How Pope Francis is reshaping the Church in western Ireland

An unusual episcopal move highlights significant changes in the Irish Catholic world.

The Vatican announced an episcopal move in Ireland Wednesday that seemed puzzling at first sight. 

St. Muredach’s Cathedral, Ballina, the cathedral church of Ireland’s Diocese of Killala. Andreas F. Borchert via Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Pope Francis named Bishop Paul Dempsey, a 52-year-old who has led the Diocese of Achonry since January 2020, as an auxi…