Several priests on move as changes to Meath clergy announced

Two Meath parishes are to have new parish priests by the end of the month, as the Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith, announced his annual appointments of clergy last week. Monsignor John Hanly, the parish priest of Laytown-Mornington, is moving to Carnaross, where he will succeed the retiring long-serving parish priest, Fr Patrick Casey. Mons Hanly is being succeeded in the expanding coastal villages by the current Trim curate, Fr Denis McNelis. Mons Hanly, a former rector of the Irish College in Rome, is well-known for his association with the cause to canonise Oldcastle-born St Oliver Plunkett, culminating in the canonisation in Rome in 1975. The transfer of Fr McNelis to Laytown and the lack of a replacement for him in Trim means that the extensive Trim and Boardsmill parish has been reduced to just two clergy: parish priest Fr Andrew Farrell and curate Fr Mark Mohan. Up to now, the parish has been served by three priests. In other significant changes, Fr Brendan Corrigan is moving from Kilbeg to become PP of Kilbeggan in Westmeath, and he will be succeeded by Fr Michael Cahill, currently serving as curate in Batterstown. In Dunshaughlin, curate Fr Kevin Fleming is returning to the community of the Columban Fathers at Dalgan Park, Navan, and is to be succeeded by Dunboyne native, Fr James Crofton, CC, Navan. Fr Declan Hurley, Institute Catholique and chaplain to the Irish community in Paris, is being appointed curate in Navan. Fr Anthony Gavin, CC, Dunboyne, is to appointed curate in Rosemount, Co Westmeath, and a member of the diocesan catechetical team, succeeding Fr Padraig McMahon, who is appointed curate in Mullingar. Fr Mark English, CC, Mullingar, is moving as curate to Dunboyne and director for vocations in the diocese. A member of a well-known Bohermeen family that includes Fine Gael TD Damien, Fr English is a runner and member of Bohermeen AC. Fr John Cunningham, OP, Priory of San Clemente, Rome, has been appointed curate in Kilcloon, residing at Batterstown. Fr Cunningham is on loan from the Irish Province of the Dominican Fathers. Fr Barry Condron, CC, Castletown-Finea, is appointed diocesan director of primary school catechetics, while Fr Janusz Lugowski from the Diocese of Plock, Poland, is to be chaplain to the Polish communities in the Diocese of Meath, residing in Navan. Fr Lauri Halpin and Fr Barney Maxwell are retiring as parish priest and curate in Kilbeggan, respectively. Retiring Fr Patrick Casey, a native of Mullingar, was ordained in 1955, and was initially sent on loan to the Diocese of Saint Augustine, Florida, serving in the city of Tampa. On his return to the diocese, he served in the parishes of Castletown-Kilpatrick, Drumraney, Dunderry and Kinnegad. During this time, he also spent several years with the Irish Emigrant Chaplaincy in Birmingham. He was appointed parish priest of Carnaross in February 1983. Meanwhile, priests of the diocese are this week taking part in a conference to address various questions on preparing for parish ministry in the future and renewal in priestly life. The topics on the agenda include evangelisation, liturgy, youth ministry, rationalisation of Masses and working with the media. Among those making presentations to the priests will be the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal who are currently working in Limerick city; Fr Bernard Murphy from The Bronx, New York; Senator Ronan Mullen and journalist John Waters. RTE"s Eileen Dunne is chairing the conference. Fr Denis Nulty said: 'This is our first major Meath Diocesan conference in a few years and it is organised by the Council of Priests. The theme is 'Support & Renewal in our Priestly Ministry". 'The format for the conference is designed to engage all the participating priests in the opportunities and challenges the Church of the Diocese of Meath will face into the future and to equip us with skills to meet those challenges and to take up those opportunities as they arise. 'The footprint of Church in the Diocese is changing rapidly with population expansion, less priests and ordained personnel and heavier demands on all in pastoral ministry. 'While our ultimate goal is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ in season and out of season, we need perhaps a new skill, a new confidence and a new conviction to convey this message. It is the hope of the Council of Priests that our three-day conference help us along the road to achieving these goals.'