Western Dioceses – announcement by the Papal Nuncio

At the end of Mass with Western Bishops in Tuam this morning the Papal Nuncio announced changes to the diocesan make-up in the West of Ireland.

They include:

The Archbishop of Tuam will become Apostolic Administrator of Killala, following the retirement of Bishop John Fleming, Killala.

Bishop Kevin Doran, Elphin, will also become Apostolic Administrator of Achonry Diocese.

Bishop Paul Dempsey, Achonry will become Auxiliary Bishop in Dublin.

Statement by Bishop John Fleming:

Statement from the Bishop of Killala, John Fleming, on the appointment of Archbishop Duffy as Apostolic Administrator of Killala.

“I welcome the appointment of Archbishop Francis Duffy as the Apostolic Administrator of Killala. I wish him well in his work. I offer him my ongoing prayerful support as he undertakes the additional pastoral responsibility of shepherding the People of God in this diocese, as well as in the Archdiocese of Tuam.

I also wish to thank the people, religious and priests of the diocese of Killala for their prayers, goodwill, encouragement and unstinting support over the past twenty two years of my ministry as bishop.  As I look forward to my retirement, I will keep all of them in my thoughts and prayers.

+ John Fleming.

Bishop of Killala

Link to Diocesan announcement – click to 37’14” for the announcement by the Papal Nuncio:

https://www.mcn.live/Cameras/Player/238707

Statement from the Irish Bishops Conference Press Office:

Press Release – Wednesday, 10 April 2024
Embargoed until 11.00am: Newsdesks, Photodesks and Religious Affairs Correspondents 
Pope Francis appoints Bishop Paul Dempsey as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin, new Episcopal roles in Tuam Province, accepts Bishop Fleming’s resignation    

Media doorstep outside of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Tuam, after 10.00am Mass
His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Paul Dempsey, up until now Bishop of Achonry, as Titular Bishop of Sita and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
 
Pope Francis has also made the following appointments, from today, in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Tuam:Archbishop Francis Duffy, Metropolitan Archbishop of the ecclesiastical province of Tuam, as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Diocese of Killala; and,Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin, as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Diocese of Achonry.Furthermore, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Fleming, Bishop of Killala, on the grounds of age.
 
The Vatican will announce this news at 12.00pm (11.00am Ireland time).  The Archbishop of Tuam, Archbishop Duffy, together with His Excellency Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayer, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland; Bishop Fleming; Bishop Doran; Bishop Michael Duignan, Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, and Bishop of Clonfert; and, Bishop Dempsey, will concelebrate 10.00am Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption at the end of which the announcements will also be made. 
 
Archbishop Duffy said, “The announcement of this level of change in the episcopate in one province at the same time is quite significant.  It creates the possibility of exploring a closer union between the Archdiocese of Tuam and the Diocese of Killala, and between the Dioceses of Elphin and Achonry, not unlike the process that is already underway in the Dioceses of Galway and Clonfert.  Any such change would involve living communities and could not be simply structural or administrative.  It would require careful discernment over some time, involving the whole people of God in the respective Dioceses.”
 
Photographers and journalists are invited to attend at the Cathedral from 10.00am.  To obtain photographs for publication purposes, please contact John McElroy on +353 (0) 87 241 6985 and by email:johnmcelroyphotos@eircom.net
 

Link to RTÉ article:

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/0410/1442705-ireland-religion

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One Comment

  1. Ciaran Blake says:

    The current practice of the Papal Nuncio arriving unannounced at a cathedral to make a significant announcement to the assembled congregation, usually concerning the appointment of a new bishop, but in this case the total reorganisation of all of the diocese in the Western Province, leaves a lot to be desired.

    The congregation in Tuam Cathedral on Wednesday morning, many of whom are retired, must have been bemused and bewildered to see “their” regular Wednesday morning Mass being taken over by the Nuncio and the Western Bishops. And where were the priests of the affected dioceses? Why weren’t they there? We will be the ones who will have to implement these changes and we were, to all intents and purposes, excluded from Wednesday’s proceedings. A less than fulsome invite arrived by email at 7.30 am on Wednesday morning, too late to make alternative arrangements for our own Masses in our own churches in order to attend. Synodality how are you! Ciaran Blake

    Reply

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