Thomas Morris

Thomas Morris, D.D. (16 Oct 1914 - 16 Jan 1997), was the Catholic Archbishop of Cashel and Emly in Ireland from 1959 to 1988.

Morris was born in Kilkennybeg, in parish ofKillenaule, County Tipperary, and was educated first at Killenaule, and then by the Christian Brothers in Thurles.

He entered St Patrick's College, Maynooth in September 1932 where he took a first class Honours degree in English in 1935 before embarking on theological studies.

He was one of six Cashel and Emly students ordained to the priesthood on 18 June 1939 and proceeded to the Dunboyne Institute for postgraduate studies which culminated in a doctorate in theology in June 1941. He taught at Glenstal Abbey for a few months, moving to St. Patrick's College, Thurles, in January 1942, where he taught theology until 1960 when he became archbishop.

Aside from his seminary teaching he was appointed part-time secretary to Archbishop Kinane in 1947 and Vice-President of the seminary in 1957.

It is reported he often spent his holidays in the Gaeltacht in Ballyferriter where he became deeply steeped in Irish literature and culture.In April 1954 he was chosen to preach (in Irish) at the first Mass celebrated in Cormac's Chapel on the Rock of Cashel since the Reformation.

The Holy See chose him as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on 21 December 1959 and he was consecrated on 28 February 1960. The Principal Consecrator was Archbishop Cardinal D'Alton; his Principal Co-Consecrators were Denis Moynihan the Bishop of Kerry.

Dr Morris attended the Second Vatican Council, where he became familiar with the Archbishop of Kracow, and future pope Karol Wojtyla. He was the only Irish member of the Pontifical Commission on Birth Control that preceded Humane Vitae where predictably he voted against any change.

During his period as archbishop he was responsible for the restoration of Holy Cross Abbey where he continued to work as a priest after retirement.