Synodal Pathway Update: Names of Members of the 7 Study Groups published:

Working Groups Take Forward Synodal Pathway Priorities

We’ve reached another important moment on the Irish Synodal Pathway.

Following on from our original question “What does God want from the Church in Ireland at this time?” seven priority areas were discerned by the People of God across Ireland. These point to where we are being called to focus:

Belonging

Co-responsibility and lay ministry

Faith formation and catechesis

Family

Healing

Women

Young people

Working Groups Established

Seven working groups, one for each priority, are now in place. Each group brings together women and men from across Ireland who have been part of the synodal journey over the past five years. Members were nominated by dioceses, organisations, movements, and others who have been engaged in the process.

To support shared leadership and strong connection across the Church, each group includes:

a member of the National Synodal Team

a bishop

a person with responsibility at national level in the relevant area

and several other people bringing lived experience, along with pastoral and theological knowledge, and expertise from across the life of the Church in Ireland

Work Now Underway

The groups have already begun their work. They are meeting, praying, listening, and engaging with those who also bring lived experience and particular expertise.

Over the coming weeks, they will continue this process of discernment to develop practical and actionable proposals for the Church in Ireland. These proposals are grounded in what has been heard through the synodal process and shaped by careful reflection on what is possible at parish, diocesan, and national level.

It is hoped that all submissions from the Working Groups will be completed by 31st May 2026.

An Invitation

This is a significant stage in the journey where we have moved from listening to shaping concrete steps for the future. We invite you to please keep the members of these working groups in your prayers as they carry this responsibility on behalf of us all.

Members of the working groups are listed below (alphabetically).

Enquiries

To give members the space to focus on their work, we kindly ask that they are not contacted directly. All media enquiries should be directed to the Catholic Communications Office of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference.

BELONGING

Dr Gary Carville

Mr Joe Conroy

Bishop Paul Dempsey

Dr Kevin Hargaden

Sr Anne Harte Barry

Sr Angele Nkamsi

Fr Tony O’Riordan

CO-RESPONSIBILITY & LAY MINISTRY

Fr Éamonn Fitzgibbon

Mr Gerard Gallagher

Ms Martina Gilmartin

Mr Shane Halpin

Ms Julie Kavanagh

Ms Julieann Moran

Bishop Ger Nash

Dr Oonagh O’Brien

Dr Sean O’Leary

Mr Peter Siney

FAITH FORMATION & CATECHESIS

Ms Hilda Campbell

Ms Patricia Carroll

Bishop Michael Duignan

Ms Hannah Evans

Ms Maureen Kelly

Fr Michael Long

Ms Jane Mellett

Dr Jessie Rogers

Rev Dr Dermot Ryan

FAMILY

Mr Stephen Cummins

Bishop Martin Hayes

Mr Paul Keogh

Ms Muirne Lawlor

Mrs Maura Murphy

Dr Cora O’Farrell

Mr & Mrs Mark and Anne O’Leary

Mrs Deirdre O’Rawe

HEALING

Mrs Una Allen

Mr Ronan Barry

Sr Denise Boyle

Dr Nicola Brady

Sr Cáit Dwyer

Mr Andrew Fagan

Mr Aidan Gordon

Fr John Kelly

Fr Hugh Lagan

Bishop Michael Router

WOMEN

Ms Róisín Alexander-Pye

Msgr Liam Bergin

Dr Amanda Dillon

Dr Gráinne Doherty

Bishop Kevin Doran

Ms Noelle Fitzpatrick

Mrs Janet Forbes

Ms Noirín Lynch

Mr Joseph McGowan

Mrs Sinead Strong

YOUTH

Mr Luke Casserly

Ms Deirbhile Craven

Ms Natalie Doherty

Bishop Brendan Leahy

Mr Jake Magill

Mr James McLoughlin

Ms Hannah Montgomery

Fr Cyril Odia

Ms Helena O’Shea

Ms Michelle Ward