Northern Ireland

Monsignor Larry Duffy to be ordained Bishop of Clogher tomorrow

Monsignor Larry Duffy
Monsignor Larry Duffy Monsignor Larry Duffy

THE new bishop-elect for the cross-border diocese of Clogher said he intends to get more lay people involved in religious activity and affairs of the church.

Monsignor Larry Duffy is to be ordained bishop at a special ceremony in Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan tomorrow.

He was announced as the new bishop in December and succeeds Dr Liam McDaid, who resigned on health grounds in 2016.

Church prelates from all over Ireland, as well as a number of missionary priests from Kenya and several members of other religious denominations have been invited to attend the ceremony.

Bishop-elect Duffy said yesterday that the falling number of priests is "a major challenge for the church".

He said his intention was to initiate much wider lay engagement in church activities in his diocese, which extends from Co Fermanagh through all of Co Monaghan to parts of Tyrone, Donegal, Louth and Cavan.

The cross-border diocese of Clogher has a Catholic population of 88,000, across 37 parishes, which are served by 58 priests and 2 deacons.

There are also some 85 Roman Catholic churches in the diocese.