Northern Ireland

Co Cavan priest Fr Michael Router appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh

Fr Michael Router, parish priest for Bailieborough, Co Cavan, has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh. Picture by Kevin Gorman
Fr Michael Router, parish priest for Bailieborough, Co Cavan, has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh. Picture by Kevin Gorman Fr Michael Router, parish priest for Bailieborough, Co Cavan, has been appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh. Picture by Kevin Gorman

THE Co Cavan priest announced as the new Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh has told how he "never saw myself as someone worthy of this office".

Fr Michael Router (54), parish priest in Bailieborough in the Kilmore diocese, has been appointed five years after the retirement of the late Bishop Gerard Clifford.

He said his reaction was "one of shock, surprise and no little dismay".

"The theme running through Holy Week for me had suddenly become more personal, and indeed alarming: `Into your hands O Lord, I commend my Spirit'," he said.

"Until that moment I had been happily serving as parish priest in Bailieborough and reasonably expecting, that God willing, I would be there for several more years; perhaps even until retirement.

"I never saw myself as someone worthy of this office and, as I stand before you today, I am very conscious of my limitations and weaknesses.

"I am very grateful to Pope Francis for the trust he has placed in me and I pray that the Holy Spirit will provide what is otherwise lacking."

Fr Router, who was born in Virginia, Co Cavan and was a Gaelic football and basketball coach in St Patrick’s College, Cavan, added he is "sharply aware that many people do not share the same positive experience of Church that I do" and that it is "a period of unprecedented change" for the institution.

The appointment was facilitated by Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, who Fr Router said has provided "gentle reassurance".

Archbishop Eamon Martin said he is "very pleased" with the appointment of a "talented and devoted pastor", a year after he asked the Pope to consider appointing a new auxiliary bishop to assist him.

"Fr Router's appointment is particularly welcome given the Holy Father's recent request that I would take on additional responsibility as Apostolic Administrator to the Diocese of Dromore," he said.

Praising him "for generously accepting this new call from God to leadership responsibility in the Church", the archbishop said Fr Router will focus on "pastoral development and adult faith formation" among other diocesan duties during "challenging times".

The episcopal ordination is expected to take place this summer.