A major drive by the Archdiocese of Tuam in 2010 to encourage more priests to join the priesthood and religious life seems to be working in the Archdiocese.
In June 2010, the Archbishop of Tuam Dr Micheal Neary launched the One Life, One Call, One Response campaign for vocations saying, “The need for good and committed priests was more urgent than ever.”
The response to the campaign has been excellent for the Archdiocese, which has a number of seminarians in training, and like the Diocese of Killaloe last year, will welcome two new priests to their ranks this summer.
Indeed January 29 will be a big day for the Archdiocese as both a new priest and a new deacon will be ordained.
Shane O'Sullivan (28) who is a native of Minnesota in the United States and studied for three years at Saint Thomas's seminary before transferring to Ireland to complete his studies at Maynooth, will be ordained a deacon.
Shane has strong ties with the west of Ireland as his father, Bart O'Sullivan emigrated from Kilkieran in Connemara in the 1970's and later married his wife Cathleen.
Shane, who like his father is a fluent Irish speaker, will be ordained a deacon for the Tuam Archdiocese at 11:00am on Sunday January 29 in the College Chapel. He will be ordained to the priesthood in June of this year.
On the same day, Shane O'Sullivan will be joined by Eugene O'Boyle from County Mayo who will be ordained a priest for the Archdiocese.
Eugene who is a native of Claremorris, was ordained a deacon in Maynooth in May 2011. He spent a number of years studying at the University of Limerick before deciding to enter the national seminary in Maynooth.
Commenting on the double ordination for the Archdiocese, diocesan Secretary Fr Fintan
Monahan said, “It is a fantastic start to the new year to have a double ordination,” and he wished both men well in their vocation.