Cavan priest appointed new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois
The appointment of a Cavan man as the new Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois has been warmly welcomed by his Kilmore counterpart.
Fr Francis Duffy from Templeport was today announced as Bishop Colm O’Reilly successor.
Bishop O'Reilly said that Fr Duffy has served the Kilmore diocese 'very faithfully and with great dedication and distinction'.
Fr Duffy was ordained in 1982 and has worked mainly in the field of Catholic education, first as a teacher in St Patrick’s College, Cavan and later in Fatima and Felim’s Secondary School in Ballinamore.
Between 1994-96 he found time in a busy teaching schedule to do an M.A. in Maynooth College and an M.Ed. in Trinity College, Dublin. He served as Principal of Fatima and Felim’s School from 1996 to 2008 before being appointed Chancellor and Diocesan Secretary of the diocese. He is currently engaged in further studies in the field of education.
'Fr Duffy is a man of great faith, integrity and humility,' said Bishop O'Reilly. 'He is highly respected and very popular with the priests and people of the diocese. He brings great qualities of generosity, leadership and scholarship to his new role.
'He will face many challenges as a bishop in Ireland today. I have no doubt about his ability with God’s grace to meet those challenges. His appointment to the diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnois is a great loss to the diocese of Kilmore, but a great gain to his new diocese and to the Church in Ireland as a whole.
'As Fr Duffy prepares to take up his new post I assure him of my support and my prayers. I wish him every blessing and success in his new appointment. I ask the people of both dioceses to pray for him that God will guide him and bless him abundantly in his new ministry.'
Speaking of the out-going bishop, Bishop O'Reilly said:
'I congratulate Bishop Colm on completing a very long and profoundly pastoral ministry as bishop and I wish him a well-deserved rest from those labours and a very happy and healthy retirement.'