Diocesan Appointments – Summer 2021

Parish of Elphin

Fr. John Joe Gannon PP Elphin, to be Pastor Emeritus and to continue to exercise a pastoral and sacramental ministry in the parishes of Elphin and Aughrim-Kilmore, but without the burden of administrative responsibilities.

Fr. Stephen Ezenwegbu (Awka, Nigeria) PP Aughrim-Kilmore, has been appointed Parish Priest of Elphin in addition to his responsibilities as Parish Priest of Aughrim-Kilmore.


Parish of Ahascragh-Caltra

Fr. John Cullen PP Ahascragh-Caltra, to be Chaplain at Nazareth House in Hammersmith (Westminster).

Fr. John Mahony Adm. Ballintubber-Ballymoe, to be Parish Priest of Ahascragh-Caltra.


Parish of Ballintubber-Ballymoe

Fr. Julian Lupot (Tagbilaran, Philippines) PP Aughanagh (Ballinafad), to be Parish Priest of Ballintubber-Ballymoe.


Parish of Aughanagh (Ballinafad)

Deacon Damien Kearns has been appointed Pastoral Leader / Administrator of the Parish of Aughanagh. He will be assisted in the supply of Mass and the Sacraments by Fr. Larry Behan (Dublin), who is resident in the Diocese of Elphin. 

All the above appointments will take effect from 31st July 2021.

I am very grateful to all who are completing assignments in the Diocese for the generosity of their service, especially in the past year, which has been so difficult. I think it is appropriate that I express a particular word of thanks to Fr. John Joe Gannon, for his fifty-five years of ministry as a priest of the Diocese, twenty of them in the Parish of Elphin, and for the generous witness of his priestly life throughout that time.  I wish God’s blessing on those who are moving to new places and new missions, that the Holy Spirit may bring fruitfulness to their work.

Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother

In the context of a wider review of their commitments in Ireland and elsewhere and the need to respond to new requests for the establishment of communities, the Superior General of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother has informed me that the Sisters will cease their mission in the Diocese of Elphin at the end of July and focus their attention on their other communities in the Diocese of Cloyne and the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore. We thank them for their work in the diocese over the past four years and wish them every blessing.   

 

+Kevin Doran 
Bishop of Elphin 
12th July 2021