The Vatican's penchant for appointing Irishmen from overseas to Irish dioceses is causing some to ask questions writes Michael Kelly Just hours before news broke that Pope Benedict XVI had appointed missionary priest Fr Kieran O'Reilly SMA to lead the Killaloe diocese local media speculated on who the successor to Bishop Willie Walsh, who has stepped down having reached retirement age, might be.
On the morning of the Vatican's announcement for Killaloe speculation in The Clare People centred on three priests of the diocese with apparently eminent credentials.
''It's understood that the names in the hat for the job are those of Kilmaley priest and Vice Rector of the Irish College, in Rome, Fr Albert McDonald.
Fr Tom Hogan who is administrator of Ennis parish and Shannon priest, Fr Des Hillery, a nephew of the former president, Patrick Hillery,'' a page three lead in the paper read.
By lunchtime, the announcement of Fr O'Reilly's appointment was made public.
Recommendation
The names of Frs McDonald, Hogan and Hillery apparently emerged from a secret ballot of Killaloe priests who sent their recommendation on to Papal Nuncio Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza and asked him to pass them on to the Pope.
Evidently Pope Benedict XVI was unimpressed with the advice he was receiving from Killaloe choosing instead to appoint the Rome-based Fr O'Reilly (pictured).
It's becoming something of a pattern in recent years for high-ranking members of the Irish hierarchy to be chosen from among Irishmen living overseas.
With the exception of Bishops Denis Brennan (Ferns), Brendan Kelly (Achonry) and the bishop-elect of Clogher Msgr Liam McDaid all other appointments have come from overseas.
It's a phenomenon that pre-dated Pope Benedict XVI's election to the Papacy in 2005. Bishop Philip Boyce (Raphoe) was called home in 1994 after more than 20 years in Rome.
Cardinal Seán Brady was more than 25 years in Rome before being thrust in to Armagh in the same year.
In 1996, Bishop Leo O'Reilly was appointed as coadjutor bishop of his native Kilmore diocese after extensive time spent in Italy and Nigeria.
In 2002, Bishop John Fleming was appointed to be Bishop of Killala after a 17-year stint in Rome which culminated in his appointment as Rector of the Pontifical Irish College.
Dublin's Archbishop Diarmuid Martin returned as coadjutor to Cardinal Desmond Connell in 2003 after more than 25 years working abroad.
Overseas
In 2007, Bishop Seamus Freeman was appointed Bishop of Ossory after an extensive career overseas including working as a parish priest in some of Rome's most-deprived suburbs.
In early 2008, Bishop Noel Treanor was appointed to lead the Diocese of Down and Connor after nearly twenty years spent working in Brussels.
It's led some to question whether or not the Vatican has lost faith in priests working in parishes in Ireland. One priest told The Irish Catholic this week that ''faithful diocesan clergy, already reeling from the crimes of a minority of brethren, and the scandalous incompetence of their bishops, have noticed this preference of Rome to appoint as bishops priests who have not worked in Irish parishes.
''Many of us feel that in recent years, with the exception of the Clogher appointment, that ordinary diocesan priests have lost the support and trust even of the Holy Father himself. This inevitably aggravates the crisis in morale,'' he said.
Another priest agrees, asking what real consultation there is on the appointment of a bishop. ''Many of these men appointed have not served in Ireland for decades, some of them have never ministered in dioceses, it hardly seems realistic that local priests or lay people could have been consulted in their appointments since they wouldn't know anything about some of these prospective bishops,'' he said.
Sceptical
However, a now-retired bishop told The Irish Catholic that he was sceptical that the recent appointment ''marked a decisive shift in policy from the Holy See when it comes to appointments in Ireland''.
''I have never detected any long-term strategy from the Vatican when it comes to appointing Irish bishops. There has never appeared to me to be a 'template' for the ideal Irish bishop, different criteria is used in every diocese,'' the retired prelate said.
Another senior priest told The Irish Catholic he had ''the distinct impression that the Holy See is scrutinising appointments much more closely than in the past. In the past, basically any recommendation coming from Maynooth could be ensured a rubber-stamp in Rome, that certainty is no longer there''.
Every serving bishop may submit to the archbishop of his province the names of priests he thinks would make good bishops.
After consultation with the other members of the bishops' conference, these names are then usually forwarded to the papal nuncio for consideration.
By overseeing the final list of names forwarded to Rome, the nuncio plays a decisive role in the selection process.
He not only gathers facts and information about potential candidates, but also interprets that information for the Vatican.
While great weight is given to the opinion of the nuncio, recent appointments would indicate that his advice is frequently set aside by the Congregation of Bishops in favour of candidates favoured in Rome.
The current kingmaker in Rome, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re meets with the Pope every Saturday to finalise appointments for the coming weeks. He was due to retire more than a year ago, however, and speculation is rife that his successor will soon be appointed.
Decisive role
As Prefect of the Congregation for Bishops his successor will have a decisive role in shaping the worldwide College of Bishops in coming decades. One name that is at the top of every speculative list is the robust Australian Cardinal George Pell.
Dr Pell is instinctively orthodox and has frequently crossed swords with more liberal elements within the Church. His appointment would mark it abundantly clear that Pope Benedict XVI wants bishops with impeccably orthodox credentials.
With the dioceses of Cloyne, Limerick and Kildare & Leighlin currently vacant and Ardagh & Clonmacnois, Kerry and Elphin becoming vacant in coming months Rome will have another opportunity to mould the future face of the Irish hierarchy.
Whether that will represent a decisive shift or not remains to be seen.
SIC: IrishCatholic