Patrick Farrelly (bishop)

{{Short description|Australian Catholic bishop (1895–1974}}
{{Use Australian English|date=April 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2026}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Bishop
| honorific-prefix = [[The Most Reverend]]
| name = Patrick Farrelly
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Bishop Emeritus of [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lismore|Diocese of Lismore]]
| image =
| caption =
| province =
| archdiocese =
| diocese = [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Lismore|Lismore]]
| see =
| term_start = 8 May 1949
| term_end = 1 September 1971
| predecessor = [[John Carroll (Australian bishop)|John Joseph Carroll]]
| successor = [[Douglas Warren (bishop)|Douglas Joseph Warren]]
| ordination = 1 December 1918 at
[[St Carthage's Cathedral (Lismore, New South Wales)|St Carthage's Cathedral]], [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]]
| ordained_by = [[John Carroll (Australian bishop)|John Joseph Carroll]]
| consecration = 30 August 1931 at
[[St Carthage's Cathedral (Lismore, New South Wales)|St Carthage's Cathedral]], [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]]
| consecrated_by = [[Bartolomeo Cattaneo]]
| other_post =
| birth_name = Patrick Joseph Farrelly
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1895|12|19|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]], New South Wales, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|05|25|1895|12|19|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]], New South Wales, Australia
| buried =
| nationality = Australian
| religion = [[Catholic Church]]
| residence =
| parents =
| spouse =
| children =
| motto =
| occupation = [[Catholic bishop]]
| profession =
| alma_mater =
| signature =
}}

'''Patrick Joseph Farrelly''' (19 December 1895 – 25 May 1974) was an Australian bishop of the [[Catholic Church]]. He served as Bishop of Lismore and was the first native-born priest to hold episcopal office in the diocese.

==Early life==
Farrelly was born and raised in Lismore, the second son of Patrick and Hannah Farrelly. He was educated at St Carthage's Primary School by the [[Presentation Sisters]]. His brother, Thomas, also became a priest for the Diocese of Lismore and was given the title of [[monsignor]]. He pursued studies for the priesthood at [[St Columba's Catholic College|St Columba's College, Springwood]] and [[St Patrick's Seminary|St Patrick's Seminary, Manly]]{{cite news |title=The Lismore Diocese |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105966730?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Catholic Press |date=5 December 1918}}{{cite news |title=Ordination |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92911124?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=Northern Star |date=3 December 1918}}

==Priesthood==
Farrelly was ordained on 1 December 1918 at [[St Carthage's Cathedral (Lismore, New South Wales)|St Carthage's Cathedral]] by [[John Carroll (Australian bishop)|Bishop John Joseph Carroll]].{{cite news |title=The Lismore Diocese |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105966730?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Catholic Press |date=5 December 1918}}

His first appointment was at [[Kempsey, New South Wales|Kempsey]] before moving to [[Smithtown, New South Wales|Smithtown]]. He was then appointed to [[Port Macquarie]], followed by [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]]. He was then appointed parish priest of [[Bellingen, New South Wales|Bellingen]], his final appointment before being elevated to the episcopacy.{{cite news |title=COADJUTOR BISHOP. REV. P. FARRELLY APPOINTED. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/105958517?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Port Macquarie News and Hastings River Advocate |date=9 May 1931}}

==Episcopate==
On 28 April 1931, Farrelly was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Lismore.{{cite news |title=REV. P. FARRELLY Co-ad jutor Bishop OF L1SMORE |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/135251037?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Maitland Weekly Mercury |date=9 May 1931}} He was ordained as a bishop on 30 August 1931 at [[St Carthage's Cathedral (Lismore, New South Wales)|St Carthage's Cathedral]] by [[Bartolomeo Cattaneo|Archbishop Bartolomeo Cattaneo]].{{cite news |title=DR. PATRICK FARRELLY |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/16810797?searchTerm=Farrelly%20ordained |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=31 August 1931}}

Despite not being officially made Bishop of Lismore, Farrelly took over full-time administration of the diocese in 1947 when Bishop Carroll moved to live with the [[Redemptorists|Redemptorist Fathers]] in [[Mitchelton, Queensland|Mitchelton]], Brisbane due to ill-health.{{cite news |title=Bishop Interred in Cathedral |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/146661682?searchTerm=carroll%20redemptorist |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=Catholic Weekly |date=19 May 1949}} On 8 May 1949, he became Bishop of Lismore following the death of Carroll.{{cite news |title=Death of Bishop Carroll |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22727444?searchTerm=carroll%20redemptorist |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Argus |date=9 May 1949}}

His episcopacy was defined by his energy and gifted speaking. He grew the diocese's infrastructure, establishing [[St Paul's College, Kempsey]] and opening several churches.{{cite web |title=The Bishops of Lismore |url=https://www.lismorediocese.org/past-bishops/ |website=lismorediocese.org |publisher=Diocese of Lismore |access-date=23 April 2026}}

==Retirement and Death==
On 1 September 1971, Farrelly retired as Bishop of Lismore, having reached the canonical retirement age of 75 almost a year earlier.{{cite news |title=Retirement |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110675626?searchTerm=farrelly%20lismore |access-date=23 April 2026 |work=The Canberra Times |date=3 September 1971}} He died on 25 May 1974 in [[Lismore, New South Wales|Lismore]] and was buried in front of the Cathedral beneath a statue of [[Our Lady of Lourdes]].{{cite web |title=The Bishops of Lismore |url=https://www.lismorediocese.org/past-bishops/ |website=lismorediocese.org |publisher=Diocese of Lismore |access-date=23 April 2026}}

==References==
{{reflist}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef | before=[[John Carroll (Australian bishop)|John Joseph Carroll]]}}
{{s-ttl | title=Bishop of Lismore|years=1949–1971}}
{{s-aft | after=[[John Steven Satterthwaite]]}}
{{s-bef | before=Giovanni Rossi}}
{{s-ttl | title=Titular Bishop of [[Nawa, Daraa|Neve (Nebo)]]|years=1931–1949}}
{{s-aft | after=[[William Conway (cardinal)|William John Conway]]}}
{{end}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrelly, Patrick}}
[[Category:1895 births]]
[[Category:1974 deaths]]
[[Category:Clergy from New South Wales]]
[[Category:20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Australia]]