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 this World Missions Month I am reminded of the theme that Pope Francis has chosen that every Christian is a missionary. It is my prayer that Fr. Des will continue to be an effective missionary of good news in his new role.
Responding, Fr Hillery said, “I am privileged and humbled by the trust that Bishop Fintan has placed in me. I look forward to working closely with him in continuing to serve the people of this diocese and in building up a Christian community where Gospel values can flourish.”
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.