This time last year Fr Mark Moriarty, from Killarney, became the first to be ordained in the diocese since Fr Seán Jones, from Moyvane, in 2018 and prior to that, the ordination of Fr Bernard Healy, from Tralee, dated all the way back to 2007.
It will do little to tackle the ongoing vocations crisis in the sprawling diocese and, with an ageing clergy, further personnel shortages are expected to arise in the next few years.
Already close on 20 of the 53 parishes in the diocese are without a resident priest and several previous stand-alone parishes are now incorporated into pastoral areas with priests from surrounding areas acting as moderators.
Parishes without a resident priest include Kilcummin, Gneeveguilla, Kilgarvan, Valentia, Castlemaine, Tuisist, Duagh, Knocknagosgel, Tarbert and Ballydonoghue.
Speaking last month, when he announced the retirement of another priest, Bishop Ray Browne confirmed that clergy in all pastoral areas will be expected to take up different responsibilities outside their own parishes.
“As in the past decade, so in the decade ahead, the number of priests reaching retirement age will present a great challenge,” he said.
“Greater involvement of parishioners in all aspects of church life has enabled us to adjust well. There are so many people in all our parishes to whom we owe a debt of gratitude for devoted voluntary service,” the bishop added.
“Our hope is that parishioners and deacons will take a structured leadership role in their pastoral areas, working in a co-responsible way with the priests of the pastoral area, including priests from abroad,” Bishop Browne added.
The Diocese of Kerry has relied heavily on the ministry of two priests from Kitale in Kenya, Fr Amos Surungai Ruto and Fr Vitalis Barasa, for the past five years and three additional priests from the Eldoret diocese in Kenya are expected to arrive to lend a hand in the coming months.
The ordination of Rev Seán Murphy, who hails from Glencar, will take place in St James’s Church, Glenbeigh at 3.00pm on Sunday and he will celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving on Monday in Stephen’s Church, Glencar at 7.00pm.
Deacon Murphy (29) is well known in Killarney where he has worked as a tour guide and in the restaurant of Muckross House for a number of years.
It is expected that he will be assigned to duties in the Kenmare area.