Post by Alaisdir Ua Séaghdha on May 23, 2008 11:58:00 GMT
The diocese of Dromore is made up of a substantial portion of Co Down and parts of counties Antrim and Armagh. It has approximately 86,000 Catholics in 23 parishes served by 57 priests. Its territory, like that of Down and Connor, is entirely within Northern Ireland. Its official website is: www.dromorediocese.org/.
The Dromore diocese has been headed by two bishops since 1984: Francis Brooks from 1975 to 1999; and John McAreavey since 1999. Its cathedral town is Newry. There has been an active SSPX presence in Newry for many years and the SSPX Mass Centre is in a shopping centre in the city. SSPX supporters previously had Mass centres elsewhere in the diocese, such as in Lurgan.
Soon after the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (England, not Alabama) who was resident in Ireland received a celebret from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. He said a number of Masses in locations in the Dromore Diocese but without the permission of the ordinary. At the time, there was a petition drive organised in Lurgan, Newry and elsewhere which was presented to Bishop Brook. Anectdotal evidence suggests this petition had in excess of 1700 signatures. Further anectdotal evidence suggests that Mgr Brook dismissed the petition on the grounds that he had information that many of these signatures were gathered in pubs throughout the diocese. It is not specified if signatories were under the influence of intoxicating substances at the time, but it was generally assumed that this was implied.
A number of years later, a young man resident in Rostrevor approached Bishop Brook and asked him to consider instating a Mass in the diocese. The Bishop received the petitioner cordially, but declined to grant the requested Mass on the grounds there was little demand in the diocese (which boasts of the best attended SSPX chapel in Ireland outside Dublin).
In 2006, the AGM of the LMSI heard that there were five Irish dioceses which had yet to allow the traditional Mass under the provisions of the 1984 Indult and the 1988 Motu Proprio. These were Clonfert, Cloyne, Dromore, Kerry and Ossory. Since then all but Clonfert have had the traditional Mass, but this list was carried in several print and electronic media since then. An Irish Catholic journalist approached Bishop McAreavey who said that Bishop Brook had refused to instate the Mass, but he had never been requested to do so (in late 2006).
The LMSI submitted a request to Bishop McAreavey in 2007 who stated he had no objection to the Mass on principle. This was arranged in the Dominican church in Newry with the agreement of the Bishop and the prior of the community. This first Mass took place on 22 September, about a week after the coming into force of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, but this was due to the wishes of the Dominican community who also indicated that their church would not be available for further celebrations of the traditional Mass. The Mass was packed to capacity and the Dominican Church choir were happy to sing at it. They sang at a subsequent Mass in Clohogue Church which is outside Newry but in the Armagh Archdiocese, which was likewise packed.
Catholics in the diocese have petitioned Mgr McAreavey to instate a regular traditional Mass in the diocese, preferably in Newry. The bishop has agreed in principle, but added that there is no priest working in the diocese capable of celebrating the extraordinary form. Rumours are in circulation that a retired priest of the diocese does so in his private home, but these are unsubstantiated.
The Dromore diocese has been headed by two bishops since 1984: Francis Brooks from 1975 to 1999; and John McAreavey since 1999. Its cathedral town is Newry. There has been an active SSPX presence in Newry for many years and the SSPX Mass Centre is in a shopping centre in the city. SSPX supporters previously had Mass centres elsewhere in the diocese, such as in Lurgan.
Soon after the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei Adflicta, a priest of the Archdiocese of Birmingham (England, not Alabama) who was resident in Ireland received a celebret from the Pontifical Commission Ecclesia Dei. He said a number of Masses in locations in the Dromore Diocese but without the permission of the ordinary. At the time, there was a petition drive organised in Lurgan, Newry and elsewhere which was presented to Bishop Brook. Anectdotal evidence suggests this petition had in excess of 1700 signatures. Further anectdotal evidence suggests that Mgr Brook dismissed the petition on the grounds that he had information that many of these signatures were gathered in pubs throughout the diocese. It is not specified if signatories were under the influence of intoxicating substances at the time, but it was generally assumed that this was implied.
A number of years later, a young man resident in Rostrevor approached Bishop Brook and asked him to consider instating a Mass in the diocese. The Bishop received the petitioner cordially, but declined to grant the requested Mass on the grounds there was little demand in the diocese (which boasts of the best attended SSPX chapel in Ireland outside Dublin).
In 2006, the AGM of the LMSI heard that there were five Irish dioceses which had yet to allow the traditional Mass under the provisions of the 1984 Indult and the 1988 Motu Proprio. These were Clonfert, Cloyne, Dromore, Kerry and Ossory. Since then all but Clonfert have had the traditional Mass, but this list was carried in several print and electronic media since then. An Irish Catholic journalist approached Bishop McAreavey who said that Bishop Brook had refused to instate the Mass, but he had never been requested to do so (in late 2006).
The LMSI submitted a request to Bishop McAreavey in 2007 who stated he had no objection to the Mass on principle. This was arranged in the Dominican church in Newry with the agreement of the Bishop and the prior of the community. This first Mass took place on 22 September, about a week after the coming into force of the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum, but this was due to the wishes of the Dominican community who also indicated that their church would not be available for further celebrations of the traditional Mass. The Mass was packed to capacity and the Dominican Church choir were happy to sing at it. They sang at a subsequent Mass in Clohogue Church which is outside Newry but in the Armagh Archdiocese, which was likewise packed.
Catholics in the diocese have petitioned Mgr McAreavey to instate a regular traditional Mass in the diocese, preferably in Newry. The bishop has agreed in principle, but added that there is no priest working in the diocese capable of celebrating the extraordinary form. Rumours are in circulation that a retired priest of the diocese does so in his private home, but these are unsubstantiated.