Bishop of Elphin announces diocesan appointments

The Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran has announced his diocesan appointments for this year which heralds a number of changes for St Peter and Paul's parish in Athlone.

Very Rev Glenn Alipoyo, the Pastoral Leader in the westside parish has been appointed the parish priest in Loughglynn, replacing Canon Liam Devine, who himself spent 16 years in Athlone from 2001 to 2017. Canon Devine has now retired lives at the Presbytery in Kilmurray.

Rev Innocent Sunu, from the Diocese of Maiduguri, Nigeria, is the new curate in SS Peter and Paul’s, Athlone since earlier this summer.

Other changes see several priests from outside Ireland take up positions across the diocese, including Rev Douglas Zaggi, from Nigeria, who will be parish priest in Ballygar, taking over from Fr Michael Breslin, having previously been based in Roscommon town as a curate.

In his place comes Rev Raul Cino, from the Military Ordinariate of the Philippines, who arrived in Roscommon town this month, and Rev Joseph Wenjeslaus, Diocese of Kottar, India, is appointed a curate of St Anne’s-Carraroe, Sligo and Chaplain in Sligo University Hospital.

Parish priest in Oran Fr Pravin Dhason, will also take on the parish priest post in Kilbride, in addition to his current role, from the end of October. Newly ordained Deacon Rev Christopher Garrett, will be based in Castlerea from this month, while Deacon Seamus Talbot, currently the Adm in Kilbride Parish, has been seconded to ministry with Muintir Mhuire (Diocese of Cloyne) from the end of October.

Commenting on the changes, some of which came into force earlier this summer, Bishop of Elphin, Kevin Doran, said he was very grateful to all who are completing assignments in the diocese for the generosity of their service.

“I want to express a particular word of thanks to Canon Liam Devine and Fr Michael Breslin, for their years of ministry as priests of the diocese – Canon Liam for 52 years and Fr Michael for 50 years – and for the generous witness of their priestly lives throughout that time.”

“We thank God for the diaconate ordination of Chris Garrett on September 17 last. Please keep Chris in your prayers as he prepares to take this next step on his journey to priesthood.

“I wish God’s blessing on those who are moving to new places and new missions, that the Holy Spirit may bring fruitfulness to their work,” the Bishop concluded.