The Bishop of Derry turns 75 on April 12 and under canon is obliged to offer his resignation from office.
"All bishops are asked to submit their retirement on the occasion of their 75th birthday. Whether retirement is accepted or how long he is asked to stay on is a matter for the Pope. This is often a long period of time,” Fr. Michael Canny, Vicar General of the Derry Diocese, explained.
Catholic canon law states that a ‘diocesan bishop who has completed the seventy-fifth year of age is requested to present his resignation from office to the Supreme Pontiff, who will make provision after he has examined all the circumstances’.
But this does not mean a new bishop will necessarily be appointed immediately.
When Bishop Séamus Hegarty tendered his resignation to Pope Benedict XVI on health grounds aged 71 in November 2011 it was two-and-a-half years before Bishop McKeown was installed.
Once a successor is appointed Bishop McKeown will ‘retain the title of emeritus of his diocese and can retain a place of residence in that diocese if he so desires, unless in certain cases the Apostolic See provides otherwise because of special circumstances’.
Bishop McKeown was born on April 12, 1950 and brought up in Randalstown, Co Antrim.
When he was appointed bishop in the territory of Columba and Eugene 11 years ago he said: “When I googled the name Saint Eugene, I saw that his name in Irish was Eoghan. In Irish, my own surname is MacEoghain – and part of Tír Eoghain lies in this diocese, as well as Inis Eoghain.
"Ag tús ár dturas le chéile guímis trí idir-ghuí ár naomh áitiúla – Colm, fear na síochána agus Eoghan fear na bpaidreacha doimhne. And I pray that I may be able to become a MacEoghain, idir anam agus corp in the service of the people of God in this diocese.”
When the See of Derry became vacant in November 2011 with the retirement of Bishop Hegarty, Monsignor Eamon Martin and Father Francis Bradley, both served for a time as Diocesan Administrator of the Diocese of Derry.