Priests' Appointments
Bishop Willie Walsh of Killaloe has made the following clerical appointments in the diocese. These appointments take effect from Friday 25 th July 2008.
V. Rev. Tom Seymour, Parish Priest, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary to be Assistant Priest, Nenagh .
V. Rev. Patrick Malone, Chaplain, St. Anne's Community College, Killaloe, Co. Clare
to be Parish Priest, Nenagh.
V. Rev. Patrick Carmody, Adm, Cooraclare, Co. Clare to be Priest in Residence, Cooraclare.
V. Rev. Joseph Haugh, Parish Priest, Doonbeg, Co. Clare to be Priest in Residence, Doonbeg.
V. Rev. John O' Keeffe, Parish Priest, Coolmeen, Co. Clare to be Priest in Residence, Coolmeen.
V. Rev. Patrick Culligan, Parish Priest, Carrigaholt, Co. Clare to be Priest in Residence, Carrigaholt.
Rev. Louie Murphy, Curate, Sixmilebridge has retired from active ministry.
Rev. Seamus Horgan, a priest of the Killaloe diocese who has been working in the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See has been appointed Chaplain to the Holy Father with the title of Monsignor. He has been transferred from the Papal Nunciature in Uganda to the Nunciature in Switzerland.
Killaloe Diocesan Priest Appointments:
NEW Parish Priest:
Fr. Patrick Malone is a native of Birr, Co. Offaly. He studied for priesthood at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth and was ordained in Birr in June 1979. After ordination he served as curate in Clarecastle, Co. Clare. In 1984 he undertook postgraduate studies in Catechetics in Dundalk and in 1985 was appointed assistant director for Primary catechetics and assistant priest in Kinnitty, Co. Offaly. Since 1986 he has worked as Chaplain at St. Anne's Community College, Killaloe, Co. Clare. In 2002 he received an M.A. in psychotherapy from University of Limerick.Fr. Malone is chairperson of the Diocesan Child Protection Committee and acts as Bishop's Delegate in relation to same.
Speaking on the occasion of the annual clerical appointments in the diocese Bishop Walsh made the following comments:
“For the first time in the modern history of the diocese of Killaloe four Parish Priests will retire and will not be replaced by new parish priests.
All four have generously agreed to remain in position to provide those services which require the presence of a priest. Such services include Celebration of Baptism, Penance, Eucharist, the Sacrament of the Sick, Witnessing to Marriages and Celebration of Funeral Rites.
There will be ongoing discussion with Parish Pastoral Councils and other Parish Groups to allow these priests to be relieved of other parish duties which they fulfilled in the past but which do not require the presence of a priest.
Among these duties are service on Boards of Management, Maintenance of Parish Churches, Schools, Halls and other properties, accounting for Parish Finances, recruiting and training of Altar Servers, Readers, Eucharistic Ministers, Parental Sacramental Preparation, Liturgy Committees, etc.
Three of the retiring Parish Priests Frs. Patrick Carmody, Joseph Haugh and Patrick Culligan work in a group of 9 parishes in West Clare. The priests of these 9 parishes have been working more closely together in recent years. They have already, in consultation with Pastoral Councils, agreed on a new schedule of weekend Masses which will operate from the first weekend in August.
This schedule is devised in such a way that if a priest is absent due to illness, holidays or any other reason the Masses can be celebrated by priests of neighbouring parishes.
This group of nine parishes are also planning to appoint a full time lay pastoral worker in the near future. He/she will work in conjunction with Pastoral Councils and will be involved in Adult Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, Liturgy, Sacramental Preparation and other areas of Pastoral Care.
Fr. John O'Keeffe, Parish Priest of Cranny/Coolmeen also retires as Parish Priest, but remains in position as Priest in Residence. Closer liaison with the neighbouring parish of Kildysart is already under discussion in this case.
Fr. Tom Seymour, Parish Priest of Nenagh is also retiring. He is being replaced by Fr. Pat Malone who has been Chaplain to St. Anne's Community College in Killaloe for the past 22 years. He will be replaced in Killaloe by a lay Chaplain.
All of these changes reflect continued emphasis on more active participation by lay people in the life of the local church.
There has been a very significant growth in the involvement of laity in recent years through Parish Pastoral Councils, Finance Committees, Liturgy Groups, etc.
Such participation is very much in line with the teaching of the Church and with our own Diocesan Pastoral Plan published in 2004”
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