Ferns (Diocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Past and Present Ordinaries

John Saint John † ( 1223 Appointed - 1243 Died)
Geoffrey Saint John † ( 1243 Appointed - 1258 Died)
Hugh Lamport (Lampott) † ( 1258 Appointed - 23 May 1282 Died)
Richard de Northampton † (13 Jun 1282 Appointed - 13 Jan 1303 Died)
Simon Hernesby † (22 Jun 1304 Appointed - 1 Sep 1304 Died)
Robert Walrand † ( 1305 Appointed - 17 Nov 1311 Died)
Adam de Northampton † ( 1312 Appointed - 29 Oct 1346 Died)
Geoffrey Grandfeld (Grosfeld), O.E.S.A. † (5 Mar 1347 Appointed - 22 Oct 1348 Died)
William Charnels, O.P. † (19 Apr 1350 Appointed - Jul 1362 Died)
Thomas O’Dea † (20 Feb 1363 Appointed - 27 Aug 1400 Died)
Patrick Barrett † (10 Dec 1400 Appointed - 10 Nov 1415 Died)
Robert Whitty † (16 Feb 1418 Appointed - 5 Oct 1457 Resigned)
John Purcell † (4 Oct 1457 Appointed - Oct 1479 Died)
Lawrence Neville † (26 Oct 1479 Appointed - 1503 Died)
Edmund Commerford † ( 1505 Appointed - Apr 1509 Died)
Nicholas Comyn † (3 Aug 1509 Appointed - 13 Apr 1519 Appointed, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore)
John Purcell, O.S.A. † (13 Apr 1519 Appointed - 20 Jul 1539 Died)
Alexander Devereux, O. Cist. † (14 Dec 1539 Ordained Bishop - 19 Aug 1566 Died)
Bernard O’Donnell, O.F.M. Obs. † (30 Mar 1541 Appointed - 3 Jun 1541 Appointed, Bishop of Elphin)
Gabriel a San Serio, O.S.B. † (3 Jun 1541 Appointed - 5 May 1542 Died)
Alexander Devereux, O. Cist. † ( 1556 Confirmed - 19 Aug 1566 Died)
Peter Power † (27 Apr 1582 Appointed - 15 Dec 1587 Died)
John Roche † (29 Apr 1624 Appointed - 9 Apr 1636 Died)
Nicolas French † (6 Feb 1645 Appointed - 23 Aug 1678 Died)
Luke Wadding † (23 Aug 1678 Succeeded - Dec 1691 Died)
Michael Rossiter † (1 Jul 1697 Confirmed - 1709 Died)
John Verdon † (14 Sep 1709 Confirmed - Oct 1728 Died)
Ambrose O’Callaghan, O.F.M. Ref. † (26 Sep 1729 Confirmed - 13 Aug 1744 Died)
Nicholas Sweetman † (25 Jan 1745 Confirmed - 19 Oct 1786 Died)
James Caulfield † (19 Oct 1786 Succeeded - 12 Jan 1814 Died)
Patrick Ryan † (14 Jan 1814 Succeeded - 9 Mar 1819 Died)
James Keating † (9 Mar 1819 Succeeded - 7 Sep 1849 Died)
Myles Murphy † (27 Nov 1849 Appointed - 13 Aug 1856 Died)
Thomas Furlong † (9 Jan 1857 Appointed - 12 Nov 1875 Died)
Michael Warren † (14 Mar 1876 Appointed - 22 Apr 1884 Died)
James Browne † (8 Jul 1884 Appointed - 21 Jun 1917 Died)
William Codd † (7 Dec 1917 Appointed - 12 Mar 1938 Died)
James Staunton † (10 Dec 1938 Appointed - 27 Jun 1963 Died)
Donald J. Herlihy † (30 Oct 1964 Appointed - 2 Apr 1983 Died)
Brendan Oliver Comiskey, SS.CC. (4 Apr 1984 Appointed - 6 Apr 2002 Resigned)
Denis Brennan (1 Mar 2006 Appointed - 11 Jun 2021 Retired)
Gerard Nash (11 Jun 2021 Appointed - )

Date	Event	From	To
7th Century	Erected		Diocese of Ferns (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1950 92,639 98,421 94.1% 143 15 158 586 41 530 42 ap1951

1970 80,000 84,000 95.2% 142 15 157 509 50 496 42 ap1971

1980 83,300 87,500 95.2% 138 15 153 544 46 458 48 ap1981

1990 99,000 103,000 96.1% 138 13 151 655 32 286 48 ap1991

1999 98,000 107,000 91.6% 133 12 145 675 12 195 49 ap2000

2000 98,000 107,000 91.6% 135 11 146 671 11 200 49 ap2001

2001 98,000 107,000 91.6% 130 12 142 690 22 201 49 ap2002

2002 100,446 109,446 91.8% 127 9 136 738 19 190 49 ap2003

2003 99,267 108,267 91.7% 126 8 134 740 18 186 49 ap2004

2004 99,723 108,850 91.6% 129 8 137 727 17 181 46 ap2005

2006 100,208 108,179 92.6% 121 10 131 764 18 178 49 ap2007

2011 100,800 145,800 69.1% 109 17 126 800 23 146 49 ap2014

2016 100,412 114,517 87.7% 105 11 116 865 17 134 49 ap2017

2019 100,679 126,277 79.7% 100 7 107 940 11 118 49 ap2020

2021 111,772 123,134 90.8% 95 5 100 1,117 1 9 110 49 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1950	92,639	98,421	94.1%	143	15	158	586		41	530	42	ap1951
1970	80,000	84,000	95.2%	142	15	157	509		50	496	42	ap1971
1980	83,300	87,500	95.2%	138	15	153	544		46	458	48	ap1981
1990	99,000	103,000	96.1%	138	13	151	655		32	286	48	ap1991
1999	98,000	107,000	91.6%	133	12	145	675		12	195	49	ap2000
2000	98,000	107,000	91.6%	135	11	146	671		11	200	49	ap2001
2001	98,000	107,000	91.6%	130	12	142	690		22	201	49	ap2002
2002	100,446	109,446	91.8%	127	9	136	738		19	190	49	ap2003
2003	99,267	108,267	91.7%	126	8	134	740		18	186	49	ap2004
2004	99,723	108,850	91.6%	129	8	137	727		17	181	46	ap2005
2006	100,208	108,179	92.6%	121	10	131	764		18	178	49	ap2007
2011	100,800	145,800	69.1%	109	17	126	800		23	146	49	ap2014
2016	100,412	114,517	87.7%	105	11	116	865		17	134	49	ap2017
2019	100,679	126,277	79.7%	100	7	107	940		11	118	49	ap2020
2021	111,772	123,134	90.8%	95	5	100	1,117	1	9	110	49	ap2022