His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Bishop Paul Dempsey, up until
now Bishop of Achonry, as Titular Bishop of Sita and Auxiliary Bishop
of the Archdiocese of Dublin.
Pope Francis has also made the following appointments, from today, in the ecclesiastical province of the Archdiocese of Tuam:
Archbishop Francis Duffy, Metropolitan Archbishop of the ecclesiastical province of Tuam, as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Diocese of Killala; and,
Bishop Kevin Doran, Bishop of Elphin, as Apostolic Administrator sede vacante of the Diocese of Achonry.
Furthermore, Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Bishop John Fleming, Bishop of Killala, on the grounds of age.
The Vatican will announce this news at 12.00pm (11.00am Ireland time).
The Archbishop of Tuam, Archbishop Duffy, together with His Excellency
Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayer, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland; Bishop
Fleming; Bishop Doran; Bishop Michael Duignan, Bishop of Galway,
Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, and Bishop of Clonfert; and, Bishop
Dempsey, will concelebrate 10.00am Mass in the Cathedral of the
Assumption at the end of which the announcements will also be made.
Archbishop Duffy said, “The announcement of this level of change in the
episcopate in one province at the same time is quite significant. It
creates the possibility of exploring a closer union between the
Archdiocese of Tuam and the Diocese of Killala, and between the Dioceses
of Elphin and Achonry, not unlike the process that is already underway
in the Dioceses of Galway and Clonfert. Any such change would involve
living communities and could not be simply structural or
administrative. It would require careful discernment over some time,
involving the whole people of God in the respective Dioceses.”