Bishop Tom Deenihan has announced new clerical appointments in the Diocese of Meath for this year. The changes will be operative from 3 July 2021 .
The Bishop thanked Fr Jim Lynch, who will retire as Parish Priest of Beauparc, for his service to the Diocese over the past fifty-one years.
Prioritising Pastoral Development for the Diocese going forward as restrictions lift, Bishop Deenihan has appointed Fr Derek Darby, who had been combining the roles of Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Development and Parish Administrator of Mullingar, as full-time Vicar for Pastoral Development. The Bishop wishes to see a Pastoral Council in each parish and supports in place for them in the future.
Bishop Deenihan said that it was increasingly difficult to keep priests in all parishes at this time. “In this year’s appointments”, he said, “it is clear that the Diocese is becoming increasingly reliant on priests from Romania, Africa, and Poland. In addition, there has been a reduction in clergy in some parishes, and there is also a need to encourage collaboration between parishes. All this highlights the need for vocations promotion and support in the Diocese and I thank the vocations promotion team for their work in this regard.”
Bishop Deenihan thanked the priests involved in the appointments for their generosity and expressed the confidence that as restrictions lift and as public worship recommences in the church, there would be a collaboration in parishes to make our churches safe as places of prayer and sacrament in the weeks ahead.
Fr. Jim Lynch, PP Beauparc, to retire.
Fr. Derek Darby, Adm Mullingar and Episcopal Vicar for Pastoral Development, to Pastoral Development and Planning full-time for three years term.
Fr. John Conlon, PP Duleek and Adm Donore, to be PP St. Mary’s Drogheda and Adm Holy Family Drogheda.
Fr. Michael Meade, PP Summerhill, to be PP Kilcormac.
Fr. Phil Gaffney PP St. Mary’s Drogheda, to be Adm Mullingar.
Fr Declan Kelly, PP Stamullen, to be PP Kilcloon and Adm Moynalvey.
Fr Stan Deegan, PP Kilcloon, to be PP Killucan.
Fr. Séamus Houlihan, PP Kilcormac, to be PP Tubber.
Fr. Brendan Ferris, PP Ardcath & Curraha, to be PP Stamullen.
Fr. David Brennan, PP Moynalvey, to be PP Beauparc.
Fr John Nally, PP Ashbourne, on loan to Diocese of Waterford and Lismore for three years.
Fr. Michael Kilmartin, PP Longwood, to be PP Ashbourne.
Fr. Mark English, PP Killucan, to be PP Duleek and Adm Donore.
Fr. Joe Campbell to be CC Tullamore.
Fr. Kevin Heery, CC Mullingar, to be CC Ardcath & Curraha.
Fr Noel Weir, Adm Pro Tem Rosemount, to be CC Navan.
Fr. Conor Magee, CC Mullingar, to be CC Multyfarnham.
Fr Janusz Ługowski, Polish Chaplaincy, to be CC Moynalvey in addition.
Fr Louis Illah, CC Navan, to be CC Longwood.
Fr. Andrei Stolnicu, Diocese of Iasi, to be CC Mullingar
Fr. Vincent McKay CSSp, to be CC Summerhill.
Fr Paul Crosbie, PP Trim, to be Adm Summerhill in addition.
Fr. Thomas Gilroy, PP Kinnegad, to be Adm Longwood in addition.
Fr. Gerry Stuart, PP Ratoath, to be Adm Ardcath & Curraha in addition.
PAT SAYS
Meath was always well off for priests – but now its running low too.
Last week DERMOT FARRELL announced that Dublin only had two seminarians!
When I enterered Clonliffe for Dublin in 1970 there were 120 OF US FOR DUBLIN ALONE!
At that time Ireland had 9 seminaries for the training of secular priests:
Maynooth
All Hallows
Clonliffe
Wexford
Kilkenny
Waterford
Carlow
Thurles
Belfast
Now, theres only Maynooth – and its on its knees.
I see that Deenihan, in spite of his own shortage, is lending Phonsie a priest.
THE ANSWER?
Married priests?
Women priests?
Part time priests – working full time in other jobs,?
Deacons and Deaconesses?
Lay ministers for Communion, Marriages and Funerals.
The church of the future will look nothing like the church of today.
Hopefully, the involvement of laity will lead to less corruption?
In fact, the priesthood, as we know it, may disappear completely ???
BISHOP PAT BUCKLEY 