Monsignor Michael Olden Brandon Scott
The Diocese of Waterford and Lismore is mourning the loss of one of its foremost priests, Msgr Michael Olden, who died on Monday.
The 86-year-old cleric had recently celebrated the sixty-first anniversary of his ordination from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth.
Appointed to the staff of the national seminary in 1966 just after Vatican II, Msgr Olden also held other prominent positions throughout his ministry. He was president of Maynooth from 1977 to 1985, during which he welcomed Pope St John Paul II to the college during his historic 1979 visit to the campus.
A devoted historian, Msgr Olden was also a prolific contributor to academic publications such as Archivium Hibernicum, an annual publication produced by the Catholic History Society of Ireland.
After completing his tenure in St Patrick’s College, Msgr Olden took up residence as PP of Clonmel until finally returning to his native county to undertake a role as PP of Tramore, before retiring from full-time ministry in 2009.
In his retirement Msgr Olden continued to lend his name to historical discussions concerning Waterford and the Church and remained actively involved in historical societies in the locality.