County Limerick is to get its first new priest in six years in the coming weeks.
When he is ordained on June 19, Rev Ger Fitzgerald, who is a native
of Castleconnell in the diocese of Killaloe, will become the first
Limerick-born priest to be ordained since Fr Chris O'Donnell was
ordained in 2005.
Speaking this week on his vocation to the Limerick Leader newspaper,
the 29 year old said “It would have always have been something in the
back of my mind to be a priest. When you hit secondary school you do
begin to lose interest in the religious side of things and get more
interested in girlfriends and part-time jobs.”
“As I got older I had girlfriends and a couple of different jobs but
the idea of being a priest still lingered away in the back of my mind. I
was very worried would I be able for the celibacy, the obedience and
the life. After a lot of prayer and talking to the parish priest here
and one or two priests in Limerick I took the decision to go for it. If
it wasn't going to suit me or if it's not for me it wouldn't be the end
of the world.”
Commenting on young people and the priesthood he said, “People do
turn to priests looking for hope and solace. When I was in Lourdes last
year there were fifty to sixty young people there who had given up part
of their holidays to care for the elderly and the sick on the trip. I
don't understand how they can say that young people are losing their
faith when there are people like that.”
Ger is a native of the parish of Castleconnell, Co. Limerick.
Born
to Patrick and Mary Fitzgerald on December 21st 1979, Ger is the
youngest of two sons and has an older brother, Anthony.
He attended
Castleconnell National School and St. Mary's Convent, Newport Co.
Tipperary where he did his leaving certificate in 1997.
After school he
worked in the Castle Oaks Hotel and for a stainless steel manufacturing
company in Dublin.
Ger's interests include music and sport and he has a huge interest
in Georgian culture and architecture.
He follow Limerick hurling and
football as well as being a supporter of Manchester City F.C.