Congratulations to Archbishop Horgan, native of Ennis ordained in Cathedral of Ss Peter and Paul, Ennis on Saturday 27th of July, 2024.
For a few short hours on last Saturday morning last, the river Fergus which flows through the town of Ennis in County Clare became a tributary of the great river Tiber on which Rome is built, as some of Pope Francis closest advisors came to town for the Episcopal ordination of one of its native sons, Monsignor Séamus Horgan. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State to His Holiness along with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and Cardinal Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, Archbishop Luis Montemayor, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, joined with Bishop Fintan Monahan of Killaloe in the ordination of Archbishop Horgan.
While our first experience of church is often local and parochial the large numbers of faithful who attended the ceremony in the Cathedral of Ss. Peter and Paul in Ennis were given a deeper view of the Church as Catholic and truly universal. As well as many Irish bishops who attended, there were nuncios from Kuwait, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Ghana as well as many colleagues of the new Archbishop from Rome including the Coadjutor Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Majors where Pope Francis goes to pray before and after every international trip that he makes. Civic society was represented at the ordination by the mayor and members of the local authority as well as Ms. Frances Collins, Ireland’s Ambassador to the Holy See.
It was a day of great joy and celebration for the lay-faithful from the Archbishop’s native parish of Ennis as well as the many who came from the parishes of Bodyke and Roscrea where the newly ordained Fr. Horgan served in the early years of his priestly ministry in the Diocese of Killaloe before becoming part of the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 2005. All those who participated in the liturgy did so with a great sense of reverence and joy and even a little pride in the fact that one of their own had been chosen for the most trusted level of co-operation with Pope Francis as his representative in the newly emerging nation of South Sudan. In his homily Cardinal Parolin reminded the new nuncio that the country had gained independence in 2011 and; “has suffered greatly from the consequences of bloody civil wars and violent conflicts stemming from tribal disagreements.” The Secretary of State invoked the spirit of St. Patrick and St. Columbanus as models of evangelization for the new nuncio in his challenging mission.
The Rite of Ordination itself was particularly moving and was a new experience for many of those gathered. The magnificent Cathedral Choir under the direction of Fiona Walsh were positively angelic in their invocation of the Holy Spirit and the Litany of Saints as the Archbishop-elect lay prostrate before the altar in humble submission to God’s will. During the laying on of hands there was a palpable silence during which one could sense that this was the outward expression of greater spiritual truths such as the connection among the church and the power of the Holy Spirit. The new Archbishop was then anointed on his head with the sacred chrism recalling his baptism and confirmation when he was first called into deeper relationship with God and is now commissioned for a special mission in the church. Following his investiture with the Pontifical insignia of Mitre, Crozier and Ring, Archbishop Horgan was invited to take his place in the presider’s chair by Cardinal Parolin and presented to the people.
While the new Archbishop is destined for service in various parts of the world, he has been named as Titular Archbishop of Árd Sratha. The parish of Ardstraw is in Co. Tyrone within the boundaries of the Diocese of Derry. The Diocese of Ardstraw was founded in the 6th century by Saint Eoghan. The office of titular Archbishop memorializes ancient Churches. The Christian Community in Ardstraw was represented at the consecration by their local priest, Fr. Roland Calhoun. The Vestments worn by the concelebrating Bishops at the ordination came from the St. Eugene’s Cathedral in the Diocese of Derry where Ennis Parish Priest, Fr. Tom Ryan, ministered after his ordination in 1984. Definitely a day of connections; Is fearr beagán den ghaol ná mórán den charthanas.
The Liturgy of the Eucharist began with a haunting rendition of Ó Riada’s Ag Críost an Síol by well-known traditional singer Tim Dennihy and after communion Archbishop Horgan moved through the congregation giving his blessing while the great hymn of praise, the Te Deum, added to the sense of joy felt by all the people. After the ordination ceremony many gathered to greet the Archbishop and Cardinals Parolin, Tagle and Pierre in the Cathedral Grounds. The strains of traditional music and the enthusiasm of the young set dancers only added to the joy of the occasion. The Cardinal Secretary of State was greatly moved by their youthful energy and took time to watch and greet the young people, gifting each of them with a rosary beads from the Holy Father, Pope Francis – a truly special gift on a memorable day.
Mindful of the seanfhocal; Marbh le tae agus marbh gan é, those present came together for a wonderful celebration prepared by the Cathedral housekeeper, Maura O’Brien and her team, in the parish centre and received the gift of Archbishop Horgan’s prayer card as a souvenir of the day’s events. The saints invoked on the card summed up the events of the day, Saints Peter and Paul recalling the cathedral of the Archbishop’s ordination as priest and consecration as Bishop as well as the city of Rome where the princes of the Apostles were martyred for their faith; Saints Flannan and Senan representing the community where Archbishop Horgan’s faith was nourished and finally Saint Josephine Bakhita, originally from Darfur who as a child was trafficked and enslaved but through Christian Hope and Perseverance found freedom and dedicated her life to God’s service. As Archbishop Horgan takes up his new mission in South Sudan may that virtue of Christian Hope sustain him in all that he does.
Fr. Brendan Quinlivan is Communications Officer for the Diocese of Killaloe
