His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Monsignor Lawrence (Larry) Duffy as the new Bishop of Clogher. The news of this appointment will be made public at 12.00 noon today in the Vatican (11.00am Irish time). Please see below a brief review of the life and ministry of Bishop-elect Duffy.
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Notes for Editors
· Life and ministry of Bishop-elect Duffy: Since 2013 Bishop-elect Larry Duffy has been Parish Priest of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. He is a native of the neighbouring parish of Magheracloone where he was born in November 1951. Bishop-elect Duffy’s parents were the late Thomas and Elizabeth Duffy. He has three surviving siblings, his sister Anna and brothers Patrick and Peter. Their other brother Brendan died two years ago. Having completed his studies for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Carlow, he was ordained in Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan, in 1976.
Since then Bishop-elect Duffy has served in various parishes of the Diocese of Clogher including Enniskillen, Castleblayney, Monaghan & Rackwallace, Ederney, Clones and Carrickmacross. In addition, he spent four years ministering in the Diocese of Kitui in Kenya. While in Africa he led the building of a new church in Mwingi in the diocese. Bishop-elect Duffy was also a keen supporter of religious communities in their setting up of schools in the Diocese of Kitui.
Bishop-elect Duffy was Vicar General of the Diocese of Clogher from 2013 until the retirement of Bishop MacDaid in 2016. A former player with Magheracloone Mitchells GAA, Bishop-elect Duffy is also an avid GAA fan and a keen golfer.
· Episcopal Ordination of Bishop-elect Duffy: will take place in Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan, on Sunday 10 February 2019 at 3.00pm. Further details will be announced later.
· The Diocese of Clogher: encompasses all of Co Monaghan, most of Fermanagh and portions of Tyrone, Donegal, Louth and Cavan. It has a Catholic population of 88,000, across 37 parishes, which are served by 58 priests and 2 deacons. There are 85 churches in the diocese. Monsignor Joseph McGuinness has been the Diocesan Administrator of Clogher since 3 October 2016. He is also the Administrator of the Parish of Tyholland.
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