Watch: Cork's new bishop joins local dance crew as he promises to 'keep doors open' to all

The Catholic Bishop-elect of Cork and Ross busted some serious dance moves as he promised to take on the mandate of renewal across the vast diocese.

Watch: Cork's new bishop joins local dance crew as he promises to 'keep doors open' to all

The Catholic Bishop-elect of Cork and Ross busted some serious dance moves as he promised to take on the mandate of renewal across the vast diocese.

Fr Fintan Gavin, 53, from Dublin, the first non-Cork man to be ordained bishop of the diocese in more than 300 years, will be ordained bishop in the city's North Cathedral on Sunday.

He will oversee a diocese with a Catholic population of around 220,000 across 68 parishes, with some 80 priests in active ministry.

Fr Gavin said he knows he faces challenges, but added: "I am ready to hit the ground running and taking on the mandate of renewal.

"I am as enthusiastic about my priesthood today as I was 28 years ago when I was ordained."

Up to 1,200 people are expected to attend Sunday's ceremony - the first ordination of a Catholic Bishop in Cork since 1984 when Bishop John Buckley was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of the diocese.

It will be the first ordination in Cork to be livestreamed and it will also be the first to be relayed live to a large screen in Skibbereen’s Cathedral where parishioners and priests will join in the ceremony.

Fr Gavin took time out from the preparations to visit Nano Nagle Place in the city where he met teenagers at the Cork Migrant Centre attending a rap and hip-hop summer camp, run by Stevie G, GMC Beats, and choreographer Andrew Williams with Music Generation.

Speaking just before he joined their dance crew, he said the "awful things of the past" have undermined the credibility of the church to be a voice for the Gospel values.

"I am very conscious of that so we really have to reach out and to listen to people," he said.

We have to understand people. Our message is a message that is very clear and unambiguous. It is a message of inclusion.

"It is about trying to encourage people to a level of faith that they can be part of it and build on that rather than to exclude people.

"If you do turn people away, even if you don't do it physically, if you are sending out a message you become very exclusive and then you lose people. I do believe you should keep doors open.

"The church fundamentally is welcoming of everybody. That is where we start from."

Fr Gavin will be ordained bishop by Bishop Buckley in the Cathedral of Saint Mary and Saint Anne at 3pm on Sunday.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin and Archbishop Kieran O’Reilly will be the co-consecrators.

He said he plans to use Bishop Michael Murphy's pastoral staff in his ministry, and oil vessels which date from 1935, and which were gifts to the Bishop of Ross.

The Cathedral is expected to be packed with people from each of the 68 parishes of the diocese, religious communities, almost all the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, representatives of other church communities including Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Paul Colton, and a few hundred concelebrating priests.

The ceremony will be attended by Fr Fintan’s family and friends, including his 16 nephews and nieces, the Lord Mayor, and the Mayor of Cork County.

The Cathedral Choir will be joined by the Our Lady of Victories Gospel Choir from Dublin, the pupils of Scoil Eoin in Ballincollig, who are part of the Ballincollig Junior Choir, students from Mayfield Community School, along with local musicians playing traditional Irish instruments.

more courts articles

Stephen Bear ordered to pay back profits from sharing private sex tape Stephen Bear ordered to pay back profits from sharing private sex tape
Gary Glitter victim seeking six-figure sum in damages, court told Gary Glitter victim seeking six-figure sum in damages, court told
Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother

More in this section

DUP Hold Crunch Meeting To Decide On Return To Stormont Jeffrey Donaldson steps down as DUP leader amid ‘historical’ sex offence charges
Berlin UKB Hospital Is Among Germany's Most Modern Nearly 10,000 people left waiting on trolleys across country in March
Spring weather Mar 28th 2024 Here's what to expect from weather and travel this Easter weekend
War_map
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited