Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is a Roman Catholic diocese in eastern Ireland. It is one of six suffragan dioceses in the ecclesiastical province of Dublin and is subject to the Archdiocese of Dublin. On 7 May 2013, the Most Reverend Denis Nulty was appointed bishop-elect of the diocese.
Geographic remit
The united diocese includes virtually all of County Carlow, most of County Kildare and parts of counties Offaly, Laois, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow. The largest towns in the diocese are Carlow, Edenderry, Kildare, Naas, Newbridge, Portarlington and Portlaoise.History
These two dioceses continued to be separate from their foundation until 1678, when, owing to the extreme tenuity of the episcopal revenues, the bishopric of Leighlin was given in commendam by the Holy See to the Bishop of Kildare. The Cathedral Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the town of Carlow.The see is currently Fr Denis Nulty. The previous Ordinary was the Most Reverend James Moriarty who is now bishop emeritus, was appointed by the Holy See on 4 June 2002 and installed in the cathedral on 31 August 2
002. He resigned the see on 22 April 2010.
Today with the help of an enthusiastic lay people the Diocese is always busy in promoting faith of the youth in the local area. a Key example of this is by its active involvement in the John Paul II Awards. *The Pope John Paul II Award was created to commemorate the late Pope John Paul II who was so committed to young people and who had such belief and confidence in them. The Award was launched by the Papal Nuncio to Ireland, His Excellency Most Rev Dr Giuseppe Lazzarotto on 7 November 2006 in the Diocese of Derry, Ireland. it is dedicated to Pope John Paul II due to the strong beliefs he had in the youth of the world today.
Deaneries and Parishes
The united Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin is divided into seven deaneries, each divided into a number of parishes or group parishes.| Diocese | Deanery | Parishes or Group Parishes |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Borris | Borris Graignamanagh Leighlin Muine Bheag Myshall Paulstown St. Mullin's |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Carlow | Arless Askea Bennekerry Carlow Cathedral Doonane Graiguecullen Tinryland |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Kildare | Allen Balyna Carbury Curragh Camp Kildare Monasterevin Rathangan Suncroft |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Naas | Caragh Clane Cooleragh & Staplestown Kilcock Kill Naas Newbridge Sallins Two-Mile-House |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Portarlington | Clonaslee Clonbullogue Daingean Edenderry Emo Killeigh Mountmellick Portarlington Rhode Rosenallis |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Portlaoise | Abbeyleix Ballinakill Ballyadams Ballyfin Mountrath Portlaoise Raheen Stradbally |
| Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin | Deanery of Tullow | Ballon Baltinglass Clonegal Clonmore Rathvilly Hacketstown Tullow |
Ordinaries
The following is a basic list of the Bishops of Kildare and Leighlin.- Edward Nolan
- Francis Haly
- James Walshe
- James Lynch, C.M.
- Patrick Foley
- Matthew Cullen
- Thomas Keogh
- Patrick Lennon
- Laurence Ryan
- James Moriarty
- Denis Nulty