The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
This coming Saturday, Monsignor Seamus Horgan from Tobartaoscain will be called to serve as a Bishop of the Church and the first ever Papal Nuncio to South Sudan.
The ceremony, which will take place in the Ennis Cathedral at 11am, is a great honour for the Ennis man and his family, and the event will be attended by a number of fellow priests, parishioners, cardinals, bishops and deacons.
The Principal Consecrator will be Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State at the Vatican. Thirty years ago, in the same cathedral, a young Seamus Horgan was called by the late Bishop Michael Harty to priesthood. For the last three decades, Monsignor Seamus has answered that call to serve in Bodyke, Roscrea, Rome, Uganda, Switzerland, the Philippines and most recently in the United States.
In May of this year, Pope Francis officially nominated Monsignor Horgan to be the Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan and at the same time named him as Titular Archbishop of Árd Sratha.
“I warmly congratulate Monsignor Horgan on his appointment by Pope Francis to be Nuncio to South Sudan, based in the city of Juba,” said Bishop Fintan Monahan after the announcement.
“He is also appointed to the titular See of Árd Sratha – Ardstraw, in County Tyrone.
“A native of Ennis, past pupil of Saint Flannan’s College, Monsignor Seamus was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Michael Harty thirty years ago, in 1994, in the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Ennis.
“Monsignor Horgan brings a wealth of pastoral and practical experience with him to his new role. A conscientious, diligent and prayerful pastor, his engagement with people is marked with great kindness and courtesy.
“He served with distinction in his appointments at local level in Bodyke and Roscrea in the diocese and in his various appointments since he entered the diplomatic service.
“I wish Monsignor Horgan every good wish and blessing in his important role and assure him of the prayers of the faithful of Killaloe Diocese. At this time there are three Apostolic Nuncios, originally from Ireland, in active diplomatic service for the Universal Church, and here in Killaloe we are very proud of the fact that two of them are natives of our diocese.”
Earlier this month, West Clare councillor Gabriel Keating (FG) called for Clare County Council to host a mayoral welcome reception for Monsignor Horgan.
Councillor Keating told the July meeting of Clare County Council that it is a “huge honour” for Clare that he will be ordained by Cardinal Pietro Parolin who is the Secretary of State in the Vatican and the number two to Pope Francis.
And he called on the county’s mayor, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) to give Monsignor Horgan a mayor’s welcome reception and afford him similar hospitality as is extended to all visiting ambassadors to Clare.
“I would like to express my congratulations to Monsignor Seamus Horgan who has been announced as the Ambassador to South Sudan from the Vatican. He will be ordained as Archbishop in Ennis Cathedral on July 27. To give the Archbishop Seamus his official title, he will be the Papal Nuncio to South Sudan,” he said.
“To show our support and recognition of his service, I would like to ask you as mayor that he receive the similar hospitality that we extend to all visiting ambassadors to Clare and give him a mayor’s welcome reception. I am distinguishing a mayor’s welcome reception from a full civic reception. I suggest that such hospitality may occur in the days following July 27 before he departs for South Sudan…It would be great if some elected members were available to meet and greet him here at the Áras together with his family and friends”.
The Cross councillor also revealed to members of the local authority that Monsignor Horgan has selected a picture of a ship from the former coat of arms of his home town as the image on his insignia in his new role.
“An interesting connection with the local authority is that in choosing his coat of arms, he selected as his motif the ship for the former Ennis Town Council coat of arms to reflect his proud Ennis heritage and connection,” he said.
Andrew Hamilton
Andrew Hamilton is a journalist, writer and podcaster based in the west of Ireland.
