One of Ireland’s most well-known priests has been presented with a Lifetime Achievement award by Redemptorist religious magazine Reality.
According to the Magazine Awards Committee, the award was given to Fr Brian D'Arcy c.p. in recognition of his ministry of compassion and healing, and his prophetic voice that has, “offered hope to so many down the years.”
The editor of Reality magazine, Fr Gerard Moloney said, “Fr Brian was admired and respected throughout Ireland and beyond.”
He added, “His words and actions provide comfort to the thousands of people he engages with through his pastoral ministry in The Graan in County Fermanagh and beyond through his work in the media.”
Fr Moloney added that Fr Brian, “has never been afraid to state his positions clearly, even at great personal cost to himself. He has accurately articulated the hurt, anger and disappointment and sense of betrayal that so many Irish Catholics have felt have engulfed our church in recent years and he has also articulated the need for reform.”
66-year-old Fr Brian D'Arcy is a Passionist priest based in Enniskillen in County Fermanagh.
He is a noted author, newspaper columnist with the Sunday World newspaper who he has written a column for since 1976, broadcaster with BBC radio where he hosts a half-hour programme on religion and ethics every Sunday, and preacher.
He is currently Rector at Saint Gabriel's Retreat (the Graan) in Enniskillen.