Athlone native 'honoured and humbled' to become Bishop of Galway
“Honoured and humbled” were the words used by Athlone's Michael Duignan during his homily following his installation as Bishop of Galway at a packed ceremony in Galway Cathedral last weekend.
Bishop Duignan has served as Bishop of Clonfert since 2019, and in February it was announced that he would remain in that role while also becoming the new Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora.
The 51-year-old, who is a native of Bealnamulla, and a past pupil of Cloonakilla NS and Athlone's St Aloysius College, declared the occasion on Sunday last a “historic milestone” because, for the first time, one Bishop will serve the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora and the Diocese of Clonfert.
“This is a historic development, not just for the church communities in the parts of the counties of Galway, Clare, Mayo, Roscommon and Offaly that comprise the two dioceses, but also for the Catholic Church on the island of Ireland as a whole,” he said during a lengthy homily in the Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and Saint Nicholas, Galway where hundreds of people were in attendance, including members of his family, and friends from the wider Athlone area.
The principal concelebrants at the ceremony were the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, Archbishop Jude Thaddeus Okolo, and the outgoing Bishop of Galway, Brendan Kelly. They were joined by Bishop Martin Drennan, bishop emeritus of Galway and Bishop John Kirby, bishop emeritus of Clonfert, along with Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland, who were among a large number of clerics, parish representatives, school representatives, diocesan bodies and supporters present on the day.
The new Bishop predicted that, in the future, the church will be “a smaller faith community” but he hoped it will be “a more faith-filled, vibrant, welcoming, grounded community”.
“A faith community that is aware of our individual human weakness while, at the same time, ever striving to overcome such weakness with the merciful healing help of God.
“A faith community that lives the message of Jesus in a way that better speaks in equal measure to the lives of our fellow women and men. A faith community that builds bridges, not barriers and that reaches out in compassion to aid those who find themselves in need,” he remarked, adding he hopes it will be a group that is filled with the sounds of young voices and that is inspired by their idealism and urged on by their energy, and a place where people, priests and bishop walk side by side in a “truly synodal manner as companions on the great adventure that is the Christian way of life”.
The eldest of six children, Bishop Duignan was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Elphin in July 1994. Since then he has served in a variety of roles, including as chaplain to Sligo IT, secretary to the Diocese of Elphin, and head of religious education and chaplaincy programmes at Saint Angela’s College, Sligo amongst others.