Following successive years of falling vocations and the retirement of priests, the Diocese of Killaloe has been buoyed by the news that three men from counties Clare and Tipperary will enter the seminary at Maynooth later this month.
The Diocese of Killaloe last year launched a vocations promotion in parishes across Clare, Laois, Offaly, Limerick and Tipperary to coincide with the ‘Year for Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood’.
Welcoming the news, Bishop of Killaloe Fintan Monahan said:
“As the third largest Diocese in the country, it has become increasingly difficult to maintain full cover across the five counties due to retirements and a lower number of vocations.
"I am delighted that we have been successful in reaching those who had been considering a vocation and helping them in making the next step.”
Vocations Director Fr. Iggy McCormack has visited 60pc of parishes in the Diocese over the past 12 months and will be undertaking visits to remaining parishes over the coming months.
CW : what this article fails to pick up on is the amount of priests who have left the Diocese - voluntarily or otherwise (with forged documentation) - which information we shall be providing shortly.