Irish numbers reduced as Vatican casts a wider net

Irish Archbishop Michael Neary is one of 20 prelates due to leave the Vatican’s liturgy department following Pope Francis’ shake-up of the Congregation for Divine Worship, writes Rose Gamble.

In a move that was interpreted as an attempt to rein in conservative prefect Cardinal Robert Sarah, Francis has named 27 new members of the Congregation.

With Neary’s departure, only six Irish-born clergy remain serving as members or staff in Vatican departments. Just two of these – Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly – are current members of Ireland’s Bishops’ Conference.

Fr Brendan Hoban, founder of the Association of Catholic Priests in Ireland told The Tablet: “We’ve had higher numbers in the past and they’ve been ineffective. What matters is the quality of people representing Ireland and whether they are able to communicate a sense of what works on a liturgical level in an Irish parish.”

Along with the two archbishops, the four remaining Irishmen holding offices in Rome include Cardinal Sean Brady, Cardinal-elect Kevin Farrell, Bishop Brian Farrell and Bishop Paul Tighe.