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POPE FRANCIS ANNOUNCES DRAMATIC RESTRUCTURING OF CATHOLIC CHURCH IN IRELAND
The Apostolic Nunciature in Ireland has announced the restructuring of the Catholic Church in Ireland, which will require reducing and consolidating diocesan territories.
According to The Independent–a newspaper frequently critical of Ireland’s Catholic Church–the episcopal changes amount to “the most extensive restructuring of the Catholic church here in roughly 900 years.”
The restructuring plan implies that six dioceses that currently comprise the Western Province will be consolidated into three.
“The scaling back of the number of episcopal positions may be the first step in a more far-reaching and wider process of restructuring for the Irish church in light of concerns that the current diocesan boundaries no longer reflect the distribution of the Catholic population,” the Independent writes.
Commenting on the news, Stephen White, Executive Director of the Catholic Project at Catholic University of America, wrote on X: “Ireland has an area and population roughly equivalent to the US state of Indiana. Ireland currently has 26 Catholic dioceses. Indiana has 5. Make of this what you will.”
Archbishop Francis Duffy of Tuam, released a statement explaining that “the changes being announced today concerning the reconfiguration of dioceses in this province follow on from consultations carried out by the Apostolic Nuncio with groupings of people in Achonry, Elphin, Killala and Tuam.”
“Fortunately, there is already a well-established practice of collaboration and cooperation between the western dioceses. This is a sure sign of hope for the success of the important work that is now underway,” he added.
Bishop Michael Duignan of Clonfert, also commented about the consolidation in an April 10 statement:My appointment as the sole Bishop of the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh & Kilfenora, and of the Diocese of Clonfert, marked a new phase in the ongoing journey of restructuring and renewal for our two dioceses. A journey where dioceses working ever-more closer together can achieve much more than they might on their own.
