It will be officially announced today (Wednesday) that Lisnaskea native Mgr Joseph McGuinness  has been appointed to the post of executive secretary of the Irish Episcopal Conference. 

The new job will see Mgr McGuinness, who was Clogher diocesan secretary before the appointment of bishop Larry Duffy last year, take responsibility for the for organising the work of the Bishops’ Conference, including representing the Conference internationally.

A former teacher and president at St Michael’s College, Mgr McGuinness is currently parish priest of Carrickmacross, administrator of Magheracloone, and is also a vicars general (VG) of the diocese of Clogher. He will take up his new, national-level post in the new year. 

In a letter to local clergy at the weekend, Bishop Duffy congratulated Mgr McGuinness to his appointment to what he said was an important ministry in the Irish Church. 

“I thank him for his outstanding service to date in our Diocese and know that you will all join with me in wishing him every blessing in his new role,” he wrote. 

Bishop Duffy added that Monsignor McGuinness will continue, as a priest of the Diocese of Clogher, to assist and support the life and work of the diocese in whatever ways are possible.

Mgr McGuinness has said it was his duty to respond to the call to serve, noting sometimes that call came unexpectedly and involved leaving a community where he had built up relationships. 

“This always involves a degree of sadness, and this is especially so for me, given the warmth of welcome and the generosity of support which I have received,” said Mgr McGuinness, as he informed his parishioners of the move at the weekend.

He added he had enjoyed his time as parish priest and administrator, and said: “Although my time here has not been as long as I had hoped, I am blessed to have many happy memories to take with me.”