A native son of St Johnston, Bishop Coll’s homecoming will be a significant time for the diocese, which has been without a bishop since February 2024.
Monsignor Kevin Gillespie, Diocesan Administrator of Raphoe, has been in a caretaker role since the departure of Bishop Alan McGuckian.
January’s installation will also be a special time for Bishop Coll and his family as he takes up his duties of shepherding the diocese where he was first ordained 37 years ago.
Bishop Coll has served as the Bishop of Ossory in Kilkenny since his episcopal ordination in 2023.
He received his appointment to return to Raphoe from Pope Leo XIV in November this year and has indicated that renewal and safeguarding will be central priorities of his ministry.
“The priests of this diocese carry heavy responsibilities today,” Bishop Coll said at the time. “I want, from the outset, to express my deep gratitude to them – for their fidelity, their generosity and their perseverance.
“I also want to acknowledge the growing number of lay people who are stepping forward to take up roles in parish life – in pastoral and finance councils, catechesis, liturgy, charitable outreach and so many other ministries.
“The renewal of the Church in Raphoe will depend on this shared sense of mission, where priests and people walk together, each bringing their gifts to the service of the Gospel.”
The proud son of the parish of Taughboyne, who both taught and lectured throughout his ministry, gave a commitment to supporting and strengthening Catholic education.
“Supporting and strengthening that work will be a priority for me – deepening the good work already being done and building on the legacy that has shaped generations across our land. Having myself worked in education, both here in Donegal and for many years in Belfast, I know the dedication and faith that teaching requires, and I am deeply grateful to all who serve in our schools today.”
The Diocese of Raphoe, the land of Columba and Eunan, carries within it over fourteen centuries of faith.
While that faith endures today, Bishop Coll said that “Like every diocese in Ireland, Raphoe is living through a time of profound change – cultural, social and spiritual. We are no longer at the centre of public life in the way the Church once was. Many people who once found their identity naturally in the life of the parish now find it elsewhere. Patterns of belief and belonging have shifted. The number of priests continues to decline, and we feel this particularly in our smaller rural communities, where the priest’s presence has long been interwoven with local life.”
Bishop Coll added that the future of the Church in Raphoe will not depend on one person or one plan.
“It will depend on our willingness to listen to the Spirit together, to pray together, and to discern where Christ is leading us. That is the journey I wish to take with you – as your bishop, as a fellow disciple, and as a servant of the Gospel.
“Let us walk that road with courage and with hope. The same Lord who called Columba from these shores to bring the light of faith to distant lands now calls us to renew that light here, in our own time. May we be worthy of the trust that has been placed in us.”