PRESS RELEASE
2 July 2008
Ordinations of eleven Maynooth students in 2008
Commenting on this year’s ordinations Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President of St Patrick’s College Maynooth, said: “We give thanks to God for the generosity and commitment of these eleven students who are to be ordained to the priesthood in this the year designated by the Church as the ‘Year of Vocation’. The ordination to the priesthood of eleven students from Maynooth College is a source of joy and gratitude for our entire college community.
“Our Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, preaching during his recent US visit at a special Mass in New York’s Yankee Stadium, Bronx, on 20 April last said, ‘Young men and women, I urge you: open your hearts to the Lord’s call to follow him in the priesthood and the religious life. Can there be any greater mark of love than this: to follow in the footsteps of Christ, who was willing to lay down his life for his friends (cf. Jn 15:13).”
Monsignor Connolly concluded, “All of us here in the National Seminary in Maynooth wish our ordinands heartiest congratulations and prayerful best wishes for a long and fruitful ministry.”
The following is a diocesan breakdown of this year’s ordinations:
William (Billy) O’Sullivan – Cork & Ross
John Coughlan – Elphin
Vincent Cushnahan – Down & Connor
Seán Corkery – Cloyne
Gerard Cremin – Cloyne
Tomás Kehoe – Ferns
Michael Kelly – Dublin
Dan an Nguyen – Dublin
Richard Shannon – Dublin
Daniel McFaul – Derry
Stephen Crossan – Dromore
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- St Patrick’s College Maynooth is the National Seminary for Ireland and has been forming men for the priesthood since 1795.
- The are currently 68 seminarians studying in Maynooth.
- Recent priestly ordinations from St Patrick’s College Maynooth were: nine for 2003; eight for 2004; seven for 2005; eight for 2006; and two for 2007.
- In Ireland in 2006, which is the latest year available, there were 3,078 diocesan priests and 3,052 religious order priests.
- Further information on vocations can be found at: www.vocations.ie and on St Patrick’s College Maynooth at www.maynoothcollege.ie
Further information:
Martin Long, Director of Communications (086 172 7678)
Brenda Drumm, Communications Officer (087 233 7797)
