Thomas A. White
{{short description|Irish prelate of the Catholic Church (1931–2012)|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Use Irish English|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type =
| honorific-prefix = His Excellency, The Most Reverend
| name = Thomas A. White
| honorific-suffix =
| title = Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus of Fiji
Titular Archbishop of Sabiona
| image = Archbishop Thomas A White.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| archdiocese =
| diocese =
| appointed = 2 May 1978
| enthroned =
| term_end = 28 February 1983
| predecessor = Nicola Rotunna
| successor = Patrick Coveney
| other_post = Titular Archbishop of Sabiona (1978–2017)
| previous_post = {{bulleted list | Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to New Zealand, Nauru, Apostolic Delegate to the Oceania (1989–1996) | Apostolic Nuncio to Ethiopia (1983–1989) | Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda (1978–1983)}}
| ordination = 25 February 1956
| ordained_by = Clemente Micara
| consecration = 15 September 1985
| consecrated_by = Cardinal Agnello Rossi, Bishop Donal Herlihy, and Bishop Peter Birch
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1931|08|12|df=y}}
| birth_place = Durrow, County Laois, Ireland
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|5|7|1931|08|12|df=y}}
| death_place =
| buried =
| nationality = Irish
| alma_mater =
| coat_of_arms =
| motto =
}}
{{Infobox bishopstyles
| name= Thomas A. White
| dipstyle=
| offstyle=Your Excellency
| relstyle=Archbishop
| image = File:Archbish Tom Coat of Arms 300.png
| image_size = 200px
}}
Thomas A. White (12 August 1931 – 7 May 2017) was an archbishop of the Catholic Church who served in the diplomatic service of the Holy See in Europe, Africa, South America and Asia. Consecrated bishop in Rome 30th July 1978, he once described his career as "gypsy for the sake of the Kingdom".{{cite web | website = New Zealand Catholic | access-date = 11 December 2019 | url = https://www.nzcatholic.org.nz/2017/06/22/former-papal-nuncio-new-zealand-dies-ireland/ | date= 22 June 2017 | title = Former Papal Nuncio to New Zealand dies in Ireland | first= Lyndsay | last= Freer}}
Biography
Thomas Anthony White was born in Durrow, County Laois, Irish Free State, on 12 August 1931, one of five children. He attended Cullohill National School and then St Kieran's College, Kilkenny, where he excelled in academics and hurling. White was ordained to the priesthood on 25 February 1956 and briefly taught canon law at St. Kieran's.{{cite web | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Archbishop Thomas White RIP |url = https://ossory.ie/2017/05/archbishop-thomas-white-rip/ | website = Ossory Diocese}}
To prepare for a diplomatic career he entered the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in 1958.{{cite web|publisher=Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy|language =it|access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Pontificia Accademia Ecclesiastica, Ex-alunni 1950 – 1999 |url = https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdeccles/documents/1950-1999.htm }} His first assignment took him to Nairobi, where the Apostolic Delegation to Eastern Africa was preparing for developing diplomatic relations with the countries of the region as they achieved their independence. He later worked in Latin America and Switzerland. His last staff assignment was in China, first on the mainland and then in the nunciature's new location in Taiwan.
rightOn 27 May 1978, Pope Paul VI appointed him titular archbishop of Sabiona and served apostolic nuncio to Rwanda.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-70-1978-ocr.pdf | date = 1978| volume = LXX | page=380 }} He received his episcopal consecration on 30 July 1978 from Cardinal Agnelo Rossi{{cite web |title=Catholic Hierarchy |url=https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bwhiteta.html}}
On 1 March 1983, Pope John Paul II named him Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Ethiopia.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-75-1983-I-ocr.pdf | date = 1983 | volume = LXXV | pages= 343, 534}} Famine relief was the central occupation of his time there. He suffered a heart attack in 1988.
On 14 October 1989, he was appointed Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to New Zealand and Fiji as well as Apostolic Delegate to Oceania.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-81-1989-ocr.pdf | date = 1989| volume = LXXXI| page= 1273}} On 1 December 1992, he received the additional title of Apostolic Nuncio to Nauru.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-84-1992-ocr.pdf | date = 1992| volume = LXXXIV | page= 1196 }} On 31 July 1995 he was named Apostolic Nuncio to Kiribati as well.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-87-1995-ocr.pdf | date = 1995| volume = LXXXVII | page= 823 }}
He left the diplomatic service upon his replacement in several of his posts by Patrick Coveney on 27 April 1996.{{cite book | access-date = 11 December 2019 | title = Acta Apostolicae Sedis | url = https://www.vatican.va/archive/aas/documents/AAS-88-1996-ocr.pdf | date =1996 | volume = LXXXVIII | page= 527}}
In retirement he lived in Blackrock, a Dublin suburb, and continued to fill special assignments for the Vatican Secretariat of State. He settled finally at a nursing home in Kilkenny where he died on 7 May 2017.{{cite news | work = The Irish Times | access-date = 11 December 2019 | date=20 May 2017 | url = https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/vatican-diplomat-who-served-all-over-the-world-1.3089324?mode=amp | title = Vatican diplomat who served all over the world }}
References
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{{Subject bar |portal1= Biography |portal2= Catholicism |portal3= Ireland}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:White, Thomas A.}}
Category:Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy alumni
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Rwanda
Category:Apostolic nuncios to New Zealand
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Fiji
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Nauru
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Samoa
Category:Apostolic nuncios to the Pacific Ocean
Category:Apostolic nuncios to Ethiopia
Category:People from Durrow, County Laois
Category:Christian clergy from County Laois