The Bishop of Killaloe has announced an extensive re-shuffle of priests throughout the Diocese.
The annual Diocesan Clerical Appointments include a re-organisation of Diocesan structures, and changes which affect many parishes throughout Clare.
However, one priest in Loop Head, whose community had rallied to keep him there, is staying put.
The 58 parishes of the Diocese are now to be divided into 15 clusters, instead of the previous 12. This change is perceived as being more manageable, with groups of priests being appointed to these pastoral areas and covering a number of parishes between them.
And while this continues the work of recent years, this year’s appointments include a significant number of changes.
Fr. Tom Hogan is moving from Ennis to Birr, while Fr. Tom Ryan, who has been based in Shannon, is to reside in Ennis and will cover the county town, as well as Doora-Barefield, Quin and Clarecastle.
Fr. Donagh O’Mara is to move from East Clare to West, as he swaps Ogonnelloe for Mullagh, where Fr. Anthony McMahon is taking a leave of absence.
Fr. Pat Greed is moving from Clonlara to Cloughjordan, where he’s to be replaced by Fr. Pat Mulcahy from Lorrha, while recently ordained Fr. Martin Shanahan will be based in Inagh.
One Priest who’s not moving is Fr. Michael Casey, who will continue to serve in the pastoral area that contains Carrigaholt – last weekend, 400 people turned up at a public meeting in a bid to keep him there.
Three Clare-based priests are retiring. They are Fr. Seán Sexton in Inagh/Kilnamona, Fr. John Jones in Mountshannon and Fr. Harry Bohan in Sixmilebridge – all three will continue to provide pastoral assistance in those areas.
Most of the changes will take effect from July 20th.
Killaloe Diocesan Appointments 2018
Bishop Fintan Monahan today issued the Diocesan Clerical Appointments for 2018. The appointments reflect the ongoing work of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan – Builders of Hope. They are the fruit of much consultation between Bishop Fintan, the Pastoral Planning Team, the Clergy and a series of public meetings held across the Diocese in March and April.
Key Principles
During the consultation process several key principles emerged which were incorporated into the appointments published today.
A reorganisation of Diocesan structures to support more workable Pastoral Areas that encourage greater co-operation between parishes.
The pastoral care of all the people of the Diocese in a way that is accessible to them.
The care of priests in a manner that is appropriate to their age and ministry.
The requirements of the Code of Canon Low.
New Pastoral Areas
The 58 parishes of the diocese have, up to now, been divided into 12 clusters but experience and feedback from the recent area meeting has shown the need to review these structures and reduce the size of some of the larger clusters. There will now be 15 Pastoral areas across the Diocese. The new Pastoral Areas along with the names of the serving clergy are included in the notes to Editors below.
Team Ministry, Co-PP’s and Vicars Forane
It is hoped that a strong sense of team ministry will develop according to the needs of each Pastoral Area. Priests under the retirement age (75) will act as Co-Parish Priests in each Pastoral Area. They will meet regularly to provide peer support and establish the best ways to work collaboratively in their ministry. One priest in each Pastoral Area will be appointed as Vicar Forane to co-ordinate and oversee joint pastoral efforts and programs. Retired Clergy over the age of 75 will continue to provide ministry support in each Pastoral Area according to need and ability.
Diocesan Appointments
Announcing the Diocesan Appointments for 2018 Bishop Fintan expressed gratitude to the clergy who were so accommodating in responding to the current pastoral challenges and to those who participated in the area meetings as well as the Pastoral Planning team.
The following is the complete list of Diocesan Appointments. The appointments will take effect from Friday July 20th 2018, unless otherwise stated.
Very Rev. Harry Bohan, PP, Sixmilebridge to retire as PP of Sixmilebridge but to continue to be pastor in Sixmilebridge and the Tradaree Pastoral Area 6.
Very Rev. Michael Sheedy, Adm, Kilrush to continue as Adm for one more year and to continue to provide pastoral assistance to Pastoral Area 2. This appointment to take effect from Friday September 6th.
Very Rev. Seán Sexton, Adm, Inagh/Kilnamona to retire as Adm and to remain in Kilnamona as AP and to continue to provide pastoral assistance to the Críocha Callan Pastoral Area 4.
Very Rev. John Jones, Adm, Mountshannon to retire as Adm and to remain in Mountshannon as AP and to continue to provide pastoral assistance to the Pastoral Area 9.
Very Rev. Tim O’Brien, PP, Youghalarra to retire as PP and to remain in Ballywilliam as AP and to continue offer pastoral assistance to the Pastoral Area 11.
Very Rev. Brendan Lawlor, CC, Tulla to be AP Tulla, continuing to reside in Tulla and offering pastoral assistance to the Pastoral Area 7.
Very Rev. Seamus Nohilly, SMA, Co-PP, Tubber to return to the SMA Fathers House in Claregalway.
Very Rev. Tom Hogan, PP, Ennis to be Co-PP, Birr and Vicar Forane of the Brendan Pastoral Area 14, residing in Birr.
Very Rev. Pat Greed, PP, Clonlara to be Co-PP and Vicar Forane, Pastoral Area 12, residing in Cloughjordan.
Very Rev. Tom Ryan, PP, Shannon to be Co-PP and Vicar Forane of the Abbey Pastoral Area 5, residing in Ennis.
Very Rev. William Teehan, PP, Templederry to be Co-PP, and Vicar Forane of Scáth na Sionnaine Pastoral Area 10, resident in Castleconnell.
Very Rev. Pat Mulcahy, PP, Lorrha to be Co-PP, Scáth na Sionnaine Pastoral Area 10, resident in Clonlara.
Very Rev. Brendan Kyne, PP, Castleconnell to be Co-PP, Radharc na nÓiléan Pastoral Area 3, resident in Ballycorick.
Very Rev. Donagh O’Meara, PP, Ogonnelloe to be Co-PP, Críocha Callan Pastoral Area 4, resident in Mullagh.
Very Rev. Anthony McMahon, PP, Mullagh to take leave of absence.
Very Rev. David Carroll, PP, Birr to be Co-PP, Pastoral Area 9 and Vicar Forane, resident in Bodyke. Fr. David also to take on responsibility for developing pastoral supervision for clergy.
Very Rev. Brendan Quinlivan, Adm, Tulla, based in Ennis to be Co-PP and Vicar Forane for Pastoral Area 7 to now reside in Tulla.
Rev. Arnold Rosney, CC, Shannon to be Co-PP Shannon and Vicar Forane of the Tradaree Pastoral Area 6.
Rev. Fergal O’Neill, CC, Portroe to be Co-PP, Pastoral Area 9, resident in Ogonelloe.
Very Rev. Tom O’Gorman, Adm, Cloughleigh to be Co-PP, Abbey Pastoral Area 5, resident in Quin.
Rev. Gerard Fitzgerald, CC, Ennis to be Co-PP, Abbey Pastoral Area 5, resident in Cloughleigh, Ennis.
Rev. Gerard Jones, CC, Nenagh to be Co-PP, Pastoral Area 12, resident in Portroe.
Rev. Paddy McMahon, CC, Bridgetown to be AP to Radharc na nOiléan Pastoral Area 3, resident in Leabasheeda.
Rev. Rexon Chullickal, Kerala, Birr to be CC in Pastoral Area 12, resident in Nenagh.
Rev. Francis Xavier Kochuveettil, Kerala, Shannon to be CC, in Tradaree Pastoral Area 6, resident in Shannon.
Rev. Martin Shanahan, newly ordained to be Co-PP in Críocha Callan Pastoral Area 4 and resident in Inagh.
NB – Pastoral areas 1,2, 14 and 15 will be part of phase two of the renewal and restructuring in the coming year.
1. Killaloe Diocese
Killaloe Diocese includes portions of Counties Clare, Tipperary, Offaly and Limerick. There are 58 Parises in the Diocese served by 52 priests under the age of 75 and 38 priests over the age of 75.
2. Pastoral Areas and Serving Clergy
Pastoral Area 1
Cross, Carrigaholt, Kilkee, Doonbeg.
2 Priests + 1 semi-retired – Gerry Kenny, Michael Casey, (Joe Haugh).
Vicar Forane – Gerry Kenny.
Pastoral Area 2
Kilrush, Killimer, Cooraclare, Kilmihil
4 Priests – Michael Sheedy, Martin Blake, Tony Casey, Peter O’Loughlin.
Vicar Forane – Tony Casey.
Pastoral Area 3 (Radharc na n-Oiléan)
Kilmurry McMahon, Coolmeen, Kildysart, Lissycasey-Ballynacally
2 Priests + 3 semi-retired – Albert McDonnell, Brendan Kyne, (Joe Hourigan, Tom McGrath, Paddy McMahon
Vicar Forane – Albert McDonnell.
Pastoral Area 4 (Críocha Callan)
Mullagh, Milltown Malbay, Inagh, Kilmaley
3 Priests + 4 semi-retired – Donagh O’Meara, Pat Larkin, Martin Shanahan (Seamus Mullin, Sean Murphy, Seán Sexton, Michael McLaughlin)
Vicar Forane – Pat Larkin
Pastoral Area 5 (Abbey)
Ennis, Doora-Barefield, Quin, Clarecastle
7 Priests + 2 semi-retired – Tom Ryan, Gerard Fitzgerald, John McGovern, Tom O’Gorman, Dariusz Plasek, Pat Malone, Jerry Carey (Pat Taaffe, Harry Brady).
Vicar Forane – Tom Ryan
Pastoral Area 6 (Tradaree)
Newmarket-on-Fergus, Shannon, Sixmilebridge
3 Priests + 2 semi-retired. Arnold Rosney, Tom Fitzpatrick, Francis Xavier Kochuveettil, (Harry Bohan, Brendan O’Donoghue).
Vicar Forane – Arnold Rosney
Pastoral Area 7
Tulla, O’Callaghan’s Mills, Broadford
3 Priests and one semi-retired – Brendan Quinlivan, Donal Dwyer, John Bane and Brendan Lawlor.
Vicar Forane – Brendan Quinlivan
Pastoral Area 8 (Imeall Bóirne)
Tubber, Corofin, Ruan, Crusheen
2 Priests – Damien Nolan, Pat O’Neill.
Vicar Forane – Damien Nolan
Pastoral Area 9
Killanena, Feakle, Scariff, Mountshannon, Bodyke, Ogonnelloe.
3 Priests + 3 Semi-retired. Joe McMahon, David Carroll, Fergal O’Neill (John Jones, James O’Brien, J.J. Rogers)
Vicar Forane – David Carroll
Pastoral Area 10 (Scáth na Sionnaine)
Killaloe, Clonlara, Castleconnell
4 Priests. James Grace, Pat Mulcahy, Willie Teehan, Tom Whelan.
Vicar Forane – Willie Teehan
Pastoral Area 11
Portroe, Youghalarra, Puckane, Nenagh, Silvermines, Templederry
6 Priests + 3 semi-retired – Rexon Chullickall, Willie McCormack, Brendan Moloney Des Hillery, Ger Jones, Michael Geraghty, (Tim O’Brien, Seamus Gardiner, Tom Seymour).
Vicar Forane – Brendan Moloney
Pastoral Area 12
Cloughjordan, Dunkerrin, Toomevara
3 Priests – Pat Greed, Joe Kennedy, John Molloy.
Vicar Forane – Pat Greed
Pastoral Area 13
Terryglass, Borrisokane, Lorrha
2 Priests. Michael Cooney, Tom O’Halloran.
Vicar Forane – Tom O’Halloran.
Pastoral Area 14 (Brendan)
Birr, Shinrone, Kilcolman, Kinnity
4 Priests + one semi-retired + 1 school chaplain. Tom Hogan, Michael Reddan, Michael O’Meara, Kieran Blake (Tom Hannon), Pat Gilbert.
Vicar Forane – Tom Hogan
Pastoral Area 15 (Cronan)
Roscrea, Bournea, Kyle and Knock
3 Priests + 2 semi-retired + 1 school chaplain. Pat Treacy, Michael Harding, Pat Deely (Thomas Corbett, Noel Kennedy), Lorcán Kenny.
