The popular priest, who is in his 80s, spent the past seven years working as a curate in the Drum area, and a decision to retire him from active ministry in the parish – which was announced by Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran, in the latest round of clerical appointments – was greeted with shock and sadness by his loyal parishioners.
A campaign of opposition to the decision to return Fr Hickey to his congregation in Dublin, the Holy Ghost Fathers, got underway in Drum on July 9 last, when some 200 people attended a public meeting in Drum Hall to voice their dissatisfaction at the planned move. A five-member committee was set up to coordinate the campaign.
Bishop Kevin Doran celebrated Saturday evening Mass and Sunday morning Mass in Drum Church on the August bank holiday weekend, August 3 and 4 last, but members of the committee were unsuccessful in their attempts to get the Bishop to change his mind when they met him in the Church grounds after both Masses.
“We pleaded with Bishop Doran to allow Fr Michael to remain on in the parish for another year, but we were unsuccessful,” said a committee spokesperson, who added that there is “a strong sense of anger in the local community” at the way the whole issue has been handled by the Diocesan office.
Over 2,300 signatures were collected from parishioners in Drum and Clonown and personally delivered to the Diocesan Office in Sligo, along with a letter seeking a meeting with Bishop Doran.
A planned farewell event which was scheduled to take place in the Shamrock Lodge Hotel on Sunday last was deferred in the hopes that a last-ditch compromise could be reached to retain the services of the hugely-popular curate for another year.
But it is understood that Fr Hickey has now made the decision to return to his congregation.
The farewell party for Fr Hickey will now take place at the same venue on Sunday night next, September 1, at 7pm, and the priest will depart Drum on Monday next.
The popular curate, who has been attached to the parish of Ss. Peter & Paul in Athlone, which has responsibility for the Drum area, was renowned for his work in the parish of Drum/Clonown and, in particular, for visiting the elderly, sick and housebound parishioners on a regular basis.
He was also a very popular figure among residents at nursing homes in Roscommon, Athlone and Ballinasloe which he visited on a regular basis.