Bishop Niall Coll to celebrate a home Mass in St Johnston

The Bishop of Ossory, Niall Coll, will return home to St Johnston to celebrate Mass next month.

Bishop Coll will celebrate Mass in St Baithin’s Church on Saturday, June 17 at 7.30pm.

A son of Willie and Kathleen Coll from the Hillhead Brae in St Johnston, he was ordained as the 96th Bishop of Ossory in January.

In April, Bishop Coll celebrated Sunday Masses in St Agatha’s Church, Clar and St Patrick’s Church, Donegal Town, having served as the Parish Priest in Townawilly until his ordination as Bishop.

In June, he will celebrate Mass in front of his home parishioners.

The well-travelled prelate taught at St Eunan’s College in Letterkenny, St Patrick’s Carlow College and in Pobalscoil na Rosann during his time as a curate in Dungloe.

He has also worked in Rome and Belfast, most recently as a professor of religious studies and religious education at St Mary’s University before being appointed as the parish priest of Drumholm.

A proud St Johnston man, home has never been far from his mind, regardless of where he has wandered.

Prior to his consecration as Bishop of Ossory in January, he told Donegal Live: “I have a great love of a sense of east Donegal.

“It will be very important for me to keep my links with Donegal and especially St Johnston. The St Johnston people have been very supportive. St Johnston was a very tightly-knit community when I was growing up. We knew our neighbours.”

A meeting will be held in the St Johnston & Carrigans Family Resource Centre at 7.30pm this Wednesday, May 17, to begin planning for Bishop Coll’s return.