PRESS RELEASE
5 MARCH 2006
LETTER FROM BISHOP EAMONN WALSH
TO THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS AND PEOPLE
OF THE DIOCESE OF FERNS
It is with great joy and rejoicing that we thank God for granting us a new
bishop in Monsignor Denis Brennan. In appointing him, Pope Benedict XV1 has
given us a man of deep faith, integrity, sound judgment and good humour.
After almost seventy years a native son will pastor the diocese once more.
It behoves us to take good care of him, encourage and support him and above
all pray that the Holy Spirit will guide and protect him. Let us use this
Holy Season of Lent as a special time of prayer for Bishop-Elect Denis in
his onerous responsibilities that lie ahead.
The three pillars of Lent, prayer, fasting and almsgiving are there to guide
us. Through our prayer we are invited to make sacrifices for those we love
and especially for those most in need. A lived Lent can only open our hearts
to the cry of the poor and the beckoning gentle call and challenge of God.
May it open our minds and hearts to a new way of being a local church that
lives its prayers, grows in wisdom through integrating into daily life the
lessons learned from the past.
Bishop-Elect Denis will be ordained bishop on Sunday 23rd April at 3.00pm
at St. Aidan’s Cathedral Enniscorthy. By making the intervening weeks a time
of prayer for the whole diocesan family we will be building a sound platform
for a new beginning in the Diocese of Ferns.
On a personal note, may I thank you the people, priests and religious of the
diocese for your kindness, support and prayers during my time as Apostolic
Administrator. It has been a privilege to have served in the Diocese of Ferns
that has always been dear to my heart since childhood.
Please keep me in your prayers as I continue my work in the diocese until
April 23rd.
With every good wish.
Yours sincerely,
Éamonn Walsh
Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Ferns
