Post by Alaisdir Ua Séaghdha on May 23, 2008 12:42:07 GMT
The Derry diocese is the third largest diocese in Ireland with over 235,000 Catholics staffed by 127 priests in 53 parishes. It takes up the greater part of Co Derry with substantial sections of counties Donegal and Tyrone and a small area in Co Antrim. As such, it is one of the four cross-border dioceses in Ireland. Its website is www.derrydiocese.org/.
Since 1984, the bishops of Derry have been: Bishop Edward Daly (1974-1993); and Bishop Seamus Hegarty (since 1994 - he was previously Bishop of Raphoe). Bishop Francis Lagan has been auxilliary bishop of Derry since 1988. There is no history of an active presence of SSPX adherents in this diocese.
Bishop Daly initiated an indult Mass on the Second Thursday on the month in the Nazareth House as early as 1985. He said the first such Mass himself, becoming the first Irish bishop to say the traditional Mass in public since the liturgical changes.
The Mass continued in Nazareth House until 1996 under the close eye of Charles Gallagher, now seriously ill. As Mr became ill, attendance began to dwindle, perhaps due to lack of attention. The most notorious example of this was on the second Thursday of June 1996, which was Corpus Christi (though it was the first case where the feast was transferred to Sunday in Ireland) and the celebrant was to be the new bishop of Derry, Mgr Seamus Hegarty. Bishop Hegarty said the Mass for a congregation which eyewitness evidence suggests had as little as 13 members. The Bishop subsequently said he would be happy to allow a Sunday Mass in the extraordinary form in Derry, provided there was a substantial congregation. This is believed to be because a number of influential diocesan priests are opposed to such a move.
Nevertheless, a traditional Nuptial Mass was allowed in the Long Tower (St Columba's) in Derry City in 1997. Bishop Hegarty met Father Arnaud Devillers FSSP in 2002, when the later was the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter.
The LMSI began its campaign in the Derry diocese in 2004 when Father James Buckley FSSP said Mass in St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry on 14 August 2004. Though this was the same Saturday as the Apprentice Boys' parade in the city, there was a substantial congregation in the cathedral. The following year, Mgr Hegarty said Mass prior to the LMSI AGM, offering it for the intentions of the late Michael Davies whom he described as his friend and referring to the newly elected Pope's views on the liturgy. Bishop Hegarty worked in the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising for a few years in the 1970s when Joseph Ratzinger was the ordinary. He used a penal day missal on the altar at that Mass with drew a significant congregation, even though it was located in the Protestant enclave of New Buildings on the outskirts of Derry. (Remember we are talking about Northern Ireland - parades such as that of the Apprentice Boys deter Catholic activity in Derry City and Catholics prefer not to frequent Protestant neighbourhoods such as New Buildings).
A few months later, the bishop met Father Devillers again, allowing Father Devillers say Mass in the Cathedral.
The efforts to secure a regular traditional Mass in Derry came to a halt as there are not a lot of local people prepared to ask for it as all the relevant documents require. For all that, there is a website in existence specifically to promote the cause of the extraordinary form in the Derry diocese: www.derrylatinmass.com/ Bishop Hegarty says the traditional Mass privately from time to time and is more than willing to allow a Sunday Mass, but does expect this to draw a congregation.
Since 1984, the bishops of Derry have been: Bishop Edward Daly (1974-1993); and Bishop Seamus Hegarty (since 1994 - he was previously Bishop of Raphoe). Bishop Francis Lagan has been auxilliary bishop of Derry since 1988. There is no history of an active presence of SSPX adherents in this diocese.
Bishop Daly initiated an indult Mass on the Second Thursday on the month in the Nazareth House as early as 1985. He said the first such Mass himself, becoming the first Irish bishop to say the traditional Mass in public since the liturgical changes.
The Mass continued in Nazareth House until 1996 under the close eye of Charles Gallagher, now seriously ill. As Mr became ill, attendance began to dwindle, perhaps due to lack of attention. The most notorious example of this was on the second Thursday of June 1996, which was Corpus Christi (though it was the first case where the feast was transferred to Sunday in Ireland) and the celebrant was to be the new bishop of Derry, Mgr Seamus Hegarty. Bishop Hegarty said the Mass for a congregation which eyewitness evidence suggests had as little as 13 members. The Bishop subsequently said he would be happy to allow a Sunday Mass in the extraordinary form in Derry, provided there was a substantial congregation. This is believed to be because a number of influential diocesan priests are opposed to such a move.
Nevertheless, a traditional Nuptial Mass was allowed in the Long Tower (St Columba's) in Derry City in 1997. Bishop Hegarty met Father Arnaud Devillers FSSP in 2002, when the later was the Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St Peter.
The LMSI began its campaign in the Derry diocese in 2004 when Father James Buckley FSSP said Mass in St Eugene's Cathedral in Derry on 14 August 2004. Though this was the same Saturday as the Apprentice Boys' parade in the city, there was a substantial congregation in the cathedral. The following year, Mgr Hegarty said Mass prior to the LMSI AGM, offering it for the intentions of the late Michael Davies whom he described as his friend and referring to the newly elected Pope's views on the liturgy. Bishop Hegarty worked in the Archdiocese of Munich-Freising for a few years in the 1970s when Joseph Ratzinger was the ordinary. He used a penal day missal on the altar at that Mass with drew a significant congregation, even though it was located in the Protestant enclave of New Buildings on the outskirts of Derry. (Remember we are talking about Northern Ireland - parades such as that of the Apprentice Boys deter Catholic activity in Derry City and Catholics prefer not to frequent Protestant neighbourhoods such as New Buildings).
A few months later, the bishop met Father Devillers again, allowing Father Devillers say Mass in the Cathedral.
The efforts to secure a regular traditional Mass in Derry came to a halt as there are not a lot of local people prepared to ask for it as all the relevant documents require. For all that, there is a website in existence specifically to promote the cause of the extraordinary form in the Derry diocese: www.derrylatinmass.com/ Bishop Hegarty says the traditional Mass privately from time to time and is more than willing to allow a Sunday Mass, but does expect this to draw a congregation.