William Philbin

Early Life and Priestly Ministry

William Philbin was born in Kiltimagh in County Mayo, Ireland on 26 January 1907.
At the age of 17 he went to St Patrick's College, Maynooth  and was ordained to the priesthood for service in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Achonry on 21 June 1931. He spent most of his ministry as a professor at St Patrick's College, Maynooth and was appointed to the Chair of Dogmatic Theology in June 1936.
As a student Philbin was the editor of Leabhar Nuidheacht, published at Maynooth and later, as professor he was the joint editor of the Irish Theological Quarterly.

Bishop of Clonfert

On 22 December 1953 Pope Pius XII appointed him 50th Bishop of Clonfert, Ireland.   He was consecrated Bishop in St Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea in March 1954.  At the time he was seen as the daring, young, theologically engaged bishop and was invited to address many organisations and published several important lectures.   In 1962 he wrote how economic growth, so vital to his poor Western diocese, would be stimulated by Ireland joining the EEC.
He attended all four sessions of the Second Vatican Council both as Bishop of Clonfert and later still as Bishop of Down and Connor.

Bishop of Down and Connor

Upon the death of Bishop Daniel Mageean in 1962, Pope John XXIII appointed him the 29th Bishop of Down and Connor. His stewardship of the diocese was marked in very large part by the outbreak of the Troubles in the late 1960s.
Bishop Philbin was often on the media and spoke forcefully to the BBC when one his priests, Fr Hugh Mullan, was shot dead as part of the Ballymurphy massacre in August 1971.
Despite the civil conflict, often presented as a war between Christians, Philbin was rigidly opposed to Catholic support for any form of integrated education and there was a long-running row with parents in his diocese over provision of the sacrament of Confirmation to children who did not attend Catholic schools.
It was believed that Philbin acted without Vatican support for his position.
He was succeeded as bishop by Cahal Daly, his Peritus at the Second Vatican Council, in November 1982.
Bishop Philbin died on August 22, 1991 in Dublin and in buried in St Peter's Cathedral, Belfast.