Tag Archives: Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly

On the Feast of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (this Monday) Pope Francis will bless and present the ‘pallium’ to the Archbishop of Cashel & Emly, Kieran O’Reilly and Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh, , after concelebrated mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The pallium is a white woollen strip, worn around the archbishop’s neck, which symbolises the bond and union between an archbishop and the Pope. The wearing of the pallium dates back to the fourth century, and predates the miter and the crozier as episcopal symbols. After the presentation of the pallium, and in order to emphasise the participation of the local Church, Pope Francis has decided that this year the newly appointed metropolitan archbishops (residential archbishops who preside over an ecclesiastical province) of the world will be formally vested with the pallium by the Apostolic Nuncio at a subsequent ceremony in their own archdiocese. The investiture of Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly, the former Bishop of …

Fr Des Hillery, a native of Miltown Malbay, has been elected as Administrator of the Diocese of Killaloe. This follows the installation of Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly on Sunday last, when the Diocese of Killaloe officially became vacant. At a meeting of the College of Consultors of the Diocese Fr Hillery, who is parish priest in Nenagh, was elected to his new post. A diocesan administrator has responsibility for administering the day-to-day affairs of the diocese while a new bishop is awaited. On Wednesday evening, Fr Hillery, a member of a well-known West Clare family, said, “I am privileged to accept this new role and hope to continue the good work of Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly and Bishop Willie Walsh in encouraging us to respond to the challenges of the Gospel. I hope to do all that I can to facilitate the continued implementation of the Pastoral Plan for the Diocese of Killaloe, which recognises our …

Former Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Kieran O’Reilly will be officially installed as the new Archbishop of Cashel and Emly today. The Mass of Installation will be held in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles at 3pm. Before the ceremony, Archbishop O’Reilly will be greeted by Monsignor Christy O’Dwyer, dean of the Diocesan Chapter and 12 men and women representing the deaneries of the diocese. Archbishop Dermot Clifford will then formally welcome his successor, Archbishop O’Reilly, to the diocese. The Apostolic Mandate Papal Bull of Appointment from His Holiness, Pope Francis, will be read for the people by His Excellency Archbishop Charles J Brown, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland. Archbishop O’Reilly will then take possession of the Chair, or Cathedra, in the Cathedral. Archbishop Clifford will present Archbishop O’Reilly with the Book of the Gospels and the pastoral staff, symbols of the office of the new Archbishop. Archbishop O’Reilly will bless water coming from each parish of the diocese and then sprinkle the …

A PRIEST from the diocese, who would be by and large acceptable to local priests, would have a big advantage in being appointed as the new bishop, according to retired Bishop of Killaloe, Willie Walsh. “When I became bishop, I had a good knowledge; I knew every priest in the diocese personally and who was related to them reasonably well. That was an advantage. I knew the geography and demographics of the diocese. “I can see situations where it would be wise to appoint a man from outside the diocese; where if there were divisions among priests, if the man [from the diocese] coming in had some baggage, which made him unacceptable to priests or people. “Rome probably feels the need to shake up the Irish Church because of church child sex abuse scandals. Maybe, in the back of their minds, they felt a bishop coming in from the outside would take a stronger line on certain issues.” The Papal …

THE  new Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Kieran O’Reilly, says the Government should look at innovative ways of safeguarding the future of small rural national schools in Clare. Archbishop O’Reilly, who will remain on as administrator of the Killaloe Diocese until he is installed as Archbishop in Thurles next February, believes the Department of Education should be flexible in its approach to the retention of two-teacher and small rural schools. In an interview with The Clare Champion, he said the Government shouldn’t operate a one-size-fits-all strategy, which may work in the east of the country but would be out of place in the West of Ireland. “The Government has to adapt and adjust to social and demographic realities. I think we must always keep the importance of small rural schools on the agenda. Every voice in a local area must support our education system and the values it hands down to our children. “We all have to keep our eyes very …

It could take anything from a couple of months to two years to appoint a new Catholic Bishop of Killaloe, once the selection process gets underway in the new year. While the Diocese of Killaloe is officially a “vacant diocese” following the appointment of Dr Kieran O’Reilly as the new Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, he remains as diocesan administrator until his installation on February 8 next. He succeeds Archbishop Dermot Clifford, whose resignation, having reached retirement age, was accepted by Pope Francis. Fr Brendan Quinlivan, diocesan communications officer, said putting a timescale on a new appointment was difficult at any time, but, in this instance, it was further complicated by the fact that there are several other diocese where there are vacancies to the filled. Everything in the diocese remains in abayance until the new appointment. Eight days after the formal installation of Archbishop O’Reilly, the diocese’s seven-man College of Consultants will meet to select an administrator from among …