As part of our very successful Pilgrimage this year Monsignor Jacques Perrier, the Bishop of Tarbes and Lourdes, announced the appointment of two Killaloe priests as Canons of the International Marian Shrine at Lourdes on 29th June 2010. Canon Michael McLaughlin, P.P. Kilmaley, and our own Canon Brendan O’Donoghue, A.P. Shannon, were honoured for their longstanding service to the shrine and to the Killaloe pilgrims who travel to the shrine each year. The announcement was made at the famous grotto where Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette Soubirous 18 times in the year 1858. The installation of the new canons took place in the presence of Bishop Willie Walsh and the 500 pilgrims from across the Killaloe Diocese who are participating in the 54th Annual Diocesan Summer Pilgrimage to the shrine. Also present at the installation were pilgrims from the Diocese of Hallam in England under the leadership of their bishop Rt. Rev. John Rawsthorne.
Commenting on the appointment Bishop Willie Walsh said, “This honour for Canon McLaughlin and Canon O’Donoghue is a reflection of the wholehearted dedication that these men have shown in their ministry in the service of pilgrims for many years. It is a particular tribute to their pastoral care for those who are sick and suffering. I am delighted that the local Bishop here and the shrine authorities have recognised the Christ like qualities of these men, qualities that have been evident to us in the Killaloe Diocese for many years. Between them Canon McLaughlin and Canon O’Donoghue have given 104 years of priestly service to the people of our Diocese of Killaloe. We rejoice with them today as their devoted service has also been recognised on the international stage.”
Canon Brendan was ordained to the priesthood in June 1956 and has served on the Emigrant Chaplaincy in Britain, on the staff of St. Flannan’s College as well as various parishes throughout the Diocese. He has been leading pilgrimages to Lourdes for 52 years and in 1991 he succeeded Canon Thomas Daffey as Director of the Killaloe Diocesan Pilgrimage to Lourdes. Through this ministry Canon O’Donoghue has made it possible for thousands of pilgrims to visit a place that has become truly sacred for them. His work has facilitated the pilgrimage of great numbers of people who are sick or seriously ill to come to a place where they find great comfort and consolation. He retired as director of the Diocesan Pilgrimage in 2008 but continues to travel twice a year with Killaloe pilgrims to the shrine.
Canon Michael McLaughlin is the Parish Priest of Kilmaley. He was ordained to the priesthood in June 1960. In his priesthood he has served in the parishes of Bournea, Silvermines and as Chaplain to Cahercalla Community Hospital. He has been Parish Priest of Kilmaley since 1993. On the night before his departure for this year’s pilgrimage several hundred people gathered in the Church of St. John the Baptist, Kilmaley to celebrate his 50 years of priesthood. He has served as chaplain to the sick pilgrims from Killaloe Diocese for 32 years. During the pilgrimage each year he stays at the international hospital and provides spiritual care for them and for the medical staff who travel with them.
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