Diocese of GalwayKilmacduagh & Kilfenora

Norms for Parish Pastoral Councils and Parish Finance Councils have been published by the diocese. These can be downloaded as pdfs in English or Irish by clicking the images below.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation 2024

The Confirmation schedule for 2024 is available below, along with liturgies and guidance norms.

We would like to assure those to be confirmed, their families and sponsors, that the whole diocese is praying for them all as they prepare for this important time in their lives.

Please be advised that while we will do our utmost to adhere to this schedule, circumstances may arise where changes have to be made at short notice.

Download a pdf: 

Visiting Clergy Protocols

Requirements for visiting clergy and persons in any form of consecrated life wishing to be involved in pastoral ministry in the Diocese: please see our Visiting Clergy Protocols.

For members of Religious Orders moving to the diocese, please see these Religious Orders Clergy Protocols.

A list of the current government Register of Solemnisers (updated monthly) is available here.

Click here for general sacred and secular information on marriage requirements.
See this page from the HSE for information on civil requirements for marriage.

A person must be at least 18 years of age before they can book a wedding in the diocese, by decree of the Bishop dated 19 December 2019.

The Bishops’ Advisory Committee on Church Music publishes a useful guide for payment of church musicians: it was last updated in 2022. 
Guidelines-for-payment-of-church-musicians-2022.pdf

The minimum suggested fee for a wedding is €250, but should be higher when the musician is required for a rehearsal or when music has to be purchased or learned.

The minimum suggested fee for a funeral is €150 to €175 for one service, and €250 to €275 when music also is provided for the reception of the body on a separate occasion.
 

For music copyright queries, see www.onelicense.net

ACCORD Catholic Marriage Care Service CLG has a variety of useful resources online, including marriage preparation and relationship counselling: www.accord.ie

World Missions Ireland (Pope Francis’ official charity for overseas mission): www.wmi.ie

Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference: www.catholicbishops.ie
 

All requests for a Papal Blessing Parchment must be processed online by the Vatican Office of Papal Charities. Please click on this link to access the English language Vatican web page for Papal Blessing applications. Note: there is a fairly narrow time window of six months before and four months after the date of an event during which a Papal Blessing can be requested.