The Diocese of Meath currently has nine students for the priesthood
The Diocese of Meath welcomed two new priests in recent weeks with the ordination of Fr Declan Kelly (26) on Sunday, September 21 and Fr Ciaran Clarke (32) on Sunday, September 28 both in the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar.
A native of Rochfortbridge, Fr Kelly attended school at St Colmcille’s NS, Gainstown and St Finian’s College, Mullingar before commencing his studies for the priesthood in 2005 at St Patrick’s College, Maynooth. He undertook postgraduate studies at the Institut Catholique de Paris (2008-2009) before completing his theology degree while resident at the Pontifical Irish College, Rome. He has worked as a deacon in St Mary’s Parish, Navan since January 2014.
Discerning
Fr Clarke completed a Post Leaving Cert course in Business Studies/Information Technology after attending Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan and then pursued further studies for three years in Athlone Institute of Technology. He first started discerning a vocation to priesthood during his college years, before changing direction to working as a hospital clerk in the medical records department at St Francis Medical Centre, Ballinderry.
He entered seminary in August 2007 and over the following years, Fr Clarke was assigned several parish placements in Mullingar, Trim and Tullamore.
The Diocese of Meath currently has nine students for the priesthood and Rev. Robert McGivney (27) will be ordained a priest of the diocese in 2015.