The new Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Charles Brown, will have to “hit the ground running” when he takes up duty because of the number of dioceses from which bishops have retired or are retiring.
That is the message sent to him this week by one of the retiring bishops, Bishop Bill Murphy of Kerry.
In a wide-ranging interview with local media, Dr Murphy said that as Archbishop Brown faces seven dioceses for which new bishops will have to be selected, “I’d imagine he will hit the ground running.”
“Three of these would probably take precedence because they have been vacant for longer but I hope he gets around to all seven fairly quickly,” he remarked.
“Three of these would probably take precedence because they have been vacant for longer but I hope he gets around to all seven fairly quickly,” he remarked.
Referring to the fact that he himself tendered his resignation last June when he reached 75, he said, “I would expect it won’t be too long now before we have a new bishop.”
Bishop Murphy said he is happy to be leaving after leading the diocese but would continue to live in Killarney and be available to assist in any parish that needs his services.
Bishop Murphy said he is happy to be leaving after leading the diocese but would continue to live in Killarney and be available to assist in any parish that needs his services.
“I’ve been bishop for over 16 years and have been administering the diocese since 1994 so I have other things to do and am looking forward to retirement.”
Despite the challenges of recent years, the bishop feels the diocese is still equipped to tend to the pastoral care of the people of Kerry in the years ahead, but said fewer priests will be around to lead that effort and resources would have to be pooled.
“I predict that within about five years, every one of the twelve pastoral areas will have lost a resident priest,” he warned.
These would be based on retirements or deaths, “which you cannot foretell” and more parishes would follow the west Cork village of Allihies, which has been without a resident priest since last year.
Dr Murphy said that one of his biggest disappointments was the decision of the government to close the Irish embassy in the Vatican and he “cannot believe it was a cost-saving scheme.”
“There has always been a close relationship between the Holy See and Ireland, diplomatic relations were opened in 1929 and it was very important at that time for the recognition of the Irish Free State.”
“I regretted [the closure] both as a Catholic and an Irish citizen. It’s the best listening post, with relations with 179 countries around the world.”
Dr Murphy said it is ironic that at a time when Ireland was closing its embassy in the Vatican, Russia and Vietnam were both upgrading diplomatic relations with the Vatican.