More Irish dioceses set to amalgamate
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Ireland’s four archbishops are scheduled to fly to Rome this week for meetings with the Dicastery for Bishops to discuss Vatican plans to amalgamate more Irish dioceses.
Bishops have come under increased pressure from the papal nuncio Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor to move faster on diocesan mergers. Last year the Bishop of Elphin was appointed Apostolic Administrator of Achonry with a view to an eventual merging of both dioceses and this month was appointed Bishop of Achonry as well as continuing as Bishop of Elphin.
However plans by the Nuncio to amalgamate the dioceses of Raphoe and Derry came unstuck recently when the bishop of Derry Donal McKeown flew to Rome to tell the Dicastery for Bishops that the time wasn’t right for such a merger.
This reflects an unease among some of the Irish bishops at the pace of change being sought by the Vatican, with some complaining that more consultation is needed.
The dioceses likely to be discussed in Rome for possible amalgamation are Kilmore (Bishop Martin Hayes was appointed in June 2020) and Clogher (Bishop Larry Duffy was appointed in December 2018).
Other diocesan mergers on the table appear to be that of Ferns with Ossory. Ossory could also amalgamate with the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly which would raise the question of provincial boundaries being discussed but this scenario is less likely as the nuncio is believed to want to keep the provincial boundaries.
Another likely amalgamation is the formal amalgamation of Armagh and Dromore -the Archbishop of Armagh is already the Apostolic Administrator for Dromore.
Earlier this month the Irish bishops discussed changes to diocesan boundaries when they were in Knock. Archbishop Emeritus Terrence Prendergast of Ottawa addressed the Bishops Conference with a talk on ‘Biblical Perspectives on change’. While these changes aren’t of biblical proportions, they are part of a restructuring that marks one of the most significant changes in Irish Church governance in over nine centuries, leading to a more consolidated leadership.