Roman Catholic Diocese of Elphin

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For other uses, see Elphin

The Diocese of Elphin (Irish: Deoise Ail Finn) is a Roman catholic diocese, lying in the counties of Roscommon, Sligo and Galway, in the west of Ireland. Its Cathedral, originally established in the County Roscommon Town of Elphin, is now in Sligo. Dr. Christopher Jones DD is the current Bishop, since 1994.

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[edit] History of the Diocese

The diocese of Elphin dates to the earliest days of the Irish Church. From the time Christianity first arrived in Ireland in the second half of the 5th century (in the form of Saint Patrick's mission), the early church was centred around Monastic settlements. St. Patrick founded such a settlement in an area known as Corcoghlan, now known as Elphin, in 434 or 435. The first Abbot bishop of this monastic settlement was Assicus, who was said to be St. Patrick's silversmith or coppersmith. Saint Assicus is now the patron of the diocese. Following the Synod of Rathbreasail in AD1111 the diocese of Elphin was formally established [1] [2]. The Cathedral established here was dedicated to Beatae Mariae Virgini (Blessed Mary the Virgin).

Following the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century and related persecutions, the Cathedral and many monasteries and convents were destroyed. It wasn't until 1874 that the then bishop, Laurence Gillooly, decided to rebuild the Cathedral, this time in Sligo town. This Cathedral was dedicated to The Immaculate Conception. Just under 20 years later, in 1892, Bishop Gillooly supervised the building of a College dedicated to training boys for the priesthood, known as the College of the Immaculate Conception. This school still operates today, as Summerhill College.

[edit] The Diocese Today

There are currently thirty-seven parishes in the Diocese, which are divided into 6 administrative deaneries, based in the towns of Sligo, Boyle, Strokestown, Castlerea, Roscommon and the part of Athlone west of the River Shannon. There are currently 108 priests, ministering to a population of approximately 70,000, of whom 97% (68,000) are Roman Catholic. [1] [3]

[edit] Ordinaries

  • Bernard O'Higgins O.S.A. (1542 - 1561)
  • Vacant (1562 - 1813)
  • George Thomas Plunkett (1814 - 1827)
  • Vacant (1828 - 1857)
  • Laurence Gillooly C.M. (1858 - 1895)
  • John Joseph Clancy (1895 - ?)
  • Bernard Coyne (1913 - 1926)
  • Edward Doorly (1926 - 1950)
  • Vincent Hanly (1950 - 1970)
  • Dominic Joseph Conway (1971 - 1994)
  • Christopher Jones (1994 - )

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b History of Elphin. Diocese of Elphin website. Retrieved on 2007-03-01.
  2. ^ Kelly, J.J. (1909). "Elphin". The Catholic Encyclopedia V. Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved on 2007-03-01. 
  3. ^ Cheney, David M. (2007-02-03). Elphin (Diocese) [Catholic Hierarchy]. Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved on 2007-04-03. “Source Annuario Pontificio, 2005”

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Catholic Dioceses in Ireland
Province of Armagh
Province of Cashel and Emly
Province of Dublin
Province of Tuam

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.

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