The Catholic Dioceses of Derry and Raphoe may soon be amalgamated.
Such a move would bring the catholic diocese into line with the Church of Ireland Diocese of Derry and Raphoe.
The Irish Catholic newspaper is reporting this morning that while Papal Nuncio Archbishop Luis Mariano Montemayor is anxious to proceed with the amalgamation of the Diocese of Derry and the Diocese of Raphoe, there is opposition among bishops locally.
At present there is no Bishop in place in Raphoe since the appointment of Bishop Alan McGuckian to Down and Connor earlier this year, while the Diocese of Derry will fall vacant next April, when Bishop Donal McKeown retires.
The Vatican is understood to regard this as an opportunity to unite the two dioceses, but with only three bishops now in place in the North of Ireland, the Irish Catholic says Archbishop Eamonn Martin would be left alone to administer the amalgamation of the two dioceses, while also looking after the dioceses of Armagh and Dromore, with only one auxiliary Bishop Michael Router.
Both Archbishop Martin and Bishop McKeown are believed to believe while amalgamation may be feasible in the future, now is not the time.
11 of the 51 parishes in the Diocese of Derry are in County Donegal.
