Another priest in the Ferns Diocese has taken time off to consider his future in the priesthood -- after a colleague left to get married.One of the youngest curates in the diocese, Fr JJ Doyle, has taken leave to consider his vocation.
Fr Doyle, curate in Ballymitty, Co Wexford, had applied to the diocese for leave for discernment, which will see him take time out to determine his vocation in the Church.
Diocesan spokesman Fr John Carroll confirmed that Fr Doyle, who is in his 30s, had spoken with the Bishop of Ferns, Denis Brennan, and they discussed the situation at length. His application for discernment was granted by Bishop Brennan.
It is understood that Fr Doyle will now use the time off to contemplate his future and whether it lies within the priesthood.
His decision shocked parishioners as it came on the same weekend that Fr Noel O'Brien said his final Mass in Templeudigan, Wexford, before leaving to get married in Florida.
Fr O'Brien announced from the pulpit that he was leaving the priesthood as he wanted companionship in life, having found the priesthood lonely.
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SV (3)
Most would say to this young man don't waste all the years alone that his fellow Priest did in Wexford.
ReplyDeleteIf you have doubts just go for it and find the love of your life.
Don't wait until you are 67 to leave.
The way the Church is going it does not deserve fine young men like this ending up in an ailing corrupt Church that has destroyed many lives. There are lots of jobs that this young man can take in life to help people as he would do in the Church without the corruption hanging around him by his association with those who don't deserve the name of Father. Let him be a real father and have the joy of his children and grandchildren in his old age if that is what he wants.
Good luck to him whatever his decisiion. It is his to make and better now than later. He has showed great courage to take time out to look at his life. It would be awful if he stayed to fulfil the dreams of his parents etc., and it is not really for him.
The emotional toll upon a priest is colossal. There was a time when I wondered whether Fr SV was discerning a similar personal matter.
ReplyDeleteWe must pray for and be loving to all our priests, and keep this young man especially in our prayers.
I wonder whether it is appropriate to have such information in the public domain? Surely this young man desrves time, respect and some degree ot anonymity to consider his call? If it were me, I would wan't my private life splashed all over the net and in blog land!
ReplyDeleteHe certainly give himself to priestly ministry as others have done in their positions of faith before him. Like all things, these sometimes naturally come to end.
ReplyDeleteFor Judas the disciple, that time came at his hanging by the rope of his choice.
I hope upon reading your speculation Fr SV will move to cease your wondering.
I think Fr. SV like any GOOD Priest would have lots of questions about staying in the Priesthood when they see what is going on around them.
ReplyDeleteHowever I suspect that maybe Fr. SV has decided for the moment anyway to hang in there and try to do his bit to make the Church that is within his reach a better and more transparent and accountable place.
By bringing things to the attention of others in his way he may help to stop the abuses that are all around us. When those out there know they can't carry on as before and could be held accountable and named and shamed it may go some way towards having them tow the line do a better job, one they were ordained to do and if not call it a day and leave and not drag their Church down any more.
We cannot afford to lose good Priests like Fr. SV and we all need to pray for him and the other GOOD Priests out there.
Some of the others are too far beyond redemption as they have spent a lifetime conning people and doing wrong to others and have had their day they should be banished out of the Priesthood.