In a time of decreasing vocations, a County Wexford family has bucked the trend with the ordination of a second family member and a third studying for the priesthood in England.
The Doyle family from Murrintown in County Wexford now has two priests among their ranks after Fr Brian Doyle was ordained to the priesthood last weekend by the Bishop of Ferns Dr Denis Brennan.
Fr Brian's older brother Fr Jim Doyle is already curate in Monamolin in County Wexford and remarkably Fr Brian's twin brother Rory joined the Conventual Franciscans two years ago and is currently studying for the priesthood in Canterbury in England.
Fr Brian at thirty-six is now one of the youngest priests from County Wexford trained at the National seminary in Maynooth.
Following his ordination he is due to return to Fribourg University in Switzerland, where he is completing a master's degree in Theology.
He lectured in Engineering in NUI Galway and seven years ago he gave up his academic career to join the Irish province of the Order of Preachers otherwise known as the Dominicans.
He spent time in the novitiate in Limerick before going to live at the order's Saint Saviour's priory in Dorset Street in Dublin from where he attended lectures in Maynooth.
Remarkably all three brothers followed similar career paths before opting to join the priesthood.
All three studied engineering at the NUI Galway while both twins Brian and Rory went on to complete doctorates in Engineering.
Speaking to the local Wexford People newspaper, the priests’ mother Joan Doyle said that she is pleased that her son's had pursued other careers before deciding on the priesthood.
“I'm very proud because they were old enough to be able to know what they wanted. They had been out in the world and were old enough to decide.”
Meanwhile the priests’ father, Brian senior, said, “People keep saying you must be proud. We are very proud but these things happen. We don't know why they happen. We're delighted. It's God's plan for them and we are happy to be part of it.”