You, or a representative, are invited to attend the Episcopal Ordination of Father Fintan Monahan as Bishop of Killaloe. As space is limited, journalists wishing to attend should contact make contact with the Catholic Communications Office, Maynooth, in advance for accreditation. Details:
Date and time: Sunday 25 September 2016 at 3:00pm
Venue: Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Ennis, Co Clare
In attendance: Laity, religious, clergy, family and guests
Features of the Ordination Ceremony, Celebrants, Preacher and in attendance
Ceremony:
The Chief Ordaining Prelate will be Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly, Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, who will be assisted by Archbishop Michael Neary, Archbishop of Tuam and the Apostolic Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Charles Brown. The Apostolic Mandate from His Holiness, Pope Francis, will be read by Father Albert McDonnell, Chancellor of the Diocese of Killaloe. The sermon for this ordination ceremony will be preached by Canon Brendan Kilcoyne Parish Priest, Vicar Forane, Athenry Co. Galway.
Concelebrating the Mass will be over 20 bishops including: Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, Bishop Willie Walsh, Bishop Emeritus of Killaloe; priests of the Diocese of Killaloe; priests of the Archdiocese of Tuam and classmates of Bishop-elect Monahan. Other Christian denominations in the area will be represented at this Mass including Bishop Kenneth Kearon, Church of Ireland Bishop of Killaloe and Limerick; Rev. Shannon de Laureal, Leader of the Methodist Church, Midlands and Southern District; Pastor Chinwe of the Evangelical Church and Madge Rainsford, Chairman of the Baha’i Community Ireland.
Ennis Brass Band will perform outside the Cathedral before the Mass begins. The choir for the ceremony will be made up of the choirs from Ennis, Nenagh and members of the Killaloe Diocese Music Ministry Programme as well as Youth Choirs from Clarecastle/Ballyea and Cistercian College Roscrea. Liturgical movement will be featured from students of Saint Anne’s Special School in Roscrea.
In attendance:
Family and friends of Bishop-elect Monahan; local and national public representatives from the constituencies and local authorities that form part of the Diocese; representatives of Church groups in the diocese: chairpersons of Parish Pastoral Councils, parish youth representatives, Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, Accord, CURA, people involved in Pastoral Planning, the Red Cross; representatives of local civil society: Civil Defence, Chief Superintendent of An Garda Síochána; and, representatives from primary and secondary Catholic schools within the diocese.
Media arrangements: accreditation, centre, pooling arrangement for photography and broadcasting
Journalists wishing to attend the Ordination ceremony should contact the Catholic Communications Office in Maynooth for accreditation by Thursday 22 September. From 2:00pm on Sunday 25 September a dedicated media centre will be open in The Ennis Parish Pastoral Centre, which is located about 30 metres from the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul. There will be a live feed from the Cathedral to the Media Centre. Martin Long of the Catholic Communications Office will be available to brief journalists from this time. The media centre will be open from 2.00pm until 6.00pm and will hold copies of the Mass booklet (which contains details of the Mass, the biography of Bishop-elect Monahan, and an explanation of his Episcopal Coat of Arms); copies of the welcoming remarks of the new bishop; copies of the homily of Canon Brendan Kilcoyne.
Due to pressure of space in the Cathedral a pooling arrangement will be in place for photographers. Louise Brooks will be the sole photographer in the Cathedral during the Ordination Mass and media are invited to contact Ms. Brooks on 065 682 1666 to obtain photographs for publication purposes.
The Mass will be webcast on the Killaloe Diocesan Website www.killaloediocese.ie
Following the conclusion of the Mass, and at the front door of the Cathedral, Bishop Monahan will greet in person everyone who attended the Mass. Media representatives will have an opportunity for photographs and brief interviews at this time.
Notes to Editors
- Photographs from the ceremony will be available to media by contacting the designated photographer Louise Brooks on + 353 (65) 682 1666.
- Please see below information on the life and ministry of Bishop-elect Monahan:
Life and Ministry of Bishop- elect Fintan Monahan
- Fintan Monahan was born in Tullamore, Co Offaly, on 23 January 1967. His parents are Tom and Peg Monahan and he has one brother, Seán, and one sister, Caitríona, who is married to Dominic. From 1980-1996 the family lived in Carraroe, Co Galway where his father was principal teacher at Scoil Chuimsitheach Chiaráin, An Cheathrú Rua. In 1996 the family moved to Castlegar, Galway City, the native home of his mother.
- Primary education was in Tullamore and secondary education was in Carraroe before studying for the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Tuam in Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth in 1984. In 1987 he completed a B.Sc. in NUI Maynooth, a B.D. in the Pontifical University in 1990, an S.T.L. in Biblical Theology in 1992 and a H.Dip. in Education in NUI Galway in 1993.
- Ordination to the priesthood was in Séipéal Mhic Dara, An Cheathrú Rua on 16 June 1991 by Archbishop Joseph Cassidy. While studying for the H.Dip. in Education in Galway he was curate in An Tulach, Baile na hAbhann, Conamara from 1992-1993. From 1993-2006 he taught Science, Irish and Religion at the diocesan college, Saint Jarlath’s College in Tuam, along with coaching basketball and hurling.
- In 2006 Archbishop Michael Neary appointed Father Monahan as chaplain to Saint Jarlath’s College and diocesan secretary. During that time he also worked in the area of communications, vocations promotion and served as editor of the Tuam Diocesan Magazine, New Dawn. In recent years he joined the Communications Council of the Irish Episcopal Conference.
- Bishop-elect Monahan is a fluent Irish speaker and enjoys the outdoor life, hill walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and gardening.
- Bishop-elect Monahan’s appointment as Bishop of Killaloe was announced by Pope Francis on 29 July.
ENDS
For media contact: Catholic Communications Office, Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678 and Brenda Drumm 00353 (0) 87 310 4444.
