integrated chapel is a popular wedding venue for more than 250 couples annually. The seminary, the house chapel and the collegiate church are the focus of the Irish parish in Rome today .

Monsignor Liam Bergin (from the Diocese of Ossory ) has headed the college since 2010 , his deputy is Father Albert McDonnell (from the Diocese of Killaloe ), the Administrative Director is Father Billy Swan and the Spiritual Director is Father Chris Hayden (both from the Diocese of Ferns ).

In 2011 the college offers space for seminarians from Togo (1), Malta (1), Russia (1) Ireland (19), Poland (1), Korea (1), Italy (3), Iraq (1), Ukraine (2 ), Kenya (1), Croatia (1), Romania (1), Hungary (1), Thailand (1), Australia (1) and China (1).

Rectors

Some personalities

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. The Oliver Plunkett Union [1]
  2. Edmund O'Reilly [2]
  3. ^ Hugh MacMahon [3]
  4. Charles Patrick Meehan [4]

Coordinates: 41 ° 53 ′ 14.2 "  N , 12 ° 30 ′ 7.4"  E