Edmund Fitzgibbon (Roman Catholic Bishop)
Encyclopedia
Edmund Joseph Fitzgibbon (March 15, 1925–April 17, 2010) was the Bishop
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri in Nigeria
.
, Ireland
. He was ordained a priest
on 9 April 1950, for the St. Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions
. On 25 November 1964, Fitzgibbon was appointed as the Prefect
of Minna, Nigeria
.
Bishop Edmund J. Fitzgibbon 1925-2010 opened Fatima Secondary School in January 1965 to cater for the education of girls and boys in the Minna area. It was also the first secondary in Minna town and the first secondary school to provide education for girls in Niger State. He also opened Maryamu Secondary School Bida 1966 Zuru Secondary School (now Kebbi State) 1966: Kontagora Technical College 1967. All these Schools including St. Malachy’s Teaches College became Government Secondary in January 1973.
Bishop Fitzgibbon was also very much involved with youth. He trained the Calabar team that won the Governors’ cup in 1954. A street in Calabar is now named after Bishop Fitzgibbon.
The young catholic Students movement came into Nigeria in 1959, It was miss Freda O' Mahoney(now mrs.ogunade), with the help & support of most Rev Dr Edmund Fitzgibbon (SMA),Bishop Emeritus of warri,who introduced it in Nigeria.By 1965 it had become a national movement.From Nigeria,it spread to other English Speaking West African countries.All this while it was still known as Young Christian Students,till 1982 when the Bishop's Conference Of Nigeria(C.B.C.N) decided to change it to Young Catholic Students (Y.C.S).
for Forum Traiani (Titular See)
and Apostolic Administrator
for what is now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt and for what later became the Diocese of Warri He was consecrated
as a bishop on 12 July, of the same year. The Principal Consecrator
was Cardinal Agnelo Rossi; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, and Bishop James Moynagh.
In 1983, Fitzgibbon appointed Father Joseph Brookman-Amissah as the part-time chaplain of the Chapel of the Annunciation at the University of Port Harcourt
at its temporary location. Fitzgibbon made his first pastoral visit to the university 3 June 1984. On July 17, 1988 and his second visit, he requested a permanent location for the chapel.
On 31 August 1991, Fitzgibbon was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Warri. He retired in 2005.
Bishop (Catholic Church)
In the Catholic Church, a bishop is an ordained minister who holds the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders and is responsible for teaching the Catholic faith and ruling the Church....
of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Warri in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Early life and education
Edmund Fitzgibbon was born in Ballylegan, County CorkCounty Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He was ordained a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
on 9 April 1950, for the St. Patrick’s Society for the Foreign Missions
St. Patrick's Missionary Society
St. Patrick's Society for the Foreign Missions is an Irish Roman Catholic society of apostolic life composed of missionary priests, sometimes known as the Kiltegan Fathers from its headquarters at Kiltegan, County Wicklow.-History:It was founded on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1932 by Monsignor...
. On 25 November 1964, Fitzgibbon was appointed as the Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
of Minna, Nigeria
Minna
Minna is a city in west central Nigeria. It's the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states, and is the headquarters of Chanchaga Local Government Area.- Geography :...
.
Bishop Edmund J. Fitzgibbon 1925-2010 opened Fatima Secondary School in January 1965 to cater for the education of girls and boys in the Minna area. It was also the first secondary in Minna town and the first secondary school to provide education for girls in Niger State. He also opened Maryamu Secondary School Bida 1966 Zuru Secondary School (now Kebbi State) 1966: Kontagora Technical College 1967. All these Schools including St. Malachy’s Teaches College became Government Secondary in January 1973.
Bishop Fitzgibbon was also very much involved with youth. He trained the Calabar team that won the Governors’ cup in 1954. A street in Calabar is now named after Bishop Fitzgibbon.
The young catholic Students movement came into Nigeria in 1959, It was miss Freda O' Mahoney(now mrs.ogunade), with the help & support of most Rev Dr Edmund Fitzgibbon (SMA),Bishop Emeritus of warri,who introduced it in Nigeria.By 1965 it had become a national movement.From Nigeria,it spread to other English Speaking West African countries.All this while it was still known as Young Christian Students,till 1982 when the Bishop's Conference Of Nigeria(C.B.C.N) decided to change it to Young Catholic Students (Y.C.S).
Episcopal appointments
On 20 November 1975, he was appointed Titular BishopTitular bishop
A titular bishop in various churches is a bishop who is not in charge of a diocese.By definition a bishop is an "overseer" of a community of the faithful, so when a priest is ordained a bishop the tradition of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches is that he be ordained for a specific place...
for Forum Traiani (Titular See)
Forum Traiani (Titular See)
The Diocese of Forum Traiani is a Titular See in the Roman Catholic Church. The first Titular Bishop was appointed to this See on 18 May 1968. In Latin the diocese is known as Foritraianensis....
and Apostolic Administrator
Apostolic Administrator
An apostolic administrator in the Roman Catholic Church is a prelate appointed by the Pope to serve as the ordinary for an apostolic administration...
for what is now the Roman Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt and for what later became the Diocese of Warri He was consecrated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
as a bishop on 12 July, of the same year. The Principal Consecrator
Consecrator
Consecrator is a term used in the Roman Catholic Church to designate a bishop who ordains a priest to the episcopal state. The term is often used in Eastern Rite Churches and in Anglican communities. The term "Principal Consecrator" is used to designate the primary bishop who ordains a new bishop...
was Cardinal Agnelo Rossi; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Cardinal Bernardin Gantin, and Bishop James Moynagh.
In 1983, Fitzgibbon appointed Father Joseph Brookman-Amissah as the part-time chaplain of the Chapel of the Annunciation at the University of Port Harcourt
University of Port Harcourt
The University of Port Harcourt is a university in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt. It was established in 1975 as University College, Port Harcourt, and was given university status in 1977.-Faculties:...
at its temporary location. Fitzgibbon made his first pastoral visit to the university 3 June 1984. On July 17, 1988 and his second visit, he requested a permanent location for the chapel.
On 31 August 1991, Fitzgibbon was appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of Warri. He retired in 2005.