Finea native to take up role as administrator of Mullingar parish

Castletown-Finea native Fr Phil Gaffney has been appointed the administrator of Mullingar parish, in the latest round of diocesan clerical changes announced by the Bishop of Meath, Most Rev. Tom Deenihan.

Fr Gaffney, previously the parish priest at St Mary’s, Drogheda, succeeds Fr Derek Darby, who moves to a full-time role in diocesan pastoral development and planning for the next three years.

A former member of the staff of St Finian’s College, Mullingar, Fr Gaffney was the Meath diocesan delegate to the World Meeting of Families in Dublin in 2018, which coincided with Pope Francis’ visit to Ireland.

Fr Kevin Heery, who has served as a curate in Mullingar in recent years, becomes CC to the parish of Curraha and Ardcath in Co. Meath, while Fr Conor Magee also leaves Mullingar parish to continue his curacy in Multyfarnham.

Among the other changes announced by the Diocese of Meath are Rosemount native, Fr Joe Campbell’s appointment as a curate in Tullamore parish, and Killucan parish priest Fr Mark English’s reassignment as PP of Duleek and administrator of Donore in his native Meath. Fr Stan Deegan, previously PP of Rochfortbridge who most recently ministered in Kilcloon, moves to Killucan.

The other changes are as follows:

– Fr Tom Gilroy, PP, Kinnegad, is now also administrator of Longwood parish in addition to his duties in Kinnegad.

– Fr Paul Crosbie, the former Mullingar-based diocesan secretary to the now Bishop Emeritus of Meath, Dr Michael Smith, takes on the role of administrator of Summerhill parish in addition to his duties as PP of Trim.

– Fr Andrei Stolnicu moves from Diocese of Iasi in Romania to begin a curacy in Mullingar parish.

– Fr Noel Weir, pro tempore administrator of Rosemount parish, becomes CC in Navan.

– Fr John Nally, a Mullingar native and formerly parish priest of Ballynacargy who most recently had charge of Ashbourne parish, has been loaned to the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore for three years.

– Fr Michael Kilmartin, formerly based in Mullingar, has left his role as parish priest on Longwood to become PP of Ashbourne parish.

– Elsewhere, Fr Brendan Ferris has been appointed PP of Stamullen, leaving Ardcath and Curraha; Fr Jim Lynch of Beauparc is to retire; Fr John Conlon (PP, Duleek and Adm Donore) becomes PP of Drogheda and administrator of Holy Family; Fr Michael Meade leaves Summerhill to become PP of Kilcormac in Co. Offaly; Fr Declan Kelly, PP Stamullen, becomes PP of Kilcloon and administrator of Moynalvey; Fr Seamus Houlihan, PP Kilcormac, becomes PP of Tubber; Fr David Brennan, PP Moynalvey, becomes PP in Beauparc; diocesan Polish chaplain Fr Januz Lugowski becomes CC of Moynalvey in addition; Fr Louis Illah, CC in Navan, moves to Longwood as curate; Fr Gerry Stuart, PP Ratoath, absorbs the role of Adm of Ardcath and Curraha; and Fr Vincent McKay, CSSp becomes CC of Summerhill.

The new diocesan appointments take effect on Saturday July 3.