Denis William Hanrahan (1 November 1933 – 1 February 1987) was the 6th Roman Catholic Bishop of
Christchurch, New Zealand. He was appointed
Coadjutor Bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
of Christchurch on 25 March 1984 by
Pope John Paul II, succeeded to the see of Christchurch on 4 July 1985 on the retirement of his predecessor
Bishop Ashby and died in office on 1 February 1987.
Early life
Hanrahan was born in
Greymouth, New Zealand and was educated there by the
Sisters of Mercy and the
Marist Brothers. He trained for the priesthood at
Holy Cross College, Mosgiel.
[Deborah McPherson, "Catholic Bishop of Christchurch dies suddenly", ''The Press'', 2 February 1987, p. 1.]
Priesthood
Hanrahan was ordained a priest by
Bishop Joyce on 21 July 1957 in Greymouth. In 1970 he went to
Manila to study for a year at the East Asian Pastoral Institute. On returning to Christchurch in 1971, he lived with the
Brothers of St John of God, at what was then Marylands, at
Halswell
Originally a separate village, Halswell is now a residential suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located southwest of Cathedral Square on State Highway 75.
History
Halswell is named after Edmund Halswell QC (1790–1874), a government offi ...
. Hanrahan was appointed Diocesan Director for Religious Education in 1971. He remained in this position until becoming Parish Priest at
Bishopdale in 1979. He was also chairman of the Christchurch Priests' Senate from 1979 until 1983.
Episcopacy
Hanrahan was appointed
Coadjutor Bishop
A coadjutor bishop (or bishop coadjutor) is a bishop in the Catholic, Anglican, and (historically) Eastern Orthodox churches whose main role is to assist the diocesan bishop in the administration of the diocese. The coadjutor (literally, "co ...
of Christchurch 25 March 1984 and was consecrated on 6 June 1984 by
Bishop Ashby, Archbishop Magnoni (the
Pro-Nuncio) and
Cardinal Williams. When Bishop Ashby retired on 4 July 1985, Hanrahan succeeded him as Bishop of Christchurch and he was formally enthroned in the
Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament on 5 August 1985.
["Diocese mourns popular bishop", ''Zealandia'', 15 February 1987, p. 1.] On 24 November 1986, he hosted Pope John Paul II at his Cathedral during the
Papal visit to New Zealand at an
ecumenical
Ecumenism (), also spelled oecumenism, is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjec ...
service during which the Pope dedicated a chapel for Christian Unity.
["Pope Calls for Unity", ''The Press'', 25 November 1986, p. 3.] In 1987 Hanrahan took over the role of Episcopal Vicar for New Zealand Catholic Education, a role previously held by
Bishop Kavanagh who had died in 1985.
["Mourners pack Cathedral", ''Zealandia'', 15 February 1987, p. 20]
Death
Hanrahan died completely unexpectedly after a game of tennis at the age of 53 in the evening of Sunday, 1 February 1987. The chief celebrant of his concelebrated
Requiem Mass was Cardinal Williams. Hanrahans predecessor as Bishop of Christchurch,
Bishop Ashby, was also one of the celebrants. Bishop Hanrahan is buried at
Bromley Cemetery.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanrahan, Denis William
Holy Cross College, New Zealand alumni
20th-century Roman Catholic bishops in New Zealand
People from Greymouth
Roman Catholic bishops of Christchurch
1933 births
1987 deaths
Burials at Bromley Cemetery