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Monsignor Sean Hanafin has gone on a year’s sabbatical.
MONSIGNOR Sean Hanafin will be going on a sabbatical until July 2017 while another priest will be moving to St John’s Parish it was announced by the Bishop of Kerry in a range of clerical changes in the Diocese of Kerry.
Fr.Tadhg Fitzgerald PP Ardfert is to be PP St John’s Tralee but he will be replaced by Fr. Liam Comer PP who moves from Dromtarriffe in Cork.
Following the transfer of Fr. Tom Leane PP, the parish of Ballyheigue will be served by the priests of the Naomh Bhréanainn Pastoral Area, with Fr. Liam Comer as Moderator.
In a statement, Bishop of Kerry Ray Browne reflected on the changes.
“In the past nine months five priests of our diocese have died, may they Rest in Peace. All were retired and of a good age and had given long years of great faith-filled service. Last year three priests of our diocese retired having passed the age of 75. This year one priest retires on this ground. At the moment three of our priests are coping with long-term serious ill-health.
Within the next year, God willing, Sean Jones will be ordained a priest for the diocese. It will be exactly ten years since our last priestly ordination. Just one priest of our diocese is under forty. Thankfully we have four other students preparing for priesthood. I ask that we all continue to pray for these students and for vocations to the priesthood in the diocese.”
“This year too saw a major milestone in the diocese, the closure of Balloonagh Convent,Tralee after more than 160 years. We offer our support, sympathy and gratitude to all the Mercy communities throughout the diocese. To this day, in ‘ordinary retirement’ so many Sisters continue to be involved in many practical ways in their local parish. It is a coincidence that we celebrate a ‘Year of Mercy’. The Sisters for generations as communities and as individuals moved with MERCY among us, tending quietly to so many needs of individuals, of families and of local communities. May every parish community take pride in continuing that great tradition of ‘Mercy where there is need’. Thank God for the great service of all religious communities.
It is in this overall context that the appointments are made this summer. I have tried to keep the number of new appointments to a minimum this year, mindful that there were a large number last year. Each movement has a significant effect on priests and people throughout the whole local Pastoral Area.”
The full list of appointments;
Mgr. Sean Hanafin PP St. John’s Tralee on Sabbatical until July 2017
Fr. Tom Leane PP Ballyheigue to be PP Dromtarriffe
Fr. Liam Comer PP Dromtarriffe to be PP Ardfert
Fr.Tadhg Fitzgerald PP Ardfert to be PP St John’s Tralee
Fr. George Hayes Vice-Rector Irish College Rome to be PP Glenflesk
Fr. Pat Moore to retire as PP of Duagh due to health reasons
Rev. Sean Jones newly ordained Deacon to his Pastoral Placement in the Listowel Pastoral area
Following the transfer of Fr. Tom Leane PP, the parish of Ballyheigue will be served by the priests of the Naomh Bhréanainn Pastoral Area, with Fr. Liam Comer as Moderator.
Following Fr. Pat Moore retiring as PP of Duagh, the parish of Duagh will be served by the priests of the Listowel Pastoral Area with Fr Declan O’ Connor as Moderator.
Priests of all Pastoral Areas of the Diocese take up different responsibilities outside their own parishes in the Pastoral Area. This will be decided and communicated locally.
These changes will become effective on Wednesday, July 20th 2016.
