BY Ryan McDougall | February 22 | 
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Mgr Monaghan to retire and Fr Carlin gets first parish as clergy changes announced
Mgr Thomas Monaghan, parish priest of St Cadoc’s Church in Newton Mearns, is ‘looking forward to the new adventure ahead’, and Fr Matthew Carlin is excited to receive his first parish
Mgr Thomas Monaghan, parish priest of St Cadoc’s Church in Newton Mearns, is to retire it was announced in clergy changes this week.
Bishop John Keenan of Paisley announced the changes to take affect from March, and which also see Fr Matthew Carlin receive his first parish.
Mgr Monaghan has served almost 50 years as a priest, and said he’s ‘quite looking forward to the new adventure ahead.’
He added: “I’m quite happy about leaving the parish in such great hands. My successor is a wonderful priest, so I’m delighted about that.
“The parish is going to be filled with blessings, and there’s a lot to do as it’s a big parish so there’s never any time for bone-idleness!”
Mgr Monaghan will now live in a flat in Johnstone which is part of the local St Aidan’s Church, and said he will still be helping out in parishes.
Asked if he will miss the St Cadoc’s community, he said: “Oh yes, I’ve met a lot of nice families over the years.
“I must have done around 500 Baptisms there, and all the first Communions, Confirmations, weddings, funerals.
“The Sacraments put you in touch with a lot of great families and it’s been a privilege to have been their pastor over the years. But it’s time to move on, there are new adventures awaiting me!”
A new journey
As one parish priest retires, a young assistant priest is to take up his first role as a parish priest.
Fr Matthew Carlin was ordained in 2016. He has been serving as an assistant priest at St Mirin’s Cathedral in Paisley and will now move to Port Glasgow where he will become parish priest of St Francis’ Church.
He said: “I’m excited about going to the parish. I’ve only heard great things about it, but I’m a bit nervous because I haven’t been here too long and feel like I’m just getting used to it.
“In the past a priest would sometimes have to wait a long time to get a parish of his own, but I’m looking forward to it!”
Fr Jonathan Whitworth, assistant priest of St Joseph’s Church in Clarkston is to take up Fr Carlin’s role as assistant priest at the cathedral, and Fr Eoin Patten, currently parish priest of St Francis’ in Port Glasgow will take up Mgr Monaghan’s role at St Cadoc’s in Newton Mearns.
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