A much-loved County Wexford's Friar departed the county for pastures new this week.
American born Brother Donald Thielsen has been living at the
Franciscan Friary in Wexford Town for the past three years.
A native of
Mchenry near Chicago and a chef by trade, Brother Donal will depart the
County Wexford Friary for a new position in Canterbury where he will
begin running the canteen in the Franciscan international study centre
there.
While in Wexford, Brother Donald, as has been previously reported in
CINews, became an expert campanologist when under his guidance the giant
bell in the Friary Tower was restored and put into sonorous action for
the first time in 20 years.
Speaking this week to the Wexford People newspaper about his time in
Wexford Brother Donald admitted that he volunteered to come to the model
county from a monastery near Marytown in Chicago as the Franciscan
Conventuals were taking over the Friary in 2007 and has been very much
impressed with Wexford.
“I have enjoyed my time in Wexford very much. I have never been in a
community like it. People are very community minded like a family. I
have not seen such a religious people.”
SIC: CIN/IE