Roman Catholic Diocese of Limerick

Diocese of Limerick
Dioecesis Limericiensis
Deoise Luimnigh
Location
Country  Republic of Ireland
Territory Most of County Limerick, parts of counties Clare and Kerry
Ecclesiastical province Province of Cashel
Metropolitan Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly
Statistics
Area 811 sq mi (2,100 km2)
Population
- Total
- Catholics		 (as of 2010)
178,300
171,000 (95.9%)
Parishes 60
Information
Denomination Roman Catholic
Rite Latin Rite
Cathedral St John's Cathedral, Limerick
Patron saint St Munchin and St Ita
Secular priests 121
Current leadership
Pope Francis
Bishop Brendan Leahy
Metropolitan Archbishop Kieran O'Reilly (bishop)
Emeritus Bishops Donal Murray
Map
Website
limerickdiocese.org

The Diocese of Limerick (Irish: Deoise Luimnigh ) is a Roman Catholic diocese in mid-western Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel (also known as Munster) and is subject to the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly.[1] Following the resignation of bishop Donal Murray, the diocese was administered by its metropolitan, Dermot Clifford, until the installation of Brendan Leahy on 14 April 2013. The cathedral church of the diocese is St John's Cathedral.

Geography

The diocese contains most of County Limerick and parts of counties Clare and Kerry. As well as Limerick city, it contains the towns of Abbeyfeale, Adare and Newcastle West.

Ordinaries

List of bishops since 1814:

  • Charles Tuohy (1814–1828)
  • John Ryan (1828–1864)
  • George Butler (1864–1886)
  • Edward Thomas O'Dwyer (1886–1917)
  • Denis Hallinan (1918–1923)
  • David Keane (1923–1945)
  • Patrick O'Neill (1945–1958)
  • Henry Murphy (1958–1973)
  • Jeremiah Newman (1974–1995)
  • Donal Murray (1996–2009)
  • Sede vacante (2009–2013)
  • Brendan Leahy (2013– )

Diocesan statistics

Its geographical remit covers the greater part of County Limerick, part of County Clare and one townland in County Kerry. There are 60 parishes in the diocese, 18 of which are in the Limerick city area.

Topic Data
Catholic Population (from recent census) 169,500
Number of parishes 60
Number of churches 94
Number of priests 105
Secondary schools 31
Students in primary school 21,500
Students in secondary school 18,000

Recent events

In December 2009, the sexual abuse scandal in Limerick diocese eroded the public's trust in the work of local diocesan officials. Bishop Murray informed the Vicars General of the Diocese on the afternoon of Tuesday 1 December 2009 of his decision to offer his resignation. On Wednesday 2 December, he contacted the Apostolic Nuncio, asking him to arrange a meeting with the Congregation for Bishops in Rome. This meeting took place on Monday 7 December.[2] He announced his decision to a congregation, including priests of the Diocese, people working in the Diocesan Office and the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, at 11 a.m. (noon in Rome, the hour of the publication of the decision) in St. John’s Cathedral, Limerick.[3][4] [5][6]

See also

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "article name needed". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton.

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