© The Fraternity of St Genesius 2007
Praying for those involved in cinema and theatre
The Fraternity of St Genesius is under the pastoral care of the Most Reverend Dr Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath, who formally approved the association as a Private Association of Christ’s Faithful in accordance with the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church on the 27th August 2007.
Bishop Smith was born in Oldcastle, Co. Meath, Ireland, in 1940. He entered seminary in the Pontifical Irish College in Rome where he did his undergraduate degrees at the Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest in 1963 at the young age of 23. He undertook further studies in Canon Law in the Lateran University. While he was in Rome the Second Vatican Council was taking place and he served as a recording secretary at the Council. He is one of the few Irish clerics present at every session of the Council.
His doctorate completed, he returned to Ireland to serve as Diocesan Secretary while occupying various pastoral appointments. In 1983 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop to then Bishop of Meath, Dr John McCormack. He was consecrated by Cardinal Tomás O’Fiach, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, on, 29th January 1984. On 10th October 1988 he was designated Co-Adjutor Bishop of Meath (bishop with right of succession) to Bishop McCormack and he succeeded as Bishop on 16th May 1990.
Since then he has been an active bishop in what is one of Ireland’s fasting growing dioceses, visiting the many parishes of the diocese at least once a year. Supportive of the various spiritual movements in his jurisdiction, he has given particular attention to the promotion of Eucharistic Adoration. Nationally he has held important posts within the Episcopal Conference and has encouraged various movements for renewal. Conscious of the need to preserve Catholic identity he has spoken on various issues including the important role the Church has to play in education, citing the need for Catholics to protect their schools and their Catholic ethos. He is aware of the need to confront the challenges facing the Church in Ireland and in his own diocese which, as a veritable suburb of Dublin, is experiencing a population explosion and the decline of religious practice. His optimism in this regard can be discerned from his Episcopal motto: In Christo Confido: “In Christ I Trust”. He lives in the Bishop’s Residence, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
Bishop Smith was born in Oldcastle, Co. Meath, Ireland, in 1940. He entered seminary in the Pontifical Irish College in Rome where he did his undergraduate degrees at the Gregorian University. He was ordained a priest in 1963 at the young age of 23. He undertook further studies in Canon Law in the Lateran University. While he was in Rome the Second Vatican Council was taking place and he served as a recording secretary at the Council. He is one of the few Irish clerics present at every session of the Council.
His doctorate completed, he returned to Ireland to serve as Diocesan Secretary while occupying various pastoral appointments. In 1983 he was appointed Auxiliary Bishop to then Bishop of Meath, Dr John McCormack. He was consecrated by Cardinal Tomás O’Fiach, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar, on, 29th January 1984. On 10th October 1988 he was designated Co-Adjutor Bishop of Meath (bishop with right of succession) to Bishop McCormack and he succeeded as Bishop on 16th May 1990.
Since then he has been an active bishop in what is one of Ireland’s fasting growing dioceses, visiting the many parishes of the diocese at least once a year. Supportive of the various spiritual movements in his jurisdiction, he has given particular attention to the promotion of Eucharistic Adoration. Nationally he has held important posts within the Episcopal Conference and has encouraged various movements for renewal. Conscious of the need to preserve Catholic identity he has spoken on various issues including the important role the Church has to play in education, citing the need for Catholics to protect their schools and their Catholic ethos. He is aware of the need to confront the challenges facing the Church in Ireland and in his own diocese which, as a veritable suburb of Dublin, is experiencing a population explosion and the decline of religious practice. His optimism in this regard can be discerned from his Episcopal motto: In Christo Confido: “In Christ I Trust”. He lives in the Bishop’s Residence, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
Our Protector Bishop
