'I'm often stopped on the street for confessions' - Retiring bishop reflects on a life at the heart of the community

ByElaine McGee

BBC News NI

The outgoing Catholic Bishop of Derry believes one of the biggest challenges of retirement will be getting used to his phone "not ringing so often".

Donal McKeown has spent the past quarter of a century as a bishop, but on Sunday he will say his final Mass as head of the diocese after 12 years.

Bishop Michael Router will then be installed at St Eugene's Cathedral.

As he prepares to retire, Bishop McKeown has been reflecting on being part of being part of important moments in history and as well as being stopped on the street for confessions.

Ordained in his native Randalstown, County Antrim, in 1977, McKeown became Bishop of Down and Connor in 2001 and Bishop of Derry in 2014.

He has become one of the best-known faces of the Catholic Church in Ireland.

At the age of 76, McKeown is now preparing for a life away from being a church leader.

"A bishop friend who retired told me it took three years for the tiredness to leave his body," McKeown told BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme.

"I am ready to start adjusting to a new way of life.

"As bishop, my day is full of meetings, events, a lot of timings and places I need to be.

"Retirement does bring with it a relief not to be in charge anymore, but I also now have to get a sense of who I am away from being in a position of leadership."

McKeown plans to stay in the area, a place he describes as "marvellous, with wonderful, welcoming people."

"In many ways, the high points have been the low points," he said.

"When it comes to difficult times, like the death of Lyra McKee, or big funerals of people like John Hume, Martin McGuinness, Seamus Heaney and plenty of others, the city is remarkably good at coming together.

"It's the strength of the community that is able to respond to difficult times and that applies to the rural parishes too."

He added that his "biggest joy has been being able to work with people".

"I like walking the streets of Derry and I am often stopped by people asking for prayers and confessions."

The Catholic Diocese of Derry spans 51 parishes across almost all of County Londonderry, parts of County Tyrone and a very small area across the River Bann in County Antrim.

It also covers parts of County Donegal in the Republic of Ireland.

Amidst concerns over too many dioceses in Ireland, The Vatican has been considering a potential cross-border merger of the dioceses of Derry and its neighbour in the Republic of Ireland, Raphoe.

Church leaders, including McKeown, have in the past expressed concerns and pushed for a delay

McKeown said the prospect has not "gone off the table" in Rome, but he believes any final decision remains some time off.

"It's possible Derry and Raphoe may be asked to work together in the future.

"I have made clear to the Vatican it would need a major civic reorganisation, one diocese is registered as a charity in Dublin, the other in Belfast, who would be in charge?

"But I can also see on the map, there's really nowhere else that Raphoe can go other than with Derry in terms of the border that it shares."

Canon law states that diocesan bishops are expected to hand in their resignation when they turn 75.

McKeown, who is also chair of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS), admits keeping up the energy needed for leadership at 76, is not easy.

"It is different to what it was 20 years ago," he added.

"I am much more relaxed now and grateful to have the pressure of decision making off my shoulders.

"I've always done a lot of sport, five-a-side football, GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), and marathons and I am glad [to] have good health at this stage of my life."

Retirement can bring with it reflection on life choices, but McKeown is at peace with his religious path.

"I am very happy with the choices I made and my vocation in life," he said.

"I would have loved to have been married.

"I think I wouldn't have been a bad husband, bad daddy or grandfather but that was not my vocation and I'm perfectly happy with that.

"I have made mistakes, but I have been blessed to be a priest and a bishop over the past 49 years."

He added that he hoped he had "done some good and laid some foundations for others to build on".

"We just pass on the baton to someone else.

"I look back only with gratitude."