New Bishop of Ossory ordained

The 94th Bishop of Ossory, Dr Séamus Freeman, has been ordained by Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, at a ceremony in St Mary's Cathedral, Kilkenny.

A crowd of almost 1,000, including church and State dignitaries, attended yesterday's ceremony. It was the first official function for Ireland's newest Cardinal, Dr Seán Brady, who had recently returned from Rome following his elevation as cardinal.

Among almost 150 members of the clergy at the event were Cardinal Desmond Connell; retired Church of Ireland archbishop of Dublin Dr Walton Empey; Archbishop Dermot Clifford of Cashel and Ossory, and diocese native and retired papal nuncio Archbishop Thomas White.

The ceremony was also attended by mayor of Kilkenny Marie Fitzpatrick; Fine Gael environment spokesman Phil Hogan; IFA president Pádraig Walshe and Kilkenny County Council chairman, Tom Maher.

As the crowds could not all be accommodated in the cathedral, an overflow facility was provided in the adjoining Christian Brothers secondary school, where the ceremony was transmitted to a large screen.

Dr Freeman succeeds the former Bishop of Ossory, Dr Laurence Forristal, who retired after 26 years and was the former chairman of the Irish Bishops Conference Commission for Clergy, Seminaries and the Permanent Diaconate.

Delivering the homily at the ordination Mass, Msgr Liam Bergin welcomed Dr Freeman. "May you be happy and fulfilled as you undertake this new ministry. May it be a time of blessing for you and for us all," he said.