Michael J. O'Farrell

Michael Joseph O'Farrell (December 2, 1832 – April 2, 1894) was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the first Bishop of Trenton (1881–1894).

Biography

Michael O'Farrell was born in Limerick, and studied the classics and philosophy at All Hallows College in Dublin.^[1] He then studied theology at the Seminary of Saint-Sulpice in Paris, France, where he joined the Society of Saint-Sulpice (more commonly known as the Sulpicians).^[1] Returning to Ireland, was ordained to the priesthood on August 18, 1855.^[2] He was sent by his superiors to the Grand Seminary of Montreal in Quebec, Canada, where he taught dogmatic theology.^[1]

In 1869 he left the Sulpicians and was incardinated into the Diocese of New York in the United States.^[1] He served as a curate at St. Peter's Church in New York City until 1872, when he became pastor of St. Mary's Church in Rondout.^[1] After a brief tenure at St. Mary's, he returned to St. Peter's in 1873 as its pastor.^[1]

On August 11, 1881, O'Farrell was appointed the first Bishop of the newly erected Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey, by Pope Leo XIII.^[2] He received his episcopal consecration on the following November 1 from Cardinal John McCloskey, with Archbishop Michael Corrigan and Bishop John Loughlin serving as co-consecrators.^[2] During his tenure, he erected several new parishes and missions, and established an orphanage in New Brunswick and a home for the aged in Beverly.^[1] He also attended the Third Plenary Council of Baltimore in 1884.^[1] At the beginning of his tenure, the diocese contained 51 priests, 60 churches, and 24 parochial schools; by the time of his death, there were 92 priests, 101 churches, and 82 parochial schools.

O'Farrell later died at age 61.

Catholic Church titles
Preceded by none	Bishop of Trenton 1881—1894	Succeeded by James Augustine McFaul

Diocese of Trenton

Ordinaries	Bishops Michael J. O'Farrell James A. McFaul Thomas J. Walsh John J. McMahon Moses E. Kiley William A. Griffin George W. Ahr John C. Reiss John M. Smith David M. O'Connell

Churches	Cathedral Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, Trenton Parishes Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Moorestown Sacred Heart Church, Trenton St. Mary of the Lakes Catholic Church, Medford Lakes

Education	Primary schools St. Paul's School High schools Donovan Catholic High School, Toms River Holy Cross Academy, Delran Mater Dei High School, New Monmouth Notre Dame High School, Lawrenceville Red Bank Catholic High School, Red Bank St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel St. Rose High School, Belmar Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton Primary schools, independent Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart High schools, independent Christian Brothers Academy, Lincroft Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton Villa Victoria Academy, Ewing Township

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