Former Bishop of the Diocese of Gibraltar, Monsignor Bernard Patrick Devlin, CGM., KCHS., BA., was born in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, on March 10, 1921, the only son of Richard Devlin and Mary Hill. He started his education at the Loreto Convent in Youghal in 1927, and then went to the Christian Brothers in 1933. Completing his schooling in the Cistercian College of Dublin in 1939, he finished his ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical Beda College of Liverpool in 1945.
Ordained to the priesthood at 24 years of age inside Portsmouth's Cathedral on December 9, 1945, he arrived in Gibraltar on June 29, 1946. Appointed parish priest of St. Theresa's in 1974, and vicar general of the Diocese in 1975, on November 14, 1984, it was officially announced that Monsignor Devlin would succeed the late Bishop Edward Rapallo as Bishop of Gibraltar. His episcopal consecration took place at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, on January 6, 1985, with Pope John Paul II presiding, assisted by Eduardo Martínez Somalo and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy.
A group of over 200 traveled from Gibraltar especially for the occasion, while six other new Bishops from all over the world, including Europe, Central and South America and Africa, were consecrated by the Pope at the same ceremony.
On March 30, 1985, at a ceremony in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Archbishop Bowen invested Bishop Devlin as a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Bishop Devlin retired from the pastoral government of his See at 76 years of age on May 24, 1998, and was succeeded by Msgr. Charles Caruana.
A very well liked and much loved bishop, who did much to identify himself with the people of Gibraltar during his ministry, Devlin was a man of the people, who would often stop by, at a street bench or a pub, to chat with the members of his flock, while walking his dog Danny. He preferred being called Father Devlin, instead of Bishop.
A lifelong chain smoker, he passed unexpectedly away just before dawn at 6.15 am., on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at the Cathedral's Clergy House, where he lived in retirement, aged 89. His death came only two months after that of his successor, Bishop Charles Caruana.
Bishop Devlin's funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday, December 17, at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, followed by interment inside the crypt beneath the Statue of Our Lady of Europe.
Ordained to the priesthood at 24 years of age inside Portsmouth's Cathedral on December 9, 1945, he arrived in Gibraltar on June 29, 1946. Appointed parish priest of St. Theresa's in 1974, and vicar general of the Diocese in 1975, on November 14, 1984, it was officially announced that Monsignor Devlin would succeed the late Bishop Edward Rapallo as Bishop of Gibraltar. His episcopal consecration took place at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, on January 6, 1985, with Pope John Paul II presiding, assisted by Eduardo Martínez Somalo and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy.
A group of over 200 traveled from Gibraltar especially for the occasion, while six other new Bishops from all over the world, including Europe, Central and South America and Africa, were consecrated by the Pope at the same ceremony.
On March 30, 1985, at a ceremony in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Archbishop Bowen invested Bishop Devlin as a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Bishop Devlin retired from the pastoral government of his See at 76 years of age on May 24, 1998, and was succeeded by Msgr. Charles Caruana.
A very well liked and much loved bishop, who did much to identify himself with the people of Gibraltar during his ministry, Devlin was a man of the people, who would often stop by, at a street bench or a pub, to chat with the members of his flock, while walking his dog Danny. He preferred being called Father Devlin, instead of Bishop.
A lifelong chain smoker, he passed unexpectedly away just before dawn at 6.15 am., on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at the Cathedral's Clergy House, where he lived in retirement, aged 89. His death came only two months after that of his successor, Bishop Charles Caruana.
Bishop Devlin's funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday, December 17, at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, followed by interment inside the crypt beneath the Statue of Our Lady of Europe.
Former Bishop of the Diocese of Gibraltar, Monsignor Bernard Patrick Devlin, CGM., KCHS., BA., was born in Youghal, County Cork, Ireland, on March 10, 1921, the only son of Richard Devlin and Mary Hill. He started his education at the Loreto Convent in Youghal in 1927, and then went to the Christian Brothers in 1933. Completing his schooling in the Cistercian College of Dublin in 1939, he finished his ecclesiastical studies at the Pontifical Beda College of Liverpool in 1945.
Ordained to the priesthood at 24 years of age inside Portsmouth's Cathedral on December 9, 1945, he arrived in Gibraltar on June 29, 1946. Appointed parish priest of St. Theresa's in 1974, and vicar general of the Diocese in 1975, on November 14, 1984, it was officially announced that Monsignor Devlin would succeed the late Bishop Edward Rapallo as Bishop of Gibraltar. His episcopal consecration took place at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, on January 6, 1985, with Pope John Paul II presiding, assisted by Eduardo Martínez Somalo and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy.
A group of over 200 traveled from Gibraltar especially for the occasion, while six other new Bishops from all over the world, including Europe, Central and South America and Africa, were consecrated by the Pope at the same ceremony.
On March 30, 1985, at a ceremony in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Archbishop Bowen invested Bishop Devlin as a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Bishop Devlin retired from the pastoral government of his See at 76 years of age on May 24, 1998, and was succeeded by Msgr. Charles Caruana.
A very well liked and much loved bishop, who did much to identify himself with the people of Gibraltar during his ministry, Devlin was a man of the people, who would often stop by, at a street bench or a pub, to chat with the members of his flock, while walking his dog Danny. He preferred being called Father Devlin, instead of Bishop.
A lifelong chain smoker, he passed unexpectedly away just before dawn at 6.15 am., on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at the Cathedral's Clergy House, where he lived in retirement, aged 89. His death came only two months after that of his successor, Bishop Charles Caruana.
Bishop Devlin's funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday, December 17, at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, followed by interment inside the crypt beneath the Statue of Our Lady of Europe.
Ordained to the priesthood at 24 years of age inside Portsmouth's Cathedral on December 9, 1945, he arrived in Gibraltar on June 29, 1946. Appointed parish priest of St. Theresa's in 1974, and vicar general of the Diocese in 1975, on November 14, 1984, it was officially announced that Monsignor Devlin would succeed the late Bishop Edward Rapallo as Bishop of Gibraltar. His episcopal consecration took place at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, on January 6, 1985, with Pope John Paul II presiding, assisted by Eduardo Martínez Somalo and Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy.
A group of over 200 traveled from Gibraltar especially for the occasion, while six other new Bishops from all over the world, including Europe, Central and South America and Africa, were consecrated by the Pope at the same ceremony.
On March 30, 1985, at a ceremony in the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, Archbishop Bowen invested Bishop Devlin as a Knight Commander with Star of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Bishop Devlin retired from the pastoral government of his See at 76 years of age on May 24, 1998, and was succeeded by Msgr. Charles Caruana.
A very well liked and much loved bishop, who did much to identify himself with the people of Gibraltar during his ministry, Devlin was a man of the people, who would often stop by, at a street bench or a pub, to chat with the members of his flock, while walking his dog Danny. He preferred being called Father Devlin, instead of Bishop.
A lifelong chain smoker, he passed unexpectedly away just before dawn at 6.15 am., on Wednesday, December 15, 2010, at the Cathedral's Clergy House, where he lived in retirement, aged 89. His death came only two months after that of his successor, Bishop Charles Caruana.
Bishop Devlin's funeral Mass was celebrated on Friday, December 17, at the Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned, followed by interment inside the crypt beneath the Statue of Our Lady of Europe.
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