Archbishop appointed to see of Dunshaughlin

Dunshaughlin is to have a new bishop, but Dr Michael Smith and the local clergy can rest assured, as it is simply a titular see given to the new Papal Nuncio to Madagascar. Pope Benedict XVI has appointed an Irish priest, Monsignor Eugene Nugent, as Papal Nuncio to Madagascar. Monsignor Nugent has been given the titular see of Domnach Sechnaill, the Irish verion of Dunshaughlin, with the title of Archbishop. A titular see is given by the pope to a bishop who does not have responsibility for a diocese. Titular sees are essentially dioceses that no longer functionally exist. The Diocese of Domnach Sechnaill refers to the ancient church founded by Saint Seachnall, who was sent by Saint Patrick from Britain or Gaul to Ireland in the year 439AD. History records that Seachnall wrote a hymn in honour of Saint Patrick, which is probably the first Christian Latin hymn composed in Ireland. He died on 27 November 448AD and was buried in Dunshaughlin. He is reputed to have been the first bishop to die in Ireland. Six hundred years later, the church in Dunshaughlin was burnt to the ground and, by 1152, the Diocese of Dunshaughlin was suppressed, having become part of the future Diocese of Meath, together with Trim, Ardbraccan, Slane, Fore and Skryne. Monsignor Nugent is a native of Scariff, Co Clare and studied for the priesthood in St Patrick's College, Maynooth and the Pontifical Irish College, Rome. He was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Killaloe in 1983 and served as curate in Ennis. He returned to Rome and completed the Doctorate in Canon Law at the Gregorian University. He entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See in 1992 and served in Turkey, Israel and the Philippines. Monsignor Nugent speaks Irish, English, French, Italian, and German fluently. Cardinal Seán Brady has welcomed the appointment by Pope Benedict XVI of Monsignor Eugene Nugent, as Papal Nuncio in the Indian ocean Island state of Madagascar and also Apostolic Delegate in La Réunion and the Comoros. Monsignor Nugent will be ordained to the episcopacy in Rome on 18th March next. Monsignor Nugent has chosen the phrase "Quodcumque dixerit, facite" as his episcopal motto. "Do whatever he tells you!" which are the words that Our Lady addressed to the stewards at the Wedding at Cana. Bishop Willie Walsh, Bishop of Killaloe, has also welcomed the appointment. He said: "Archbishop-elect Nugent is a gifted and well respected priest who has given great service to the Diocese of Killaloe and to the Holy See. All of us in the Diocese are filled with joy at the trust that Pope Benedict has placed in him to be his representative to the peoples of Madagascar, La Réunion and the Comoros Islands. I pray that God's spirit will strengthen him as he takes up his new ministry."