News in Brief

Tributes paid to retiring bishop

Having served as auxiliary bishop of Ireland’s second-largest diocese for 32 years, Bishop Anthony Farquhar has retired having reached the age of 75.

Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Down and Connor in 1983, Bishop Farquhar was the longest-serving bishop in the country. Bishop Noel Treanor of Down & Connor paid tribute to his colleague for his “warm support, pastoral wisdom, guidance and insightful knowledge of the diocese”.

Archbishop Eamon Martin acknowledged “Bishop Tony’s immense role in furthering ecumenism on the island”. “His engagement and work with our fellow Christian denominations, especially during the Troubles, was of enormous support to sustaining the nascent peace process.”

Bishops yet to consider ACP request

Ireland’s bishops have yet to discuss a request from the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) that they appeal to the Holy See to allow five ‘silenced’ priests to be returned to ministry.

In their November AGM, the ACP overwhelmingly backed a proposal calling for the bishops to push for the restoration to ministry of clergy “who have been disciplined for alleged unorthodox views”, claiming that such a move would be “in the spirit of the Year of Mercy”.