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.
For the first time in two decades, three vocations have been recorded in one of Ireland’s largest dioceses where just over half of the 58 parishes are currently served by a resident priest.
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’. The promotional campaign has so far visited two thirds of the parishes and will continue into 2025.
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 60% of parishes in the Diocese over the past 12 months and will be undertaking visits to remaining parishes over the coming months.
Fr. McCormack, who also is Principal of St Flannan’s College in Ennis, said, “Our vocations initiative is aimed at encouraging people to discover more about vocations on the Diocesan website. Meanwhile, our parish church visits have helped to kickstart conversations within family groups, with local priests and in communities across the Diocese on the vocation of priesthood.”
“We are very hopeful that we can build on the progress made since we launched our Vocations drive last year and are encouraging anyone who feels they have a vocation to priesthood to reach out and talk about their vocation with their family, friends, local priest or the with me,” he added.
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