Bishop Alan ‘making pathways together’
Former Bishop of Raphoe, Irish Jesuit Alan McGuckian SJ was installed as the new Bishop of Down and Connor on Sunday 14 April 2024 at 3 pm in Saint Peter’s Cathedral, Saint Peter’s Square, Belfast. Saint Peter’s Cathedral Choir and the Down and Connor Schola Cantorum performed the music throughout the liturgy under the direction of Mr James McConnell. You can watch the ceremony here »
Cardinal Seán Brady, Archbishop Emeritus of Armagh presided at Sunday’s ceremony and other concelebrants included Archbishop Eamon Martin and the Apostolic Nuncio Most Rev Luis M Montemayor. Rev Noël Treanor the former Bishop of Down and Connor, now Apostolic Nuncio to the European Union, concelebrated as well, along with Bishop Donal McKeown of Derry.
Alan’s Jesuit brothers, Michael and Bernard McGuckian SJ, were on the altar, along with Irish Jesuit Provincial Shane Daly SJ and members of the Jesuit communities in Belfast and Portadown. “There was a palpable sense of celebration and pride that this was ‘one of our own’,” said Brendan McManus SJ, a fellow Northern, adding, “Bishop Alan is an Antrim man, and one well known to the diocese.”
Family members and friends of Bishop Alan also attended the ceremony, including his brother John and author Jim Deeds who worked with Alan on the ‘Living Church’ initiative. Representatives of other Christian denominations, as well as civic leaders and local and national public representatives, were also in attendance.
In his homily at the installation » Bishop Alan spoke about the “terrible suffering and injustice in the world,” telling those present that, “On the global level even today the escalation of war is an awful threat. Christians who are channels of peace are even more necessary.”
The Diocese of Down and Connor is the second largest diocese in Ireland stretching from Portrush and Portstewart in the north of the diocese to Kilkeel in the south of the diocese. The Catholic population is 330,000 and there are 87 parishes and 151 churches in the Diocese. Speaking more locally about his diocese, Bishop Alan said, “This diocese is very specifically seeking to chart a pathway to the future. Much good work has been done and I am excited to be part of that. Pathways are created by people walking together.”
Members of the Irish Bishops’ Conference, both serving and retired and other clergy and parishioners from the Diocese of Down and Connor and the Diocese of Raphoe were also present. Bishop Alan spent just over six years as Bishop of Raphoe and in his closing remarks at the end of the ceremony he thanked all those who had visited from his former diocese and said: “It means a great deal to me. Some of my heart will always be in Raphoe.”