WATCH: Clare priest takes lead on encouraging men to join priesthood

ENCOURAGING men to join the priesthood is what one local diocese has undertaken as their next project.

The Diocese of Killaloe is undertaking a year-long initiative called Year for Vocations to the Diocesan Priesthood, which aims to showcase what the vocation has to offer.

Visits to parishes across the Diocese in Clare, Limerick, Laois, Offaly and Tipperary commence in Ennis over the course of the week, followed by visits to Nenagh, Birr and Castleconnell during October.

Offaly men being encouraged to enter priesthood in Offaly

With just over half of the 58 parishes in the Diocese currently served by a resident priest, Vocations Director and Principal St Flannan's College, Ennis, Fr Ignatius McCormack says there is hope the three new priest posts recorded in the Diocese of Killaloe during the past 12 months can be built on.

“Geographically, we are the third largest Diocese in the country and it has become increasingly difficult to maintain full cover across the five counties due to retirements and a lower number of vocations,” Fr McCormack explained.

“The idea of young men taking up a vocation has arguably become more countercultural in recent years, but we are very hopeful that we can build on recent progress whereby three men from the Diocese will enter the seminary at Maynooth over the next 12 months.”

Fr. McCormack said the vocations initiative will encourage people to discover more about vocations on the Diocesan website while the parish church visits are aimed at kick starting conversations within family groups, with local priests and in communities across the Diocese on the vocation of priesthood.

He continued, “I am encouraging any man who has been considering a vocation and is exploring their calling to make contact today with the Vocations Office or to speak with their local priest.”

Ennis native Mark Nestor, a former secondary school teacher and Clare County Councillor, entered the National Seminary at Saint Patrick's College Maynooth last week having spent the past year at the Royal English College of St Alban in Valladolid, Spain.

“Answering yes to my vocation to the priesthood has resulted in a great sense of contentment in my life,” Mark explained. 

“The support I have received from family, friends and the Diocese over the last two years has been phenomenal, and I would encourage anyone who feels they have a vocation to priesthood to reach out.”