Kevin William Barden, OP (3 June 1908 – 4 December 2004) was an Irish Catholic prelate who served as Archbishop of Isfahan from 1974 to 1982. He previously served as parish priest of the St. Abraham's Church in Tehran. He was a member of the Dominican Order.
His Excellency, The Most Reverend Kevin William Barden OP | |
|---|---|
| Archbishop Emeritus of Ispahan, Iran | |
| Diocese | Ispahan |
| See | Ispahan |
| Appointed | 30 May 1974 |
| Term ended | 12 August 1982 |
| Successor | Ignazio Bedini |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 28 February 1931 |
| Consecration | 25 October 1974 by Mario Brini |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kevin William Barden 3 June 1908 Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 4 December 2004 (aged 96) Raheny, Dublin, Ireland |
| Buried | Tallaght |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Early life and ordination
editHe was born in Dublin in 1908 and was one of five children. His father, Thomas Garret Barden, worked for the Irish Independent. He was educated at Synge Street CBS. He entered the Dominican Order in Tallaght in 1924 and took the religious name William. He studied philosophy in Tallaght and theology in Rome. He was ordained on 28 February 1931.
Priest and bishop
editAfter ordination he earned a doctorate at the University of Fribourg. He taught theology in the Dominican house of studies St. Mary's Priory in Tallaght and gave public lectures for thirty years until he went to establish a Dominican presence in Tehran in 1961.[1][2][3]
A church and parish were established in Iran at the request of the Vatican. Barden was joined by Father Hugh Brennan and they rented a house near Tehran University that they named Rosary House. The numbers of people attending Mass increased to the extent that Barden organized the construction of a purpose-built parish church which became known as St. Abraham's.[4][5]
In 1970 he was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Isfahan. He was consecrated as Archbishop of Isfahan on 25 October 1974. He remained in Iran until the Islamic Revolution; he was expelled in 1980.[6][7][8][9]
He returned to Ireland and with no prospect of returning to Iran he submitted his resignation to Pope John Paul II in 1982. In 1991 he moved to the Sacred Heart nursing home in Raheny, where he died in 2004.[10][11]
References
edit- ^ "Aquinas Study Circle". The Irish Times. 8 March 1938. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "The Work of St Thomas Aquinas". The Irish Times. 4 November 1952. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "St Abraham's, Tehran". Irish Dominicans. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "The Story of the Dominican Presence in Iran". St Abraham's Church. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Distinguished theologian with key role in Christian-Muslim dialogue". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "No Move Against Archbishop in Iran". The Irish Times. 18 August 1980. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Positive Side to Iran - Expelled Prelate". The Irish Times. 25 August 1980. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Concern For Church in Iran". The Irish Times. 20 August 1980. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Iranians expel Irish Prelate". The Irish Times. 19 August 1980. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Death of Archbishop Kevin Barden O.P." Irish Catholic Bishop's Conference. Irish Catholic bishops. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
- ^ "Irish Dominican Appointed Archbishop". The Irish Times. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
