Bishop Paul Dempsey, formerly bishop of Achonry but recently appointed auxiliary bishop of Dublin, addresses the media following the announcement of his appointment. Pictured with Archbishop Francis Duffy and Bishop Kevin Doran. Photo: John McElroy Ruadhán Jones and Chai Brady
There are mixed feelings in the West after Pope Francis announced the effective merger of four dioceses in the archdiocese of Tuam, the largest diocesan shake up in Ireland since 1111AD.
The diocese of Killala and Tuam will now be headed by one bishop, Archbishop Francis Duffy, while Bishop Kevin Doran takes the reins in Achonry as apostolic administrator in addition to his role in Elphin.
The moves come as Bishop of Killala John Fleming (76) retires and Bishop of Achonry Paul Dempsey makes a shock departure to Dublin as auxiliary bishop.
The changes mean there are now just three bishops for the six Western dioceses, with Bishop Michael Duignan overseeing the dioceses of Clonfert and Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilnefora.
Changes
Announcing the news on Wednesday, April 10, the Papal Nuncio to Ireland said the seismic changes were needed to meet “new challenges” facing the Church, “pooling resources” to increase vitality.
“They say ‘in union there is strength’. Thus, with pooled resources and combined endeavours, and trusting strongly in the grace of God, we can look to the future with hope and confidence,” Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor said in a statement.
The changes have met mixed reactions on the ground in the dioceses of Killala and Achonry, which cover much of counties Mayo, Sligo and Roscommon and have a combined Catholic population of less than 100,000.
To some, the moves signify the sad decline of the West of Ireland, with resources heading east to Dublin. To others, the move is inevitable and necessary, coming at a time when the Church needs to make more effective use of its resources.
“It’s been talked about for years”, said Fr Tom Doherty CC Belmullet, Co. Mayo, so it’s “not really a surprise”.
He and the priests of Killala met with the Papal Nuncio to present their views on a diocesan reshuffle, and were set to meet incoming bishop Dr Francis Duffy in the wake of the news.
“The shock is we thought it would probably be later in the year, it all came very sudden on us,” Fr Doherty told The Irish Catholic.
I know the population is moving toward Dublin, but we don’t want everything moving that way”
But he is confident the pooling of resources and expertise a future amalgamation will bring “can only have a positive effect”.
For Fr Michael Reilly in Ballina, Co. Mayo, Bishop Fleming will be missed, he was a “kind and very good shepherd to us all”.
A lot of people are disappointed by the news Killala will not get a new bishop, he told The Irish Catholic, calling it a “sad day”.
“I know the population is moving toward Dublin, but we don’t want everything moving that way,” Fr Reilly said.
When the priests met with Archbishop Montemayor, they expressed their hope that Mayo might get an auxiliary bishop at least, with Fr Reilly lamenting the loss of the “personal contact”.
However the Ballina based cleric admitted that it was “inevitable” due to a decline in numbers of priests and lay faithful.
Decline
For Fr Desmond Kelly PP Corballa, Co. Sligo, the decision not to appoint a new bishop was “shocking”. He noted that Dublin got two new auxiliary bishops in as many months, while the West has lost two of theirs.
The changes fit into a story of neglect for the West of Ireland, Fr Kelly opines to this paper, with many parts already losing integral facilities such as banks and post offices.
“Look at the cut of Meath, Wicklow and Kildare” and the surrounds of Dublin, he said. “It’s like a mega city. With a good transport system, we could have spread the goodies.”
Fr Kelly fears the changes are “a diminishing of Ballina”, Co. Mayo’s largest town, with much of its image based around being ‘a cathedral town’.
“What’s the status of the cathedral in Ballina,” he asked, pointing out that Archbishop Duffy sits in Tuam.
He expressed frustration at the lack of communication around the seismic changes. Fr Kelly said they received a commitment from the Papal Nuncio that he would inform them of any decision before it was announced. But the first the priest heard about it was through the media.
The priests’ council was to give feedback but I for one didn’t get any. I didn’t know what the decisions would be because I got no word about anything”
Concerns around consultation were also expressed by members of the clergy in Achonry.
“As far as I know, the priests’ council met with the nuncio and bishop months ago,” one priest, who wished to remain nameless, told this paper. “But the people were not consulted. The priests’ council was to give feedback but I for one didn’t get any. I didn’t know what the decisions would be because I got no word about anything.”
However, a spokeswoman for the Irish bishops’ conference said “wide-spread consultation concerning the proposed reconfiguration” of dioceses in the Archdiocese of Tuam took place over many years.
Consultation
Consultations were held “with Councils of Priests, diocesan consultors, priests and religious sisters, diocesan and parish pastoral councils, as well as with lay leaders in safeguarding, the Synodal process, finance and in education”, the spokeswoman said in a statement to The Irish Catholic.
“More recently, the Apostolic Nuncio met with representatives of priests and lay faithful in Achonry, Tuam, Killala, and Elphin,” she said.
The move to leave Achonry without a bishop didn’t come as a surprise, according to Fr Vincent Sherlock PP Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo.
“There has been discussion around this for a while. It has been talked about that dioceses would be consolidated more than just in the west, it will be a national thing in time,” he told The Irish Catholic.
He expressed sadness at the loss of their bishop, though he knows most people on the ground won’t feel it.
“We’ve been very lucky to have Bishop Paul [Dempsey], he’s a very good bishop… he’ll be a blessing wherever he goes, no doubt about that,” said Fr Sherlock.
The forthcoming changes for the diocese do raise questions around the streamlining of resources, such as the diocesan office in Ballaghaderreen, Co. Sligo.
“It’s a very big loss to us and now we just have to adjust to it now as best we can.” said Fr Sherlock.
“It may be the case that the bishop says we leave the office in Ballaghaderreen – that hasn’t been talked about – but I imagine there will be a streamlining of administration, there won’t be duplication. Ultimately there will be one priest council, most likely office staff will be centralised.”
As with Killala, the swiftness of the changes caught many people on the hop.
“We probably didn’t think it would happen so soon,” Fr Padraig Costello PP Foxford, Co. Mayo, told this paper. “It’s a very big loss to us and now we just have to adjust to it now as best we can.”
While disappointed at the loss of Bishop Dempsey, Fr Costello believes the pooling of resources and eventual amalgamation is a plan that can lead the Church “in the right direction”.