The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, Dr Laurence Ryan, has signalled his desire to retire aged 70. Dr Ryan has submitted a letter of resignation to Pope John Paul II through Ireland's Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Giuseppe Lazzarotto.
A spokesman, Father Micheal Murphy, denied reports that the decision was made for health reasons. "He had major heart surgery 15 years ago but he hasn't been suffering from ill-health. He just felt it was an opportune time to tender his resignation," he said.
Dr Ryan, who is on holidays, became one of the country's best-known priests when he served as president of the National Conference of Priests in Ireland between 1976 and 1982. The organisation opened its silver anniversary annual meeting yesterday at St Patrick's Training College, Drumcondra, Dublin.
The resignation announcement was made at Masses yesterday in the 56 parishes of Dr Ryan's diocese, which - with a Catholic population of almost 190,000 - includes Co Carlow and parts of counties Kildare, Laois, Offaly, Kilkenny, Wicklow and Wexford.
Born in 1931 in Ballycrinnegan, Co Carlow, Dr Ryan studied for the priesthood at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, where he was ordained in June 1956.
He obtained a Doctorate in Divinity in 1958 and taught theology at St Patrick's College, Carlow, of which he later became president. He served as parish priest in Naas before being ordained Coadjutor Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin in 1984. In December 1987, he succeeded Dr Patrick Lennon as bishop.
In recent years, he was embroiled in a number of local controversies, including the restoration of Carlow's Cathedral of the Assumption and a plan to sell parish lands at Carragh, Co Kildare, to housing developers.
He is chairman of both the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace and the National Jubilee 2000 Committee.
Although Catholic bishops have to resign when they reach 75, many retire earlier.
