Popular Birr school chaplain set to retire

Popular chaplain Fr Pat Gilbert is to retire from St Brendan’s Community School, the latest Killaloe Diocesan appointments have revealed.

The Birr resident will take a a sabbatical with a view to returning to pastoral ministry in the diocese in 2022, the announcement on Thursday morning confirmed.

Fr Gilbert has been a hugely popular figure in the town's secondary school for several decades.

Elsewhere, Former Birr parish priest David Carroll, Co-PP, VF, Inis Cealtra Pastoral Area, who is resident in Bodyke is set to be Co-PP of the Abbey Pastoral Area, and resident in St Joseph’s, Ennis.

Pat Deely, Redwood, Lorrha, will assist in the Pastoral Area of Cois Deirge as part of the changes which come into effect on August 6.

In making the announcements, Bishop Fintan Monahan acknowledged the challenges and opportunities this year, saying one third of the 58 parishes in the diocese are now without a resident priest under the age of 75.

He expressed gratitude to a number of priests who have opted to continue ministering beyond the retirement age of 75.

“One of the great signs of hope in the diocese at present is the coming on-stream this year of 25 lay people trained in the area of Pastoral Care and Catechetics.  I look forward to working collaboratively with them in the pastoral areas of the diocese,” he commented.

Bishop Fintan also expressed thanks to the Covid committees and the many volunteers who have worked so hard to ensure that our churches and places of worship are as safe as possible during the past year and a half.