Post by Alaisdir Ua Séaghdha on May 26, 2008 12:23:40 GMT
Ardagh & Clomacnois is a diocese with over 75,000 Catholics in 41 parishes served by 77 priests. It covers most of counties Longford and Leitrim with some territory in counties Cavan, Offaly, Sligo, Roscommon and Westmeath. Its official website is: www.ardaghdiocese.org/.
Bishop Colm O'Reilly has been Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois since 1982 and has been the only bishop to hold the post since the 1984 indult. His predecessor as bishop was Cahal Daly who moved to Down and Connor and then Armagh, becoming a Cardinal in 1991.
In 2000, the American non-profit body, Keep the Faith Inc., purchased a former convent of Mercy in Mohill, Co Leitrim. This was used a holiday location for visiting traditionalist priests from the United States and on one occasion, students of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter American seminary did a Latin course there. Most visiting priests, including Father Arnaud Devillers as superior general of the FSSP, visited Bishop O'Reilly who was clear that he did not object to any use St Anne's Convent was put to, provided it was understood that it was private. He had not received any request for an indult Mass in his own diocese. The property ran at a loss and was sold in controversial circumstances in 2006.
In 2007, Longford County Council facilitated a bicentenary commemoration of the death of the Abbe Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont which involved several local groups from Edgeworthstown and the Catholic and Anglican dioceses. Among the requests made by the working group was one for a traditional Mass in honour of Monsignor Edgeworth. Bishop O'Reilly responded to this request, made in advance of Summorum Pontificum, by stating he was happy to offer the Mass himself. The timing of the commemoration was the weekend after the motu proprio came into force, but Mgr O'Reilly became the fourth Irish diocesan bishop to offer the extraordinary form of Mass on 23 September 2007.
Bishop Colm O'Reilly has been Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnois since 1982 and has been the only bishop to hold the post since the 1984 indult. His predecessor as bishop was Cahal Daly who moved to Down and Connor and then Armagh, becoming a Cardinal in 1991.
In 2000, the American non-profit body, Keep the Faith Inc., purchased a former convent of Mercy in Mohill, Co Leitrim. This was used a holiday location for visiting traditionalist priests from the United States and on one occasion, students of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter American seminary did a Latin course there. Most visiting priests, including Father Arnaud Devillers as superior general of the FSSP, visited Bishop O'Reilly who was clear that he did not object to any use St Anne's Convent was put to, provided it was understood that it was private. He had not received any request for an indult Mass in his own diocese. The property ran at a loss and was sold in controversial circumstances in 2006.
In 2007, Longford County Council facilitated a bicentenary commemoration of the death of the Abbe Henry Essex Edgeworth de Firmont which involved several local groups from Edgeworthstown and the Catholic and Anglican dioceses. Among the requests made by the working group was one for a traditional Mass in honour of Monsignor Edgeworth. Bishop O'Reilly responded to this request, made in advance of Summorum Pontificum, by stating he was happy to offer the Mass himself. The timing of the commemoration was the weekend after the motu proprio came into force, but Mgr O'Reilly became the fourth Irish diocesan bishop to offer the extraordinary form of Mass on 23 September 2007.