Mags GarganPope Francis has appointed the Bishop of Killaloe, Kieran O’Reilly SMA (pictured) to the Vatican Congregation which is responsible for religious orders and apostolic societies.
Bishop O’Reilly served twice as congregational leader of the Society of African Missions, working in Rome for 12 years, before being ordained Bishop of Killaloe in 2010.
He will now join 31 other new members of the Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life, which oversees 900,000 male and female members and is currently organising the Church’s Year for Religious, taking place next year.
Bishop O’Reilly told The Irish Catholiche was “very honoured at the invitation of the Holy Father to become part of the Congregation and it will be a privilege to be of service to the Holy See”. He said he hoped that being a member of the Society of African Missions and his awareness of challenges of religious life – and particularly his years in leadership roles – will give him “some of the gifts I need to assist the Church in the care of the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life”.