Top Vatican brass to attend bishop-elect’s ordination in Clare

On May 14 of this year, Pope Francis announced the appointment of Ennis priest, Monsignor Seamus Horgan as the first Nuncio to South Sudan, residing in Juba. The ordination Mass will take place this Saturday at 11am in the Cathedral of Saint Peter and Paul, Ennis, Co. Clare and will feature an array of special guests, extending from cardinals, archbishops, bishops and local councillors.

Born in 1968 in Ennis, Co. Clare, in the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland, Monsignor Séamus Horgan attended the local primary school, before completing his secondary schooling at St Flannan’s College, Ennis.

He entered St Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1987.  After completing a BA (National University of Ireland) in 1990 and a Baccalaureate in Theology (Pontifical University, Maynooth) in 1993, he was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Killaloe on 11 June 1994.

Following six years of pastoral ministry in his Diocese, he was sent to Rome in the year 2000 for further studies. After completing a Licence in Canon Law (Pontifical Gregorian University), he joined the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome to prepare for the service of the Holy See.

Upon completion of his doctoral studies in Canon Law in 2005, he entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See and has served in various capacities.

Three cardinals are scheduled to concelebrate on the day. Principal Consecrator of the Mass will be Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, alongside Co-Consecrators, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan. Cardinal Christophe Louis Pierre has also been announced as one of 11 concelebrants.