More than 400 people have signed an on-line petition calling on the Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian to reverse the decision to transfer the Parish Priest of Falcarragh Fr. Denis Quinn to Carrick.
It was one of the clerical changes announced on Monday.
Kathleen Gallagher one of the organisers of the petition ‘Keep our Friend Fr. Denis Quinn’ told the Tirconail Tribune that the wider community in Falcarragh wanted to show their support for their Parish Priest.
And they would also like to hear the reasons for the decision from the Bishop’s office to move him at this time.
Fr. Quinn has been PP for the past 16 years and Kathleen Gallagher says he has made Falcarragh his home.
“Fr. Denis doesn’t want to go. He has made Falcarragh his home and tells me he has been Parish Priest for the past 16 years here. And he has been in this area for a total for 29 years. Fr. Denis is very good at his job. The numbers signing the petition shows the depth of feeling in the wider community and that’s not just from a religious perspective. He has an ability to reach out and is very good with young people” Kathleen said.
The organizers want to create an awareness of the depth of feeling about the decision to change Fr Quinn and want Bishop Alan McGuckian or a representative to explain the reasoning behind the transfer.
“He has been here a long time and has made this place home. Uprooting from his circle of friends will be so hard on him. We want to support him in his wish to stay in Falcarragh. Raising awareness is giving him a voice at this time.
The Bishop will hear the concerns that we are raising. There is big numbers signing the petition and we would hope to meet with the Bishop or his representative to talk about the way we feel about it and the way Fr. Denis feels about it,” Kathleen Gallagher said.
To sign the petition ‘Keep our Friend Fr. Denis Quinn’ go to the website change.org.
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