It was announced this week that the Franciscan friary in Killarney in County Kerry is the new postulancy, or centre for vocations, for both the English and Irish Franciscan community. The postulancy follows a request submitted by a person seeking to become a member of a religious order.
The Franciscan friary, which was established in Killarney in the 17th century, will welcome four new postulants to the town over the coming weeks, and there are currently three students in training for the priesthood at the Killarney friary.
Speaking this week Fr Philip Froker said they “are seeing a steady number of men entering the postulate which is very positive.”
The order has been in the town since 1860 when Belgian Friars came to the town to restore the ailing Irish province to its former state of observance of Franciscan rule.
The Killarney Franciscan Church opened in 1867, the friary in 1879 and in 1902 this became the Novitiate House of the Irish Province.
The Killarney Franciscans made national headlines last year when they gifted one of their buildings known as Áras Phádraig to Killarney Town Council, to be run jointly by the council and the Kerry parents and friends organisation.
SIC: CIN