Bishop Michael Duignan of Clonfert is to become the new Bishop of Galway.
The announcement was made during 11am mass at Galway Cathedral.
Bishop Duignan will continue to hold his current position and become the single bishop for both dioceses. This is the first ever union of two dioceses in Ireland.
The announcement was made by the Pope’s representative in Ireland, the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo.
Bishop Michael Duignan replaces Bishop Brendan Kelly who is retiring at the age of 75.
He will be appointed by Pope Francis to the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.
Both bishops say the union is “not an amalgamation” and would not suppress either of the two dioceses.
“Both dioceses will continue to maintain their own integrity and autonomy as is but will work closer together, where possible, through the person and ministry of a single bishop.”
Each diocese will handle its financial administration independently and make its own pastoral decisions.
However, the experience of other dioceses was referred to as evidence that consultation, support and sharing of expertise helps to “enhance the future survival of the dioceses”.
Bishop Duignan was born in Athlone, Co Roscommon in 1970 and is the eldest of six children.
He studied for the priesthood at St Patrick’s Missionary Society in Kiltegan in Co Wicklow and at the Pontifical Irish College in Rome before being ordained a priest in the Diocese of Elphin in 1994.
He later returned to Rome to complete postgraduate and doctoral studies.
The bishop spent many years of his priesthood in Sligo and lectured at St Angela’s College, later Head of Religious Education and Chaplaincy Programmes.
In 2018, he was chair of the organising committee for the visit of Pope Francis to Knock Shrine.
In 2019, he was ordained Bishop of Clonfert at St Brendan’s Cathedral in Loughrea.
He said lockdowns during the pandemic presented great challenges to ministry but also provided an opportunity to spend time getting to know priests in conversation over the phone and reaching out to the diocese as a whole thanks to the internet.
“Last week when Archbishop Okolo asked me on behalf of Pope Francis to become the Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and the Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora along with being the Bishop of Clonfert, it was like being asked again to be a bishop for the first time.
“A moment, where half of you feels like turning away, while the other half of you feels called to stay and do the Lord’s work.
“I am very conscious of my own sinfulness, of my own flaws and weaknesses, my particular ways and shortcomings, my need to listen and to learn.
“At times, the thought has crossed my mind that the Holy Spirit must indeed have a sense of humour in trusting me with the care of not just one but with two distinct dioceses.
“Such however is now the reality I find myself in. I pray as I have done on many occasions in my life for the grace – as the words of Katherine von Schlegel’s great hymn Be Still My Soul so beautifully puts it – “to leave to my God to order and provide.
“Under the guidance of St Peter himself in the person of Pope Francis we have been nudged together to do something genuinely new. To paraphrase the words of that great poet from the Aran Islands, Máirtín Ó Díreáin, we are being called to bring about a new ‘An tEarrach Thiar’ – a ‘Western Spring’.”
The Diocese of Clonfert covers almost the whole of East Galway, and includes parishes in Co Offaly and Co Roscommon.
The Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora stretches from the city of Galway to north Clare.
Credit: Source link
