Msgr Larry Duffy There has been a broad welcome in the Diocese of Clogher for Pope Francis’ decision to appoint a local priest, Msgr Larry Duffy, as bishop of the border diocese.
His predecessor, Bishop Emeritus Liam MacDaid, hailed the unusual decision – new bishops in Ireland have tended of late to be external rather than internal appointments – as something that favoured the people of the diocese.
“The people and priests of the Diocese of Clogher will have good reason to remember the Feast of the Immaculate Conception 2018,” he said in a statement. “They rejoice today as they hear that Pope Francis has favoured them by naming as bishop one of their own, Monsignor Larry Duffy, PP of Carrickmacross.”
As well as being parish priest of Carrickmacross, Co. Monaghan, Msgr Duffy served from 2013 until Bishop MacDaid’s resignation in 2016 as Vicar General of the diocese.
Born in Magheracloone in 1951, Msgr Duffy has three surviving siblings, with his brother Brendan having died two years ago. He studied for the priesthood in St Patrick’s College, Carlow, and since his 1976 ordination has served in such Clogher parishes as Enniskillen, Castleblayney, Monaghan & Rackwallace, Ederney, and Clones and Carrickmacross.
Msgr Duffy also spent four years as a missionary in the Kenyan Diocese of Kitui, where he led the building of a new church in Mwingi and was a keen supporter of religious communities setting up of schools in the diocese.
Recalling his time in Muckno, priests and people of the parish issued a statement saying that “his gentleness and sensitivity to the pastoral care of the people has left an indelible mark on our community”, while Fr Frank McManus said the parish of Ederney likewise remembered his time there with “great affection”. Msgr Duffy’s time there, he said was a “time during which our parish life flourished and strong laity involvement developed”.
Armagh’s Archbishop Eamon Martin said Msgr Duffy will bring “a wealth of pastoral experience” to his new role, and paid tribute to the work of Msgr Joseph McGuinness as diocesan administrator since Bishop Emeritus MacDaid’s retirement