There is concern locally among Roman Catholic leaders in Donegal that the Vatican could press on with merging the Raphoe Diocese and the Diocese of Derry.
It follows reports that the Bishop of Derry, Donal McKeown travelled to Rome to meet with Bishops Bishop Robert Francis Prevost to put forward the case for the two dioceses to stay as stand-alone entities.
Bishop McKeown also held talks with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, who works as the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States.
The Apostolic Nuncio of Ireland, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor, is keen to merge the dioceses.
Earlier this year, Archbishop Montemayor told how the Church would be undergoing a reorganisation
“With pooled resources and combined endeavours, and trusting strongly in the grace of God, we can look to the future with hope and confidence,” he said following the announcement of other mergers in the west of the country.
The Raphoe Diocese has been without a bishop since the appointment this year of Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ as the 33rd Bishop of Down and Connor.
Next April, the Derry Diocese will also become vacant when Bishop McKeown retires.
Currently, the Raphoe Diocese is headed by Diocesan Administrator Monsignor Kevin Gillespie.
It is understood that, given its presence for the two Diocese to merge, the Vatican has been keen not to appoint a permanent successor to Bishop McGuckian.
There are fears, however, among the Church hierarchy locally about the possible workload given that there are only three Bishops in Northern Ireland and the mooted merger would see the Archbishop Eamonn Martin to administer the amalgamation while also taking care of the Armagh and Dromore dioceses.
Archbishop Martin is believed to be not entirely opposed to the suggestions of merging the diocese, but not at this time.
Of the 51 parishes in the Diocese of Derry, 11 are in County Donegal.
Already, some parishes have merged due to a dwindling number of clerics.
It was announced in the summer that while the parishes of Camus, Clonleigh and Leckpatrick will still have three priests, there will not now be a dedicated parish priest in each.
Fr Michael McCaughey, the PP at The Three Patrons parish in Derry, became the PP of Clonleigh, but is also the PP in Camus and in Leckpatrick, while Fr Edward Gallagher has been appointed as a curate for the three parishes and Fr Declan Boland was named as a Priest-in-Residence for the Camus, Clonleigh and Leckpatrick parishes.