Farrelly, Rev. Martin Joseph

Submitted by Mike Miller

Rev. Martin Joseph Farrelly of New Orleans is a native of County Westmeath, Ireland, where he was born in 1860. After attending the national schools of the "Emerald isle" until he was fourteen years of age he entered St. Mary's seminary at Mullinger, Ireland, which institution he attended three years. During this time he, unlike many youths, made the most of the opportunities offered him, and upon leaving the institution he was a well-informed and intelligent young man. In 1877 he went to Rome, Italy, and entered the Propaganda college, in which he spent several years, graduating in 1884. He was ordained a priest in the church of St. John of Latran, of Rome, June 7, 1884, by the celebrated Cardinal Parocchi, after which he returned to the land of his birth, and until 1885, when he came to America, his time was spent in much needed rest. He landed at New Orleans, January 24, 1885, and having been ordained for the New Orleans diocese he was appointed, on the day of his arrival as assistant priest at St. Patrick's church, and this position acceptably filled until the month of June, 1889. On the 17th of that month he was appointed pastor of St. John the Baptist church of New Orleans, as the successor of Rev. James George Footte, who had just died. He has since been the able pastor of the church and is much beloved and reverenced by his flock.

Biographical and Historical Memoires of Louisiana, (vol. 1), p. 467. Published by the Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago, 1892.