The recent trip by Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry to Rome to meet the head of the Dicastery for Bishops Bishop Robert Francis Prevost OSA (Augustinian) to petition for a change in Vatican policy towards plans to merge the diocese of Derry with the diocese of Raphoe has paid off The Irish Catholic understands.
It was revealed exclusively in this paper that Bishop McKeown went to press his case that the diocese of Derry should not be amalgamated with the Diocese of Raphoe (mostly Donegal) as this point in time. It is also believed he spoke with Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s Secretary for Relations with States.
The Irish Catholic understands that while the current Nuncio, Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor wanted the Diocese of Derry to merge with the Diocese of Raphoe as part of the Vatican’s public policy to reduce the number of dioceses in Ireland to make a leaner more streamlined Irish Church, this will not now happen.
The diocese of Derry will fall vacant next April on the retirement of Bishop McKeown and the Vatican had seen this as an opportunity to unite the two dioceses. Now, however, the Nuncio is tasked with finding a new bishop for Raphoe and Derry as the merger idea is off the table.
Archbishop Eamonn Martin may yet have his hands full if he has to administer the formal amalgamation of the dioceses of Armagh and Dromore, with only one auxiliary, although the Bishop of Elphin is also now Bishop of Achonry and has the workload of two dioceses with no auxiliaries.
