Cavan Bishop to be installed as Bishop of Derry this weekend

The Installation Mass for Bishop Michael Router from Rahardrum, Virginia, takes place in Derry City on Sunday.

BISHOP Michael Router, who is originally from Virginia is to be installed as the new Bishop of Derry at a special ceremony this weekend.

Up to 850 people are expected to attend the Mass of Installation for the new Bishop of Derry in St Eugene’s Cathedral in the city on Sunday.

Cavan will be represented at the special event as primary school students from the Templeport parish will join secondary school students from throughout the diocese of Derry and Raphoe in a guard of honour for Bishop Router.

Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh will lead the Installation ceremony, and will then serve as the principal celebrant and homilist for the Mass.

Bishop Larry Duffy DD Bishop of Clogher and Bishop Martin Hayes DD Bishop of Kilmore will also be in attendance.

Bishop Router becomes the ninth Bishop of Derry since the Cathedral was opened I 1873.

During the Mass, a crozier, will be presented to Bishop Router by his predecessor Bishop Donal McKeown.

CAVAN MINISTRY

Aged 61, Bishop Router is the son of Anthony and Nora Router. He has two sisters, Breda Murphy and Martina Keville.

Bishop Router was educated in Virginia National School and in Kells CBS before entering Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, to study for the priesthood in 1982. He was ordained as a priest for the Diocese of Kilmore in Saint Matthew’s Church, Maghera, in his native parish, on June 25, 1989.

Bishop Router began his ministry as a curate in the parish of Killinkere and in 1991 he joined the teaching staff of Saint Patrick’s College, Cavan. He was appointed chaplain of Bailieboro Community School in 1996 and priest-in-residence in the parish of Kilmainhamwood and Moybologue.

In 2010, Bishop Router was appointed director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, and in 2013 he was transferred as curate to the cathedral parish in Cavan with responsibility for the Butlersbridge area. In 2014 he was appointed parish priest of Killann Parish, which includes the towns of Bailieboro and Shercock, and as Vicar Forane for the Bailieboro Deanery.

He was appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh and titular Bishop of Lugmad by Pope Francis in May 2019.