Tag Archives: Pope Francis

As the Bishop of Killaloe, Dr Fintan Monahan celebrates his first Christmas in the diocese, he has addressed a number of social issues “The festive season of Christmas is a time to look back at the events and happenings of the year just gone by and reflect on what has been. We look back, savour and enjoy the good times while acknowledging the difficult times as well. This has been a most significant year for us as we remembered the events of 1916, the sacrifices of many for the freedom of our nation, one hundred years ago. “Christmas is a time that we become aware of those less well-off, less fortunate than ourselves. It is a time when we do our best to reach out to others with care, with concern, with Christian love. We remember in a special way those suffering economically, the elderly, people living on their own, the bereaved, the homeless, refugees, victims of war and bloodshed, …

Pope Francis has South Galway in his “prayerful concern”, according to a letter from the Apolostic Nuncio to a local General Election candidate. Independent candidate in the Galway East constituency, Councillor Michael Fahy, contacted Archbishop Charles J Brown about the hardship caused by flooding in South Galway throughout December and January. Last week, he received a letter from Archbishop Brown stating that he had personally assessed the “terrible flooding” in the area when he was there last month. “I have informed Pope Francis about the flooding and I can assure you of his prayerful concern for all the people who have suffered the effects of this very distressing situation,” the letter said. Councillor Fahy told The Clare Champion that he was very moved by the contents of the letter. “I might as well be honest, it made me that little bit emotional to see that the Pope has recognised the conditions that people were going through. Please God, God will …

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 …

Human trafficking was the subject chosen by Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly for his mass of installation at the Cathedral of Assumption in Thurles on Sunday. He warned that Irish people are directly or indirectly encountering the victims of trafficking. “Victims have been found in different sectors of society. We need to stay alert to this reality and work in our local communities to eradicate it,” he said. Archbishop O’Reilly noted that the date of his installation as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly coincided with the first international day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking and the Feast of Saint Josephine Bakhita. “Whilst St Josephine Bakhita is a name that may not be familiar with all of you, for those here present from Africa it will be a name that they are familiar with. St Josephine was born in Sudan in 1869 and kidnapped for slavery before she was nine years old. Such was her trauma that she forgot her birth …

His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Lahinch native, Fr Alphonsus Cullinan as the new Bishop of Waterford & Lismore. Fifty-five-year-old, Fr Cullinan is a son of Christy and Rita and has four sisters and five brothers. He is parish priest in Rathkeale, County Limerick His family moved to Limerick city where he attended the Salesians for early education, John F Kennedy National School and the Crescent College Comprehensive (SJ) for his secondary education. From 1978-1981 he attended Mary Immaculate College of Education Limerick and qualified as a primary teacher and taught for six years in Castleconnell, County Limerick. He worked part-time during that time for four years with the Bunratty Castle Entertainers before going to Spain where he taught English for two years in a school in Valladolid. Fr Cullinan studied at Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth from 1989-95 where he completed an STL (Licentiate in Theology). He was ordained by Bishop Jeremiah Newman in 1994 in Saint John’s Cathedral, Limerick, …

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 …

  Bishop Kieran O’Reilly is looking forward to dealing with new challenges following his appointment as Archbishop of Cashel and Emly. The former Bishop of Killaloe was promoted to Archbishop of Cashel and Emly-Elect by Pope Francis on Saturday in succession to Archbishop Dermot Clifford, who submitted his resignation on completion of his 75th year of age. Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly will remain on as Killaloe Diocese administrator until he is installed as archbishop in the Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles early in 2015. While no definite date has been confirmed concerning his installation as archbishop, it is expected he will be installed on February 8 next. “A new appointment brings with it new challenges but with the support of all those who will collaborate with me in my ministry in Cashel and Emly I know that we will rise to meet those challenges. ”My first task will be to come to know the Archdiocese, its people, its religious and its …

Following the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican, which voted 118 to 62 against expressing ‘welcome’ to gay people in the Catholic Church, Ennis-born Fr Bernárd Lynch has said lying about one’s sexuality within the Church is more acceptable than telling the truth. “If I did lie, if I did pretend, I’d have a job. I could even have a lover on the side,” said Fr Lynch, who publicly came out as a gay man in 1986, when he was ministering in New York. The London-based psychotherapist, who is chair of the Camden Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender Forum, said, “Straight or gay, truth and honesty in the Catholic Church, as far as sexuality and relationships are concerned, is punished by dismissal. Whereas lies and hypocrisy are rewarded, as much in Ireland as the UK or the US. Again, you wonder are these people really serious about the Gospel.” Fr Lynch claims the Church’s attitude to homosexuality is intrinsically linked …