Athlone area native made bishop
FROM OUR ARCHIVES - 70 YEARS AGO
1954
Saturday, July 3
A great jubilant air was manifest in Athlone on Tuesday last, the Feast Day of SS. Peter and Paul, when, with all the symbolic and solemn ceremonial surrounding such an eventful occasion, the consecration took place in the Church of SS. Peter and Paul of the Right Rev. Dr. John Reddington, S.M.A., as first Bishop of Jos, in Northern Nigeria.
The ceremony was an unique and historic one in Athlone, and its interest was rendered all the more entrancing because the new Bishop is a native son of Athlone rural area, and his consecration marked the seventeenth anniversary of the dedication of the Church of SS. Peter and Paul.
The consecrating prelate was the Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, and the co-consecrators were the Bishop of Galway, Most Rev. Dr. Browne, and the Bishop of Cork, Most Rev. Dr. Lucey. The Bishop of Elphin, Most Rev. Dr. Hanly, presided at the ceremonies, and the great congregation included the Taoiseach, Mr. Costello, and Mr. Éamon de Valera and his son, Major Vivian De Valera.
The town was en fete for the occasion, and the streets leading to the church were lavishly and tastefully decorated in honour of the new Bishop, who was born at Curraghboy, Co. Roscommon, and has many family connections throughout Athlone and South Roscommon. Aged 44 years, he is a son of the late Mr. John and Mrs. Reddington, Curraghboy. He was ordained in 1934 and went to West Africa in the same year, where he was appointed to the teaching staff of St. Gregory's College, Lagos. In 1945 he was appointed Superior of Schools for the Archdiocese of Lagos, and in 1952 was recalled to Ireland. Since 1952 he has been Vice-Provincial of the Society of African Missions and Superior of St. Joseph's, Blackrock Road, Cork.
The new Bishop will rule a diocese which is larger in area than the whole of Ireland. In July of last year the ten Prefecture of Jos was raised to the status of diocese, and the Right Rev. Dr. Reddington was nominated by the Holy See as its first Bishop. He will leave to take up duty in his new diocese in October.