*Apostolic Nuncio, Séamus Horgan with Leas Cathaoirelach of Clare County Council, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) and Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling.
NEWLY ORDAINED Apostolic Nuncio to South Sudan, Séamus Horgan was celebrated with a mayoral reception from Clare County Council.
Ennis native Horgan is also Titular Archbishop of Ard Sratha in Tyrone along with becoming the first ever Papal Nuncio to South Sudan.
Thirty years before his episcopal ordination, Séamus was called by the late Bishop Michael Harty to priesthood in the same cathedral, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, Ennis. For the last three decadeshe has served in Bodyke, Roscrea, Rome, Uganda, Switzerland, the Philippines and most recently in the United States.
Following a proposal by Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG), a mayoral reception was held for the Apostolic Nuncio. At the ceremony, Archbishop Horgan was presented with a scroll and ceremonial gifts, including a copy of “The Story of Clare and its People 1570-2020” by Dr Matthew Potter and Dr John Treacy.
Both the papal flag and the South Sudan flag were flying in the Chamber of Áras Contae an Chláir as figures including Bishop Emeritus, Willie Walsh and Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan were among the many in attendance for the event.
Leas Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Mary Howard (FG) described it as “a very special event” and predicted, “I don’t think we’ll have another one in our lifetime”. She told the reception she knew Séamus since he was five years old as his late mother Pauline was a teacher of hers, “I think of her today, since I entered politics in 2009, I used to always get a call from Pauline, since she passed away in 2020 and your late Dad Denis soldiered with my father in Éire Óg, they were involved in getting the property in Clonroadmore”.
Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling stated, “this afternoon is both a welcome home for you as a son of Ennis but also at the same time we’re sending you back out on a mission to the wider world and indeed particularly to those less fortunate than us in South Sudan, it marks the strong relationship between church and state at a local level here in Clare. We have the privilege to welcome many ambassadors to our county, it is all the more special when we welcome home one of our own”. He noted, “it is fitting that you chose to be ordained in Ennis, after all Ennis is the community that formed you and shaped your early thinking as you grew up”.
Cllr Pat Daly (FF) recalled that he served as an altar boy with the Archbishop in the Cathedral, “I was nicknamed Bishop Daly but I never became Bishop Willie or Bishop Fintan”. He quipped, “my colleague beside me from Kilmurry Ibrickane said you’re so high up that you’re nearly near the smoke coming out of the Vatican”.
Seeing the Papal Flag “brings back great memories,” Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) stated while informing the meeting that he once met the late Pope John Paul when visiting Rome. “I can only imagine the pride within the hearts of your family and friends on your ascension to represent the papal state on your works throughout the world. I congratulate you,” commented Mayor of the Ennis MD, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF).
Cathaoirleach of the West Clare MD, Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) attended the ordination and described it as a wonderful event. “It was a wonderful and really moving experience, it was a very intimate experience even though there was quite a lot of people there”. She said she had “very fond memories” of the Papal Nuncio’s parents visiting Doonbeg.
Sporting analogies were drawn by Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG). “We are looking at the triumph of human endeavour of Paris, people are carried to greatness on the shoulders of their communities and their families. Your achievement resonates with me, my uncle Fr Charles Rynne served for thirty years in neighbouring Uganda. We’re in a world with a lot of strife and turmoil so we need all the peace makers we can get”.
Confidence in Horgan’s ability was voiced by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) who said he looked forward to seeing him return to Bodyke and East Clare in the future.
Fr Tom Ryan felt the reception was “an example of how Church and State can operate together”.
Speaking at the mayoral reception, the Papal Nuncio thanked all speakers for their “deeply touching” words. “It has been intimated on me that in this Chamber not every motion is greeted with unanimity and I’m very grateful that Gabriel Keating’s was”. He thanked Pope Francis for the appointment to the new role.
He continued, “For those working in diplomatic services, it is always possible to return to Rome and be ordained in St Peter’s which is beautiful but when I looked at calendar I said perhaps the fresh breeze of Ennis in July might be better than the horrid heat of Rome in July”.
“Coming back to my own hometown and home county has been a wonderful decision, I’ve been gratefully supported. Ennis to me and to so many of us is that very common place and yet mystical thing we call home, what is home, it is simple but mysterious, it was home to me for all of my childhood, in so many ways it was an idyllic childhood, a place of community and family. Community is not something you can will into existence, community emerges when people with a shared vision and shared goal decide to live together and work towards to that goal. Shared work was the caring and flourishing of families,” he said to a standing ovation as he concluded his address.
