A number of parish priests in Derry are to take on extra administrative duties as the fall in ordinations continues to bite in the diocese.
Bishop Donal McKeown announced the retirement of three veteran parish priests in his annual clerical changes this week.
Fr John Gilmore, Fr Edward Kilpatrick and Fr Neil McGoldrick are to retire as parish priests of Termonamongan, Clonleigh and Burt respectively. Their administrative duties will be taken on by parish priests in adjoining parishes.
The full list of clerical changes for the Derry diocese is:
Rev Paul Fraser, CC Creggan, to be PP Ardstraw West & Castlederg and PP Termonamongan;
Rev Colm O’Doherty, PP Ardstraw West & Castlederg, to be PP Clonleigh and Adm Urney & Castlefin;
Rev Francis Bradley, PP Buncrana and Chancellor of the Diocese of Derry, to be, in addition, PP Burt, Inch & Fahan;
Rev Michael Porter, PP Urney & Castlefin, to have one-year sabbatical before taking up his duties again as PP next year;
Rev Micheál McGavigan, Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, to be, in addition, Adm Banagher;
Rev Patrick Baker, PP Banagher, to be CC pro tem Limavady;
Rev Daniel McFaul, CC Cappagh, to be CC Creggan;
Rev Declan McGeehan, newly ordained, to be CC Cappagh;
Rev Kevin Mulhern, on loan from the Society of African Missions, to be CC Burt, Inch and Fahan in addition to his ministry with the chaplaincy team of HMP Magilligan;
Rev Ciaran Hegarty, on loan from the Diocese of Down & Connor, to be CC pro tem Urney & Castlefin;
Rev John Gilmore, PP Termonamongan, to retire;
Rev Edward Kilpatrick, PP Clonleigh, to retire;
Rev Neil McGoldrick, PP Burt Inch & Fahan, to retire;
Rev John Downey, upon retirement as CC Ballinascreen, to remain in residence in the parish.
All changes take effect from this Friday, August 23.
