It was announced this week that Fr La Flynn a priest of the Diocese of Clogher had the honour of ‘Chaplain to His Holiness’ conferred by Pope Francis. 

This carries with it the title of Monsignor which means that the priest has been made an honorary member of the Pope’s own ‘household’.

Announcing the appointment Bishop Larry Duffy, said he was very pleased to receive the notification. 

“It is a well-merited honour for Fr Flynn and recognises his own significant contribution to the life and ministry of our diocese, of which Lough Derg is an important part. 

“This appointment also signifies a close connection between the Holy Father and the mission of Lough Derg in today’s world. That mission, continuing in the tradition that goes back to St Patrick, is to be a sacred space and a place on the margins where people can find the God of love and compassion.”

Commenting on the news, Fr La Flynn said, “For me, this gesture on the part of the Holy Father is an unexpected one and a humbling one. I take it as a sign of the esteem in which Lough Derg is held by the Holy See. 

“Pope Francis has spoken repeatedly of the significance that pilgrimages continue to hold for Christian people in our times, as well as for other religious traditions and for so many of our contemporaries who do not identify themselves as ‘religious’. 

“At Lough Derg we hold dear the memory of St Patrick who, in out-of-the-way places, found his God again when he seemed to have lost everything. I hope that all whom we welcome here will find what they seek along their pilgrimage of life.”