Denis Brennan

Denis Brennan (born 20 June 1945) is an Irish former Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Ferns between 2006 and 2021.

Early life and education Brennan was born in Springmount, Rathnure, County Wexford on 20 June 1945, the only child of Denis and Bridget Brennan. He attended primary school at Kiltealy National School and secondary school at St Peter's College, Wexford, before studying for the priesthood at St Peter's College.

He was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Ferns on 31 May 1970.

Presbyteral ministry Following ordination, Brennan became a member of the Missionaries of the Blessed Sacrament at the House of Missions, Enniscorthy in September 1970, conducting missions and retreats in Ireland, Great Britain and Canada.

Episcopal ministry Brennan was appointed Bishop-elect of Ferns by Pope Benedict XVI on 1 March 2006. He was consecrated by the Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin, on 23 April in St Aidan's Cathedral, Enniscorthy. In his first address as bishop, he praised the work of the outgoing apostolic administrator, Éamonn Walsh, in bringing justice and healing to victims of clerical sexual abuse in the diocese, saying that the greatest compliment which could be paid to him was "to continue steadfastly in his work of healing and reconciliation".

Clerical sexual abuse scandals Brennan is regarded by many as having brought stability to the diocese after the publication of the Ferns Report, in which 100 cases of clerical sexual abuse which occurred during the episcopacies of his predecessors, Brendan Comiskey and Donal Herlihy, were disclosed.

In a meeting held on 1 March 2010, he told parishioners that the diocese had had to pay more than €8 million to settle 48 civil actions, while a further thirteen actions were pending.

Brennan also said that a request for financial help from parishioners was not about sharing blame, but about "asking for help to fulfil a God-given responsibility", adding that victims of clerical sexual abuse were not the cause of the diocese's problems, but rather "the actions of individual perpetrators, along with mismanagement, poor understanding and/or lack of resolve": "The Holy Father has heard the many stories of Irish victims and I can also say they have been believed. To have the Holy Father there for a day and a half and the nine heads of the Vatican congregations shows how seriously the Church is taking the issue."

COVID-19 pandemic In a pastoral letter to the people of the diocese in November 2020, Brennan questioned the imposition of a ban on all public worship in Ireland following the introduction of Level 3 restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that that Ireland was the only country in Europe where such a ban had been imposed was "clearly sufficient reason to revisit the matter, to reassess its necessity and to re-examine its appropriateness, and to consider the positive benefits of its being lifted".

Retirement In accordance with canon law, Brennan submitted his episcopal resignation to the Dicastery for Bishops on his 75th birthday on 20 June 2020, but was expected to remain in the see until a successor was appointed.

He subsequently remained in the see until the appointment of his successor, Gerard Nash, on 11 June 2021.