New Archbishop greets his flock
The current Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois has been appointed by Pope Francis as the new Archbishop of Tuam, to succeed Dr Michael Neary who had formally submitted his letter of retirement earlier this year.
News of the appointment of Bishop Francis Duffy was announced after concelebrated Mass in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Tuam, with the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, and Archbishop Neary.
The retiring Archbishop said it has been his privilege ‘to serve this diocese for fifty years as a priest, twenty-nine as a bishop, and for the past almost twenty-seven years as Archbishop’. And he told the congregation that he had worked closely with his successor – since his appointment as Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois in 2013 – as members of the Bishops’ Conference.
“Of your many gifts, your reputation as a hard-working, kind and generous pastoral leader – as well as being a popular bishop amongst your priests and people – precedes you,” he said.
Paying tribute to his predecessor, the Archbishop-designate said he was following ‘in the footsteps of a true shepherd who has led this diocese with great wisdom, sensitivity, and faithfulness for 27 years as Archbishop’.
“I was particularly struck by what Archbishop Michael said a last month about the Catholic Church in this diocese being already synodal in so many ways,” he said.
“That is true and is a credit to Archbishop Michael, the people of the parishes, the clergy and religious and all involved in those life enhancing and hope filled initiatives that have taken place.”
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