The news today from Rome in relation to the total reconfiguration of six dioceses in the west of Ireland into 3 dioceses has come as no shock to us here in CW, as can be evidenced with the following posts on this site going back 14 years.....
The only question we have in relation to all of this is why it has taken so long, and why is it only being done when bishops are retiring?
Why not transfer bishops such as with the recent transfer from Raphoe to Down & Connor of McGuckian?
It can be done with bishops still en situ, and could also involve filing the gaps in the other Sees that are currently vacant such as that of Raphoe.
The map above we have taken from one of our initial postings and indicates where we felt mergers of dioceses would take place - and we have not been far off the mark so far.
It will be a matter of time before Killaloe and Limerick become one diocese - maybe Rome would transfer Fintan 'Feár na Brúine' Monahan to Raphoe (apologies in advance to the faithful of Raphoe if this happens to them), and then allow for real leadership in Killaloe as opposed to the lying deceitful and incompetent 'shepherd' that remains there at the moment.
Cork and Ross could also take in Cloyne when +Crean retires, and leaves +Gavin in charge of both as a merged entity.
Ferns and Ossory could be merged with the transferring of one of the current incumbents there (God help whoever gets +Nash) and Meath could merge with Kildare & leighlin.
In doing so, Rome would be careful not to merge its own dioceses along the lines of the Church of Ireland diocesan boundaries so aforementioned merges may not totally fall as predicted.
Let's watch this over the next few years as more reach retirment age, and other Sees become vacant.