Friday, June 11, 2010

New priest for Galway diocese

There was great excitement in North Clare this week when a local parish ordained a new priest for the Diocese of Galway.

Patrick O'Donoghue from Ballycannoe, Lisdoonvarna is the first within living memory from the North Clare town to be ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora.

The 28 year old studied for the priesthood in Saint Patrick's College in Maynooth and at the Irish College in Rome.

He was ordained in the church of Corpus Christi Lisdoonvarna on June 6, which, incidentally, was also the feast of Corpus Christi, by the Bishop of Galway Dr Martin Drennan.

Fr O'Donoghue celebrated his first mass in Lisdoonvarna on Monday June 7.

It has been a busy year for Fr O'Donoghue since he was ordained a deacon in Rome on Easter Monday 2009 by the Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin Dr Eamon Walsh.

As well as his studies in Rome, he took time to work in the parish of the Sacred Heart in Galway City for a number of weeks last summer.

The Diocese of Galway has currently two seminarians studying for the priesthood.

SIC: CIN