Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate

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A thank you to Bishop Ray Field
On his retirement as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin

Bishop Ray Field
Bishop Ray Field receiving the gifts during Mass in Lourdes

A thank you to Bishop Ray Field 

Bishop Ray Field

Bishop Ray Field

Bishop Ray, retired at the end of June as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Dublin after reaching his 75th birthday. Bishop Ray has long been a good friend of the Oblates and has been leading our Lourdes Pilgrimage since 2002.  

In addition to his support for the various Oblate missions in Dublin, Bishop Ray has also visited the Oblate mission in Brazil. 

The Oblates and the Lourdes Pilgrimage 

 
Fr. Vincent Mulligan who was Pilgrimage director for over 26 years described Bishop Ray’s presence on the pilgrimage saying ”He is a real part of our Oblate family and very approachable. He is great with the sick and I couldn’t say enough about him. He is a lovely person to be with and so down to earth.” While Fr. Lorcan , the current director, added “Bishop Ray’s warmth and gentle encouragement has been a source of support and sustenance for many a pilgrim. However, it is his closeness and concern for our sick and the vulnerable members of the pilgrimage I know that many others and I find inspirational so for this we thank him.” 
 
Bishop Ray Field

Fr Vincent Mulligan and Bishop Ray Field in Lourdes 

A former barrister who had been called to the Irish and English bars, he was also a member of the first successful Irish expedition to Mount Everest in 1993 with Dawson Stelfox. From Dublin he attended O’Connell Schools and Holy Cross College, Clonliffe before his ordination in 1970. Later, he served as a prison chaplain and head chaplain of the Defence Forces. In September 1997 he was appointed Titular Bishop of Ard Mór and Auxiliary bishop of Dublin and dealt mainly with the rapidly growing area of north county Dublin. 
 
Bishop Ray Field

With the late Deirdre Eustace in Lourdes, who was a good friend of Bishop Ray Field



Paying tribute to Bishop Field, Archbishop Eamon Martin spoke of his “commitment to social justice”, which was evident “in his service as chair of the Bishops’ Council for Justice and Peace and as chair of the Council for Immigrants. These, along with his contributions on the Episcopal Commission for Pastoral Care, and on the Council for Healthcare, have demonstrated his instinctive pastoral outreach and his commitment to extending the care of Jesus Christ to those most in need of it. “I thank him for his generous participation in the work of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference over these twenty-two years,” he added, and
“I pray God’s blessings on Bishop Field and wish him good health and happiness in retirement and in this new phase of his ministry.”
 
We join with many others wishing Bishop Ray well in his retirement from the Diocese and we look forward to Bishop Ray leading the Oblate pilgrimage for many years to come!
 
Bishop Ray Field

Bishop Ray Field and a member of the Oblate Lourdes Pilgrimage at the Grotto

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