Death of Bishop Brendan Comiskey
The death has occurred of Bishop Brendan Comiskey, SS.CC, a native of Monaghan.
Bishop Brendan Comiskey, Emeritus Bishop of Ferns, died Monday, April 28, in the kind care of the staff at the Louth County Hospital, Dundalk.
A priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Community, Ranelagh, he was appointed Bishop of Ferns in succession to Bishop Donal Herlihy.
He had been Auxiliary Bishop in Dublin since 1979.
He resigned as Bishop in April 2002, and returned to live with his Congregation.
Forward thinking, he established the Christian Media Trust in collaboration with the local heads of the Church of Ireland and the Methodist and Presbyterian Churches. This initiative continues today to provide religious material for radio listeners on many issues, and also to provide liturgies from the different denominations through the cooperation of South East Radio.
When resigning he acknowledged his failure to act in relation to complaints of sexual abuse of minors in the Diocese of Ferns. The full extent of the complaints and the failure to act by Diocesan authorities was subsequently revealed in the Ferns Report which was published in October 2005.
He is predeceased by his parents Clare (McArdle,) and Patrick J. Comiskey, Sisters: Genevieve & May; Brothers: Edmond, Joseph, Kevin, Patrick, Maurice, Peter and Sean.
He is sadly missed by his loving and attentive nieces and nephews and their families; extended family; Sisters, Brothers and Secular Branch members of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary; Bishop Ger Nash and the clergy, religious and laity of the diocese of Ferns and the Archdiocese of Dublin; and Brendan’s wide circle of friends.
Bishop Brendan’s Requiem Mass will take place on Thursday, May 1, at 1 pm ,in the Church of the Sacred Heart, St Johns Drive, Clondalkin, with burial after at Annyalla Cemetery, arriving approximately 4.30pm.
To view Bishop Brendan’s Requiem Mass on Thursday visit: www.churchservices.tv/sruleen.