THE FORMER archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor has attended the first public meetings of his apostolic visitation to the
Armagh archdiocese in Drogheda this evening.
In a statement on the
Armagh website, he says: “People, religious and priests of the
archdiocese are all welcome to attend these public meetings.”
On Thursday evening it will be at the
Armagh City Hotel in Armagh and at the Glenavon House Hotel in
Cookstown, Co Tyrone on Friday evening. All meetings will begin at
7.30pm.
As part of the visitation, and as requested by the Pope
for each such visitation, a service of penitence and healing will be
held in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh on Sunday, January 23rd at 3pm.
Cardinal Murphy O’Connor will officiate with the Catholic primate
Cardinal Seán Brady and Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh Gerald Clifford also
present.
Among those on Cardinal Murphy O’Connor’s visitation team are
Dr Sheila Hollins, professor of the UK Board of Psychiatry at St
George’s University of London, and Msgr Mark O’Toole, rector of Allen
Hall seminary in Chelsea.
In Dublin the Archbishop of Boston
Cardinal Seán O’Malley has resumed his apostolic
visitation which began
last November.
Since he arrived at the weekend he has again been meeting
abuse victims, clergy and others, by appointment, at All Hallows
College in Drumcondra.
The Archbishop of Ottawa Terence
Prendergast will resume his visitation to Tuam archdiocese on March 6th
during which he intends to climb Croagh Patrick and officiate at a
service of penitence and healing in Tuam Cathedral, on Tuesday, March
8th.
The service of penitence and healing in Cashel and Emly
archdiocese will take place at 3pm on Sunday next at the cathedral in
Thurles, Co Tipperary where Archbishop of Toronto Thomas Collins will
officiate.
SIC: IT/IE