Council for the West pays tribute to the late Bishop Christopher Jones

THE chairman of the Council for the West, Declan O’Callaghan, has paid tribute to the late Bishop Emeritus of Elphin, Christopher Jones, whose passing occurred last Friday.

The late Bishop Jones was a founder member of the Council for the West and was a passionate advocate for Western rural development throughout his life.

Stated Mr. O'Callaghan: “As an organisation dedicated to the development of the Western region, we are extremely saddened to learn of Bishop Jones’s passing.

"A native of Rathcroghan, near the village of Tulsk in County Roscommon, Bishop Jones grew up in a farming environment during and after the Second World War, and had a particular empathy with the challenges faced by rural communities.

“Together with his fellow Bishops, Bishop Jones was instrumental in the Developing the West Together initiative which led to the establishment of both the Western Development Partnership Board and the voluntary Council for the West, in 1994.

“Bishop Jones was also at the forefront of the Council for the West’s role in retaining full Objective 1 Status for the BMW region in 1997, meeting with government ministers, eestern Oireachtas members, regional authorities, county councils, the EU Commission and others.

“Bishop Jones also helped to secure funding to develop a pilot project, examining the areas of childcare, respite care and repair/maintenance of rural/urban housing, to help create sustainable employment in the social economy.

“Bishop Christy, as he was known affectionately to us all, was a man of deep Christian conviction who was modest, warm and dedicated to the people he served throughout his life. He was a passionate advocate for developing and sustaining community life west of the Shannon.

“In 2012, Bishop Jones was honoured by the Council for the West in recognition of his “outstanding contribution to development in the west of Ireland” and for the “spiritual enrichment” he brought to a variety of community-based campaigns.

“Bishop Jones was a wonderful ambassador for the communities he served not only through his religious ministry but throughout his work for the under-privileged and the marginalised in society, supporting youth groups, and in particularly the travelling community as the first Director of Sligo Social Services.

“To his sister, Sr. Eileen, his sister-in-law Pauline and his many nieces and nephews, I wish to extend my sincere and heartfelt sympathy on behalf of the board of the Council for the West, and to acknowledge Bishop Christy’s wonderful legacy as well as the vision he inspired in successive generations of Board members."