Irish Catholic bishop
Niall Coll (born 25 August 1963) is an
Irish
Roman Catholic
prelate and theologian who has served as
Bishop of Ossory since 22 January 2023.
Early life and education
Coll was born in
Letterkenny ,
County Donegal , on 25 August 1963, one of four children to Willie and Kathleen Coll. He grew up in nearby
St Johnston and attended secondary school at
St Eunan's College .
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
Coll began studying for the priesthood at
St Patrick's College, Maynooth , in 1981, completing a
Bachelor of Arts in history and geography from the
National University of Ireland, Maynooth , in 1984, and a
Bachelor of Divinity from the Pontifical University in 1987.
[7]
He was
ordained a priest for the
Diocese of Raphoe on 3 July 1988.
[8]
[3]
Presbyteral ministry
Following ordination, Coll completed a
licentiate in
dogmatic theology from the
Pontifical Gregorian University in
Rome in 1989, before returning to
Ireland for his first diocesan assignment, as a teacher at
St Eunan's College until 1991. He subsequently obtained a
higher diploma in
education from
Trinity College, Dublin , in 1992, before returning to Rome to complete
doctoral studies in
Christology at the Pontifical Gregorian University.
[9]
[10]
Coll returned to Ireland once again in 1995, upon his appointment as a lecturer at
St Patrick's, Carlow College . He returned to the
Diocese of Raphoe in 1998, serving as curate in
Dungloe and simultaneously as
chaplain and teacher at Pobalscoil na Rosann.
[11]
[12]
[13]
In 2001, Coll was appointed professor in
religious studies and
religious education at
St Mary’s University College in
Belfast . He returned to the Diocese of Raphoe once again in 2020, when he was appointed as parish priest of
Drumholm (centred on
Ballintra ), before being appointed parish priest of
Tawnawilly (centred on
Donegal ) the following year. Coll also served on the diocesan pastoral council and coordinated the promotion of the diocesan pastoral plan upon its publication in April 2022.
[14]
[15]
[16]
In an interview with
The Irish Catholic in 2018, he emphasised the importance of intelligence and reason in faith development.
[17]
In conjunction with his priestly appointments, Coll has conducted retreats for clergy, contributed to publications including
Doctrine and Life ,
The Furrow ,
Irish Theological Quarterly and
The Tablet , and edited the Catholic school ethos journal Le Chéile.
[18]
[19] He has also edited a collection of essays evaluating Ireland's response to the
Second Vatican Council .
[20]
[21]
On a national level, Coll has also served as a member of the Inter-Church Committee of the
Irish Council of Churches .
[22]
Episcopal ministry
Coll was appointed
Bishop-elect of Ossory by
Pope Francis on 28 October 2022.
[1]
[23]
[24]
[25]
[26]
He was consecrated by his predecessor, the
Archbishop of Dublin ,
Dermot Farrell , on 22 January 2023 in
St Mary's Cathedral ,
Kilkenny .
[27]
[28]
[2]
[29]
Bibliography
Coll, Niall (1995). Some Anglican interpretations of Christ's pre-existence: a study of L. S. Thornton, E. L. Mascall, J. A. T. Robinson and J. Macquarrie . Rome.
OCLC
312567965 . {{
cite book }}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link )
Coll, Niall (2001). A Church with a Future: Challenges to Irish Catholicism Today . Dublin: Four Courts Press.
ISBN
9781856074889 .
Coll, Niall (2005). Christ in Eternity and Time: Modern Anglican Perspective . Dublin: Columba Books.
ISBN
9781851825998 .
Coll, Niall, ed. (2015). Ireland and Vatican II: Essays Theological, Pastoral and Educational . Dublin: Columba Press.
ISBN
9781782182764 .
References
^
a
b
"Nomina del Vescovo di Ossory (Irlanda)" .
Holy See Press Office (in Italian). 28 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^
a
b Sheridan, Lisa (17 January 2023).
" "Trusting in the power of the Holy Spirit, discern and change we must" – Bishop-elect of Ossory Niall Coll" . Catholic News . Retrieved 17 January 2023 .
^
a
b
c McNulty, Chris (19 January 2023).
"The day everything changed for the soon to be ordained Bishop of Ossory" .
Donegal Democrat . Retrieved 21 January 2023 .
^ McLaughlin, Rachel (17 August 2020).
"Rev Dr Niall Coll returning to Donegal after 19 years" .
Donegal Daily . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ McNulty, Chris (28 October 2022).
"Fr Niall Coll appointed as new Bishop of Ossory" . Donegal Live . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Chris McNulty [@ChrisMcNultyDgl] (2 January 2023).
"Pictured in the mid 60s is signalman Willie Coll, father of the Bishop-elect of Ossory, Fr Niall Coll" (
Tweet ). Retrieved 17 January 2023 – via
Twitter .
^
"Pope Francis appoints Father Niall Coll as Bishop of Ossory" .
Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference . 28 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Jones, Kevin J. (28 October 2022).
"Irish bishop-to-be encourages 'new generation' of Christian witness" .
Catholic News Agency . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Kelly, Michael (28 October 2022).
"Fr Niall Coll appointed Bishop of Ossory" . The Irish Catholic . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Ganly, Conor (28 October 2022).
"Laois has a new bishop who hails from Donegal" .
Leinster Express . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Burke, Sinéad (28 October 2022).
"A new Catholic Bishop of Ossory is being appointed" .
KCLR 96FM . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^
"Donegal priest appointed as Bishop of Ossory" .
Highland Radio . 28 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ McHugh, Michael (29 December 2022).
"Gallery: Fond farewell for Fr Niall Coll as Bishop elect leaves Donegal for Ossory Diocese" . Donegal Live . Retrieved 17 January 2023 .
^ McGonagle, Suzanne (29 October 2022).
"Former professor at St Mary's University College Belfast appointed new bishop of Ossory" .
The Irish News . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^
"Diocesan Changes 2020" .
Diocese of Raphoe . 17 August 2020. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^
"Diocesan Clergy Changes 2021" . Diocese of Raphoe . 21 July 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Fitzpatrick, Colm (28 June 2018).
"Making the choice of Faith" .
The Irish Catholic . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ McDonald, Sarah (28 October 2022).
"New bishop advocates change in line with 'synodality' " .
The Tablet . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Gately, Susan (28 November 2015).
"New book evaluates Ireland's response to Vatican II" . CatholicIreland.net . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ O'Loan, Baroness Nuala (21 December 2015).
"Courage, patience and discernment needed to meet challenge of Vatican II" .
The Irish News . Retrieved 17 January 2023 .
^ Wright, Jonathan (4 February 2016).
"Why Vatican II didn't shake the Irish Church" . Catholic Herald . Retrieved 17 January 2023 .
^
"Inter–Church Committee Member Dr Niall Coll Appointed as Bishop of Ossory" . Irish Council of Churches . 31 October 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2023 .
^ Kane, Conor (28 October 2022).
"Donegal priest appointed new Bishop of Ossory" .
RTÉ . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Dunne, Christopher (28 October 2022).
"BREAKING: Kilkenny has a new bishop who hails from Donegal" .
Kilkenny People . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ Lawlor, Tina (28 October 2022).
"Welcome of Fr Niall Coll, appointed Bishop of Ossory – Ossory" .
Diocese of Ossory . Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^
"Fr Niall Coll, PP, Bishop-elect of Ossory Diocese" . Diocese of Raphoe . 28 October 2022. Retrieved 29 October 2022 .
^ O'Boyle, Conor (3 November 2022).
"Ordination of Mgr Coll as Bishop of Ossory" . St Mary's Cathedral . Retrieved 18 November 2022 .
^
"BISHOP ELECT NIALL COLL" . Thomastown Parish . 4 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022 .
^ Matthews, Sam (22 January 2023).
"New Bishop of Ossory Niall Coll ordained at St Mary's Cathedral in Kilkenny today" .
Kilkenny People . Retrieved 22 January 2023 .
External links