A bumper weekend for the Irish Church saw four dioceses across the island celebrate an ordination to the priesthood, including the first ordination in 14 years for the Diocese of Ossory.
On Sunday, Fr Brian Griffin, from the parish of Slieverue, was ordained in St Mary’s Cathedral in Kilkenny by Bishop Seamus Freeman.
In his homily Bishop Freeman noted that it was 14 years since the last ordination in Ossory and that the diocese cannot wait 14 more for the next one and still be able to serve the people of Ossory. He encouraged all those present to support people, especially young people, in living out their faith so that some of them too “might respond generously to the call to priesthood someday”.
Fr Brendan Ward, a native of Edeninfagh, Glenties, was ordained for the Diocese of Raphoe by Bishop Philip Boyce in St Eunan’s Cathedral in Letterkenny. Bishop Seamus Hegarty, retired Bishop of Derry concelebrated the Mass along with priests from the diocese and from other parts of the country.
Bishop Boyce thanked Fr Ward’s parents, John and Kitty, for supporting his vocation and prayed that God would “send another seminarian to fill the place you leave vacant in the seminary”.
Fr Robert McGivney (28) was ordained to the priesthood on Sunday in St Mary’s Church, Navan by Bishop Michael Smith of Meath. Robert is a native of Navan, and his father Gerry is a retired teacher and well-known local GAA referee, and his mother June, passed away last October.
Fr Conor McCarthy (27) was ordained for the Diocese of Down and Connor at a ceremony held in St Anne’s Church, Derriaghy, Belfast, by auxiliary Bishop Anthony Farquhar. Fr McCarthy studied for a Bachelor’s Degree in Music (Bmus), which he completed in 2009, and was then accepted to study for the priesthood in St Malachy’s Seminary, Belfast. He also studied in the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham and the Pontifical Irish College in Rome.