Two ordinations in Tuam this Sunday

01 Jun 2012

Archbishop Michael Neary to ordain Rev Eugene O’Boyle and Rev Shane Sullivan to the Priesthood on Sunday

Tuam town and Tuam Archdiocese will be celebrating with great delight and happiness on Trinity Sunday, 3 June 2012 at 3.00 pm in the Cathedral of the Assumption when Archbishop Michael Neary will ordain two young men to Priesthood for service in the Archdiocese.

Rev Eugene O’Boyle is 29 years old.  A native of Claremorris, he entered the seminary in August 2006 after completing a degree in Manufacturing Engineering in the University of Limerick.  His parents are Mary and Eugene O’Boyle.  The newly ordained Fr. Eugene will celebrate his first Mass on Monday evening 4 June  in Claremorris Church.

Rev Shane Sullivan is 27 years old.  A native of the United States, Shane studied for the priesthood for his home diocese of Duluth from 2004 – 2007 where he graduated in Arts and philosophy.  He transferred to Tuam Archdiocese in 2007 having Connemara links, his Dad being a native of Cill Chiaráin.  His parents are Kathleen and Bart Sullivan of Baxter, Minnesota.  The newly ordained Fr Shane will celebrate his first Mass on Monday evening, 4 June in Cill Chiaráin Church as Gaeilge.

The last ordination for the Archdiocese of Tuam was in 2006 when Fr Patrick Burke, a native of Killererin, was ordained.

Tuam Archdiocese covers a very large area with a mainly rural population.  The diocese is bilingual with a number of parishes in the Gaeltacht along with some island parishes.   There is a Catholic population of around 120,000 people in that area.  Tuam has 108 diocesan priests ordained for service in the region of whom about 80 are still in active service.  There are also 8 religious order priests working in the diocese.  Apart from Eugene and Shane there are three other clerical students studying for the priesthood all at different stages.

Best wishes to Shane and Eugene for many happy years of fruitful ministry in the Archdiocese of Tuam.

For media contact: Father Fintan Monaghan, Archdiocese of Tuam, 093 24166, Communications Office Maynooth: Martin Long 00353 (0) 86 172 7678

Photographs are available from the Archdiocese of Tuam.