Bishop Anthony Farquhar, died Friday evening November 17,
2023. He was aged 83. Bishop Farquhar served as auxiliary
bishop of Ireland's second-largest diocese for 32 years,
before stepping down in 2015.
Bishop Tony Farquhar was born in the Belfast Parish of Holy
Rosary in September 1940. Following primary studies, he
entered St Malachy's College, Antrim Road, Belfast in 1951
completing his secondary studies before commencing
philosophical and Classical studies at QUB in 1957.
Graduating with a BA Honours degree in Classics from QUB,
Bishop Farquhar continued his priestly formation and
theological studies at the Pontifical Lateran University in
Rome in 1961 whilst residing in the nearby Pontifical Irish
College. He graduated from the Pontifical Lateran University
with both a Bachelors Degree in Theology and a Licentiate in
Theological Studies. in 1965 before returning home to the
Diocese of Down and Connor.
Bishop Farquhar was ordained a priest on 13th March 1965 and
his first appointment in the Diocese was to the parish of
Ardglass that following September. In March 1966, he was
appointed as Chaplain to Musgrave Park Hospital alongside
Chaplaincy to Forster Green Hospital and St Patrick's
Training School, Glen Road.
In September 1966, Bishop Farquhar was appointed to the
staff of St MacNissi's College, Garron Tower where he taught
until 1970 before taking up an appointment as Assistant
Chaplain at Queen's University Belfast. In 1975, he became
Chaplain and lecturer to the New University of Ulster as
well as Chaplain to the Dominican College in Portstewart.
On 15th May 1983, he was ordained as an Auxiliary Bishop of
Down and Connor and retired in December 2015.
Alongside his Diocesan Responsibilities as an Auxiliary
bishop of Down and Connor, Bishop Farquhar served as an
appointee of the Holy Father as a member of the
International Anglican Roman Catholic Commission on Unity
and Mission (IARCCUM). He served as Roman Catholic
Co-Chairman of the Dialogue between the Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) and the World Alliance
of Reformed Churches (WARC). Bishop Farquhar chaired the
Commission on Ecumenism of the Irish Episcopal Conference
when he steered it to take up its associate membership of
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI). He served as one of the Roman Catholic representatives at
the Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops from around the
world (2008).
