The Diocese of Limerick (Irish: Deoise Luimnigh) is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church in mid-western Ireland, one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Cashel and Emly.
The cathedral church of the diocese is St John's Cathedral in Limerick.
The incumbent bishop of the diocese is Brendan Leahy.
Geography
The diocese is divided into 60 parishes, which are spread across three counties: 57 in Limerick (18 of which are in the Limerick city area), two in Clare, and one between Limerick and Kerry.
The parishes are grouped into 16 Pastoral Units, where groups of priests are appointed to cover a number of parishes between them.[1]
As of 2018, there were 65 priests in active ministry, 27 of whom were over the age of 65.[2]
Aside from the cathedral city of Limerick, the main towns in the diocese are Abbeyfeale, Adare, Kilmallock, Newcastle West, and Rathkeale.
| Pastoral Unit | Parishes |
|---|---|
| Pastoral Unit 1 | St John's; Monaleen; St Patrick's / St Brigid's; St Michael's; Our Lady Help of Christians, Milford |
| Pastoral Unit 2 | St Joseph's; St Saviour's; Our Lady of Lourdes |
| Pastoral Unit 3 | Donoughmore / Knockea / Roxboro; Our Lady Queen of Peace; Holy Family |
| Pastoral Unit 4 | Sub-unit A St Munchin's / St Lelia's; Corpus Christi; Parteen / Meelick |
| Sub-unit B St Mary's; St Nicholas' | |
| Pastoral Unit 5 | Christ the King; Cratloe / Sixmilebridge; Our Lady of the Rosary |
| Pastoral Unit 6 | Patrickswell / Ballybrown; Mungret / Raheen / Crecora; St Paul's |
| Pastoral Unit 7 | Sub-unit A Banogue; Croom; Dromin / Athlacca |
| Sub-unit B Manister; Fedamore; Bruff / Meanus / Grange | |
| Pastoral Unit 8 | Rockhill / Bruree; Castletown / Ballyagran / Colmanswell |
| Pastoral Unit 9 | Sub-unit A Ardpatrick; Glenroe / Ballyorgan; Kilfinane |
| Sub-unit B Bulgaden / Martinstown; Effin / Garrienderk; Kilmallock | |
| Pastoral Unit 10 | Rathkeale; Ballingarry / Granagh; Knockaderry / Cloncagh |
| Pastoral Unit 11 | Croagh / Kilfinny; Adare; Cappagh |
| Pastoral Unit 12 | Kildimo / Pallaskenry; Kilcornan; Askeaton / Ballysteen |
| Pastoral Unit 13 | Shanagolden / Robertstown / Foynes; Loughill / Ballyhahill; Glin; Coolcappa / Kilcolman |
| Pastoral Unit 14 | Abbeyfeale; Athea; Templeglantine; Tournafulla / Mountcollins |
| Pastoral Unit 15 | Newcastle West; Mahoonagh / Feohanagh / Castlemahon; Monagea; Ardagh / Carrickerry |
| Pastoral Unit 16 | Dromcollogher / Broadford; Killeedy / Ashford; Feenagh / Kilmeedy |
Ordinaries
The following is a list of the ten most recent bishops:
- 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–present)
References
- 1.Hurley, David (2 December 2018). "New 'pastoral units' unveiled for Diocese of Limerick". Limerick Leader. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
- 2.Baker, Noel (3 April 2018). "Special Report - Diocese by diocese: The state of the Catholic Church on the island of Ireland today". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 3 April 2021.