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Tag Archives: Diocese of Killaloe

Bishop Monahan prays for road safety

Bishop Fintan Monahan has invited parishes in the Diocese of Killaloe to pray for safety on our roads, especially over the bank holiday weekend. Bishop Fintan Monahan said, “I am aware that many county councils and civic groups, especially the Road Safety Authority, work very hard to promote safety on the roads. But in truth we all share this responsibility to protect human life on our roads. Road safety awareness is the parable of the Good Samaritan in action within our communities today. I am thinking here of all road users: motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians, and we all have a role in helping each other even if we do not know one another personally. “Up to this morning, 159 people have died already on our roads this year, and this figure is up from 127 deaths this time last year. This loss of human life is heart-breaking for the loved ones of the deceased and a tragedy for our …

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Vicar General post for Fr Des Hillery

MILTOWN Malbay born Fr Des Hillery has been appointed Vicar General of the Diocese of Killaloe. Speaking at the appointment, Bishop Fintan Monahan said, “I am happy to call upon the experience of Fr Hillery in assisting with the administration of the diocese. I am very grateful that he has accepted to take on the role at this time along with his work as parish priest of Nenagh. His gentle and effective leadership during his time as Administrator of the Diocese was a great source of encouragement to the clergy and people before my appointment as bishop.” Bishop Monahan said Fr Des brings a breadth of vision and experience to his appointment. “He has a great knowledge of the local church from his time in education and parish work in St Flannan’s College and Nenagh, while his missionary experience in Latin America gives him a wider consciousness of the needs of the universal church. As I make the appointment in …

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Death of Fr Tony Cahir

The death has taken place in the Beacon Hospital of retired parish priest of Birr, Fr Tony Cahir. In his mid 70s, Fr Cahir was a priest of the Diocese of Killaloe for 52 years. A native of Ennis, Fr Cahir was educated at St Flannan’s College, Ennis and the Pontifical Irish College in Rome where he was ordained in March 1963. After ordination, he remained in Rome attending the Second Vatican Council until December. In January 1964 he was appointed to the Diocese of Dromore as Spiritual Director in St Colman’s College, Newry and two years later he returned to the Diocese of Killaloe and was appointed to St Flannan’s College. In 1967 he was appointed to teach in England, teaching for two years in secondary schools in London and Middlesex.  He also took a one year course in Catechetics at Corpus Christi College, London returning to the Diocese of Killaloe in June 1970 whereupon he was appointed full …

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Fr Des appointed Killaloe diocese administrator

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 …

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Bishop Walsh favours local appointment

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 …

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New Archbishop seeks protection for small schools

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 …

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Open forum on ‘exclusion of women’

A TEN-strong group of women, disenchanted with the Diocese of Killaloe’s plan for men-only deacons, have organised an open forum on the issue at the Dromoland Inn on Monday, September 15 at 8pm. The forum, open to men and women, will be titled Diaconate! An Inclusive Church? On August 15, The Clare Champion revealed that, as deacons, married men could preside over baptisms, weddings, funerals and other ceremonies. However, women cannot train to become deacons. “It will be an inclusive forum for anybody who wants to come and talk about this issue,” Kathleen McDonald, chairperson of Cross Pastoral Council explained. “We have formed a Killaloe Forum on the diaconate. There is a group of 10 women involved in setting up this forum for women and men. It’s to give people an opportunity to discuss this topic. Lots of women and men have been talking in their parishes. This isn’t just a women’s issue,” she stressed. The diocesan office is to …

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Seven new parish priests appointed in Killaloe Diocese

Bishop of Killaloe Kieran O’Reilly has appointed seven new parish priests in the diocese. The new appointments will take effect from September 5. Fr Tom Hogan, administrator in Ennis, will be parish parish in Ennis while Fr Joe McMahon, president of St Flannan’s College, has been appointed parish priest pro-tem in Scariff, Feakle, Killanena and Flagmount. Fr John Molloy is returning from mission work in Ecuador to take up the role of parish priest of Tomevara. Fr Pat Treacy and Fr Michael Harding will be co-parish priests of the combined parishes of Roscrea, Bournea, Kyle and Knock. During the past year Fr Tom McGrath, MHM, was appointed acting parish priest in succession to the late Fr John Kelly and he will remain as parish priest of Kilmurry McMahon. Similarly, Fr Seamus Nohilly, SMA, was appointed to the team of priests in Imeall Borine parishes and he is to be priest in residence in Tubber. Fr Tom Corbett, parish priest of …

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