Archbishop elect Francis Duffy says that his appointment was 'completely out of the blue'.
It was announced yesterday that the Cavan native would succeed Archbishop Michael Neary in the Tuam diocese
Archbishop elect Francis Duffy there explaining how he felt when the Papal Nuncio asked him last Thursday to consider taking the position in Tuam.
Bishop Duffy, a Cavan native, has served as Bishop of the Ardagh and Clonmacnoise Diocese for the last 8 years and says that while he is humbled by the appointment, he will be sad to leave his current diocese.
He says he was 'dumbfounded' to be asked and has no idea why it happened.
A new Bishop will now succeed him, and while he thinks it's likely he will be asked for his thoughts on an appropriate appointee he has no-one in particular in mind:
Messages of congratulations have rolled in since the announcement yesterday.
St. Patrick's in Cavan, where he was a student but also taught for a number of years have also expressed their well wishes, with principal Christopher Rowley saying as a school community they are very proud:
