Ireland: Pope Francis appoints new Archbishop of Cashel & Emly

Bishop Kieran O’Reilly

His Holiness Pope Francis has accepted the resignation, on the ground of age, of Archbishop Dermot Clifford as Archbishop of Cashel & Emly, and has appointed Bishop Kieran O’Reilly SMA as Archbishop of Cashel & Emly. This announcement was made today in the Vatican at 12pm local time (11am Irish time).

Archbishop Eamon Martin welcomed the appointment, saying: On behalf of the Irish Episcopal Conference I congratulate Bishop Kieran O’Reilly SMA on his appointment today by Pope Francis as Archbishop of Cashel & Emly. I have known Archbishop Kieran since he became Bishop of Killaloe in 2010. In that time, like the people of Killaloe, I have come to know the warmth of his personality and his gentleness and pastoral sensitivity. As a new bishop myself, I have appreciated his wise counsel on many matters. Archbishop Kieran brings a perspective to the table of the Irish Episcopal Conference which is drawn from his wide experience of mission in Liberia and Nigeria. Conscious of Pope Francis’ dream, mentioned in his Apostolic Exhortation The Joy of the Gospel, of a ‘missionary option’ to inspire everything we do in the Church, I have no doubt that Archbishop Kieran will continue to make an invaluable contribution to the renewal and mission of the Church in Ireland.

On this happy occasion I thank the members of the Society of African Missions, and in particular the Irish Provincial, Father Michael McCabe, for ‘giving’ Archbishop Kieran to us to serve as a bishop. This is another significant day for the Society. It is also a very special day for Archbishop Kieran’s family and I wish to say a particular word of thanks to his mother Theresa, his brother Joseph and his sisters, Therese and Deirdre for all their love and support throughout Archbishop Kieran’s life and ministry. We also remember in a special way Archbishop Kieran’s late father Sean, and his deceased brother Sean Óg, at this time.

In this, the fiftieth anniversary year of his priestly ordination, I wish to pay a special tribute to the ministry of Archbishop Dermot Clifford, and to offer him every blessing for a well-earned retirement. Archbishop Clifford is well known locally and nationally for his qualities of faith leadership, good humour, love of the environment, and devotion to our national games. I thank him for his care and encouragement to me personally. Having been ordained as Coadjutor Archbishop of Cashel & Emly in 1986, and as Archbishop in 1988, Archbishop Clifford is Ireland’s longest serving archbishop. Over these years Archbishop Clifford has offered the Irish Episcopal Conference the benefit of his wisdom and his particular expertise in research and development. Since 1986 he has made a significant contribution to the lives of the faithful in his own diocese, as well as in more recent times as Apostolic Administrator in the Diocese of Cloyne. For this, the Church in Ireland, and indeed the Universal Church, owe him a great debt of gratitude for his tireless and selfless service during the most challenging of times.

I ask the faithful to remember Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly, and Archbishop Dermot Clifford, in their prayers today and for the future.

Bishop O’Reilly was born in Cork on 8 August 1952 to Seán and Theresa O’Reilly. Educated at Scoil Chríost Rí and Coláiste Chríost Rí, he entered the Society of African Missions in Wilton, Cork in 1970. Bishop O’Reilly was ordained for the Society on 17 June 1978. He served in Liberia for two years in the Archdiocese of Monrovia before studying for a licentiate in Sacred Scripture at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome. From 1984 to 1989 he lectured in Scripture at the Major Seminary of Saints Peter and Paul, in Ibadan, Nigeria. From 1989 - 2010 he served on the Irish and International Councils of the Society of African Missions. In May 2010 he was appointed by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as Bishop of Killaloe.

At the time of the announcement of his appointment as the next Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, to succeed Archbishop Dermot Clifford, Bishop Kieran was serving as Bishop of the Diocese of Killaloe. He also serves as the Episcopal Secretary to the Irish Episcopal Conference.

Source: ICMO