Media Information for the Episcopal Ordination of Monsignor Larry Duffy as the new Bishop of Clogher

06 Feb 2019

You or a colleague are invited to attend the celebration of Mass for the Episcopal Ordination of Monsignor Larry Duffy as the new Bishop of Clogher.  Details:

Time and date            3.00pm Mass on Sunday 10 February 2019

Venue                          Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan, Diocese of Clogher

In attendance           Clergy, Religious, Laity, Civic representatives, family and guests

Media arrangements: broadcasting, photography and accreditation

Mr Gary Carville, Diocesan Director of Communications, will be available to assist journalists attending the ordination ceremony.  As the space in the Cathedral is very limited, the number of media personnel will be restricted and confined to a particular area where there will be some viewing advantage.  Media passes will be issued in advance of the liturgy to accredited media and name badges will be available on the day, at a media desk inside the main door of the cathedral.

In deference to the dignity of the liturgy and the solemnity of the occasion, the number of photographers will be restricted.  Access to the sanctuary and the area of the cathedra (bishop’s chair) will be strictly controlled.  

The diocese has retained Mr Rory Geary as the official photographer for the Episcopal Ordination.  Media may contact Mr Geary by telephone on 00353 (0) 87 2399260 and/or by email on [email protected] to obtain photographs for publication purposes.  Photographs will be accessible on https://rorygeary.zenfolio.com/p524652067

Following the ordination, a five minute briefing with the new bishop will be held at the door of the cathedral, after he has met with members of the congregation as they depart.  Media representatives will be welcome to refreshments after the ordination liturgy, in the Hillgrove Hotel, Old Armagh Road, opposite the Cathedral.

A Media Information Pack will be available electronically and in hard copy format on the day of the ordination.  This will include the opening remarks and homily, the remarks by the new bishop, information on the liturgy, a copy of the ordination booklet, a biographical note on the new bishop and various details about the Diocese of Clogher.

The Ordination Mass will be livestreamed on www.clogherdiocese.ie and on https://www.mcnmedia.tv/camera/st-macartans-cathedral-monaghan (using Google Chrome browser).

Features of the Ordination ceremony, celebrants, preacher and in attendance

The Chief Ordaining Prelate will be Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, who will be assisted by Bishop Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor and Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, the Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland.  Other Bishops and Diocesan Administrators will also be in attendance.

Concelebrants at the Mass will include priests and religious clergy from the Diocese of Clogher, priests who are classmates of the bishop-elect (Carlow 1976), priests from the Diocese of Kitui in Kenya where he ministered for four years, and other visiting priests.

Representatives of other Christian denominations in attendance will include Bishop John McDowell, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, Archbishop Michael Jackson, Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin (and formerly Bishop of Clogher) and other representatives.  

In attendance at the Mass will be family and friends of Bishop-elect Duffy; representatives of primary and post-primary schools, Church groups from the Diocese of Clogher, as well as representatives of civic society. 

During the ceremony Bishop Duffy will exchange greetings with representatives of various aspects of life in the Diocese of Clogher.  These include the following:

  • Rev. John McDowell, Church of Ireland Bishop of Clogher, on behalf of the other Christian denominations.
  • Father Seán Mulligan, representing the priests of the Diocese of Clogher.
  • Father Joseph Mwongela from the Diocese of Kitui.
  • Father Laurence Duffy SM, a cousin of the new bishop, representing the great tradition of priests coming from families across our diocese.
  • Sister Pauline Haughian SSL, Carrickmacross, representing the religious congregations who minister in the Diocese of Clogher.
  • Veronica Baird, Chairperson of the Parish Together Group in Ederney (Cúl Máine) parish, representing Pastoral Councils across the Diocese of Clogher.
  • Three generations of the Hagan family from Clogher parish, representing the Lay Faithful of the Diocese of Clogher.
  • Frances and Jo McDonald, Castleblayney, representing those with special needs and those who care for them.
  • Jacqueline Sultan Sultan from Saint Patrick’s Accomodation Centre in Monaghan, representing migrants and refugees.
  • Deirdre Boyle, Aghadrumsee, Chairperson of the Diocesan Safeguarding Committee, representing the many people across our diocese who work to ensure that our church communities are safe and caring environments for children and adults alike.  

The music for the Mass will be provided by Saint Macartan’s Cathedral Choir, under the direction of Deirdre Macklin.  The organist will be Deirdre Macklin and the conductor will be Claudine Marron. The instrumentalist will be local traditional musician and composer, Eamonn Curran, (pipes and whistle) who has composed a number of instrumental pieces for the occasion.

Notes to Editors

  • His Holiness Pope Francis appointed Monsignor Larry Duffy as Bishop of Clogher on 8 December 2018.  The Diocese of Clogher encompasses all of Co Monaghan, most of Fermanagh and portions of Tyrone, Donegal, Louth and Cavan.  It has a Catholic population of 88,000, across 37 parishes, which are served by 58 priests and 2 deacons. There are 85 churches in the diocese.  
  • Please see below information on the life and ministry of Bishop-elect Larry Duffy:

Since 2013 Bishop-elect Larry Duffy has been Parish Priest of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan.  He comes from the neighbouring parish of Magheracloone.  He was born in Ballybay on 27 November 1951.  Bishop-elect Duffy’s parents were the late Thomas and Elizabeth Duffy.  He has three surviving siblings, his sister Anna and brothers Patrick and Peter.  Their other brother Brendan died two years ago. 

Having completed his studies for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Carlow, he was ordained in Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan, in 1976.  Since then Bishop-elect Duffy has served in various parishes of the Diocese of Clogher including Enniskillen, Castleblayney, Monaghan & Rackwallace (Cathedral parish), Ederney, Clones and Carrickmacross.  In addition, he spent four years ministering in the Diocese of Kitui in Kenya.  While in Africa he led the building of a new church in Mwingi in the diocese.  Bishop-elect Duffy was also a keen supporter of religious communities in their setting up of schools in the Diocese of Kitui.

Bishop-elect Duffy was Vicar General of the Diocese of Clogher from 2013 until the retirement of Bishop MacDaid in 2016.  

A former player with Magheracloone Mitchells GAA, Bishop-elect Duffy is also an avid GAA fan and a keen golfer.

ENDS

For media contact: Director of Communications for the Diocese of Clogher: Gary Carville 00353 87 1767226, email: [email protected]; or the Catholic Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678