Donal Roche

Last updated

Donal Roche (born 16 April 1958) is an Irish prelate of the Catholic Church who has served as Auxiliary bishop of Dublin and titular bishop of Cell Ausaille since 26 May 2024.

Contents

The Most Reverend

Donal Roche

BA BTh
Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin
Titular bishop of Cell Ausaille
Church Roman Catholic
Diocese Dublin
See Cell Ausaille
Appointed5 March 2024
Predecessor David G. O'Connell (Cell Ausaille)
Raymond Field and Éamonn Walsh (Dublin)
Previous post(s) Vicar general, Episcopal vicar, Secretary to the council of priests and Assistant vocations director of the Archdiocese of Dublin
Parish priest of Wicklow, Kilbride and Barndarrig
Chaplain at St Mark's Community School
Teacher at Coláiste Dhúlaigh
Orders
Ordination22 June 1986
Consecration26 May 2024
by  Dermot Farrell
Personal details
Born (1958-04-16) 16 April 1958 (age 66)
Drimnagh, Dublin, Ireland
ParentsJoe and Sheila Roche
Alma mater St Patrick's College, Maynooth
Holy Cross College, Clonliffe
Coat of arms Coat of arms of Donal Roche.svg

Early life and education

Roche was born in Drimnagh, Dublin on 16 April 1958, one of seven children to Joe Roche and his wife Sheila. He attended both primary and secondary school at Drimnagh Castle CBS. [1]

Roche worked for four years as a clerical officer in Dublin County Council, before entering Holy Cross College in 1980 to study for the priesthood. He subsequently completed a Bachelor of Theology in St Patrick's College, Maynooth. [2]

Roche was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Dublin on 22 June 1986. [3] [1]

Presbyteral ministry

Following ordination, Roche's first diocesan assignment was as a priest-teacher in Coláiste Dhúlaigh, Coolock. He was appointed diocesan advisor for religious education in primary schools in 1992, before his appointment five years later as chaplain to St Mark's Community School, Tallaght. During this period, Roche also spent six years as assistant diocesan vocations director. [4]

His first pastoral assignment was as curate in Lucan South parish, Lucan in 2005, before being appointed co-parish priest in Lucan South the following year. [3]

Roche was appointed administrator in Wicklow and Rathnew in 2012, during which time he was also appointed administrator in Kilbride, Barndarrig and Brittas Bay for a four-year period. [3] [5] [6] In an interview with The Irish Catholic in 2022, he stated that while the local community had been "very welcoming" to newcomers, there was concern and anxiety over the recent influx of asylum seekers into Wicklow. [7]

Roche was subsequently appointed parish priest of Wicklow, Kilbride and Barndarrig in 2022. [8] In another interview with The Irish Catholic in 2023 following the arrival of a large number of asylum seekers in Wicklow, he insisted that in spite of "understandable" concerns about housing and homelessness, Irish people were still welcoming towards asylum seekers, particularly when meeting them face-to-face. [9]

Roche was appointed moderator in Cabinteely and Johnstown-Killiney in 2023, with additional responsibility for the developing suburb of Cherrywood. [10] [11]

In addition to his pastoral assignments, Roche has served as secretary to the diocesan council of priests since 2011. [3] He was appointed episcopal vicar in 2019, with responsibility for the deaneries of Donnybrook, Dún Laoghaire, Bray and Wicklow, before being subsequently appointed diocesan vicar general in 2021. [12] [13] Roche is also a fluent Irish speaker, who has celebrated Mass and administered the sacraments in Irish throughout the Archdiocese of Dublin. [1]

Episcopal ministry

Roche was appointed auxiliary bishop-elect of Dublin and titular bishop of Cell Ausaille by Pope Francis on 5 March 2024. [14] [1] [3] His appointment will involve supporting the Archbishop of Dublin, Dermot Farrell, in his role of leading the archdiocese through the synod on synodality. [15] [1] Following his appointment, Roche commended the commitment and faith of both priests and laity in the archdiocese in "challenging times". [16]

In an interview with The Irish Catholic in March 2024, he opined that the Catholic Church must do more to reach out to young people suffering from anxiety, adding that the Easter message of Christ's victory over death is an opportunity to bring them a message of hope in a "much more secular culture" that was being greatly influenced by social media. [17]

Roche will be consecrated on 26 May in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester</span> Latin Catholic diocese in the United States

The Diocese of Manchester is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church for New Hampshire in the United States. It is a suffragan diocese in the ecclesiastical province of the metropolitan Archbishop of Boston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne</span> Catholic ecclesiastical territory

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne is a Latin Rite metropolitan archdiocese in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Erected initially in 1847 as the Diocese of Melbourne, a suffragan diocese of Archdiocese of Sydney, the diocese was elevated in 1874 as an archdiocese of the Ecclesiastical Province of Melbourne and is the metropolitan for the suffragan dioceses of Sale, Sandhurst, Ballarat, and the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Ss Peter and Paul. The Archdiocese of Hobart is attached to the archdiocese for administrative purposes. St Patrick's Cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Melbourne, currently Peter Comensoli, who succeeded Denis Hart on 1 August 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Hartford</span> Latin Rite Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Connecticut, US

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Hartford is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in Connecticut in the United States. It is a metropolitan see.

Father Gerard McGinnity, born on 5 April 1947, is an Irish Roman Catholic priest, currently serving as parish priest of Knockbridge, County Louth, Ireland, a parish of the Archdiocese of Armagh. He is best known for his role in denouncing the alleged homosexual orientation of the head of a Catholic seminary, and for his association with a group, the House of Prayer, Achill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin</span> Lead diocese of the Metropolitan Province of Dublin, Ireland

The Archdiocese of Dublin is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church located in the eastern part of Ireland. Its archepiscopal see includes the republic's capital city – Dublin. The cathedral church of the archdiocese is St Mary's Pro-Cathedral. Dublin was formally recognised as a metropolitan province in 1152 by the Synod of Kells. Its second archbishop, Lorcán Ua Tuathail, is also its patron saint.

James Moriarty was an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who served as Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin between 2002 and 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Lahore</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Pakistan

The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Lahore is a Latin Metropolitan Archdiocese in Punjab province, Pakistan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching</span> Roman Catholic archdiocese in Malaysia

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuching is a Metropolitan Latin archbishopric of the Roman Catholic Church in Sarawak, Malaysia. It is however remains dependent on the missionary Roman Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin</span> Sexual abuse cases in Ireland

The sexual abuse cases in Dublin archdiocese are major chapters in the series of Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Ireland. The Irish government commissioned a statutory enquiry in 2006 that published the Murphy Report in November 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donal Murray (bishop)</span> Irish Catholic bishop (1940–2024)

Donal Brendan Murray was an Irish Roman Catholic prelate, who served as Bishop of Limerick from 1996 to 2009. He had previously served as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Dublin diocese

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald J. Hying</span> American Roman Catholic prelate (born 1963)

Donald Joseph Hying is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, serving as the bishop of the Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin since 2019. Hying previously served as bishop of the Diocese of Gary in Indiana from 2015 to 2019 and as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee in Wisconsin from 2011 to 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Doran</span> Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1953)

Kevin Peter Doran is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate, bioethicist and theologian who has served as Bishop of Elphin since 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David G. O'Connell</span> American Catholic bishop (1953–2023)

David Gerard O'Connell was an Irish-born prelate of the Catholic Church who was an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in California from 2015 until his murder in 2023. He served in the Los Angeles area for the entirety of his career as a priest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan McGuckian</span> Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1953)

Alexander Aloysius "Alan" McGuckian, SJ is the 33rd Bishop of Down and Connor.

Fintan Gavin is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Cork and Ross since 2019.

Bishop Desmond A. Williams was an Irish Roman Catholic priest who served as an auxiliary Bishop of Dublin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Dempsey (bishop)</span> Irish prelate (born 1971)

Paul Dempsey is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as auxiliary bishop of Dublin and titular bishop of Sita since 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Router</span> Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1965)

Michael Router is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as auxiliary bishop of Armagh and titular bishop of Lugmad since 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martin Hayes (bishop)</span> Irish Roman Catholic prelate (born 1959)

Martin Hayes is an Irish Roman Catholic prelate who has served as Bishop of Kilmore since 2020.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pope Francis appoints Fr Donal Roche as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin". Archdiocese of Dublin. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  2. ↑ Galvin, Tom (5 March 2024). "Priest who spent 11 years in Wicklow appointed as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin". Wicklow People. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rinunce e nomine, 05.03.2024" [Resignations and appointments, 05.03.2024]. Holy See Press Office (in Italian). 5 March 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  4. ↑ Farrell, Stephen (13 March 2024). "'It is an honour' - Fr Donal to be appointed Auxiliary Bishop". Echo.ie. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  5. ↑ O'Connor, Niall (22 December 2012). "Blaze in church as woman hurls candles into crib". Evening Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2024. Speaking to the Herald, local parish priest Fr Donal Roche said that a "mammoth amount of work" was underway to restore the church for Christmas services. "We have an army of people cleaning, repairing and working non-stop to get the church back in order and we confident we will do that," he said.
  6. ↑ "Wicklow parish celebrates marriages". The Irish Catholic. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  7. ↑ Brady, Chai (24 November 2022). "Community left in dark about asylum seekers says priest". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  8. ↑ Dublin Diocesan Appointments 2022. Archdiocese of Dublin. 24 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  9. ↑ Brady, Chai (1 June 2023). "Irish still welcoming to asylum seekers despite concerns – priest". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  10. ↑ "Pope Francis appoints Father Donal Roche as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin". Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  11. ↑ Buchanan, Myles (5 July 2023). "Beloved Wicklow priests leave parish after decade of service". Wicklow People. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  12. ↑ "Dublin Diocesan Personnel Changes 2019". Archdiocese of Dublin. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "Appointments 2021". Archdiocese of Dublin. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  14. ↑ Conneely, Ailbhe (5 March 2024). "New Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin named". RTÉ. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  15. ↑ Bruce, Helen (6 March 2024). "Auxiliary to aid Archbishop in Dublin diocese through 'changing times'". Extra.ie. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  16. ↑ Brady, Chai (7 March 2024). "Aux bishop-elect praises Dublin's strength in 'challenging times'". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  17. ↑ Brady, Chai (28 March 2024). "Easter hope needed for 'fearful and anxious' youth". The Irish Catholic. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  18. ↑ "Newsletter for 14 April 2024 - Third Sunday of Easter". Holy Family Parish. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024. On Trinity Sunday, May 26, at 3pm, the episcopal ordination of Fr Donal Roche will take place in St Andrew's Church, Westland Row, Dublin. Please pray for Fr Donal and his ministry.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.