Killarney brothers welcome Ghana novices

Two Ghanaian men took their first vows yesterday in a multicultural religious ceremony in Kerry yesterday.

Callistus Nero, 28, a science graduate, and Augustine Dassah, 29, have been studying at the Presentation Brothers Noviate in Killarney since April.

They are among an Irish and international community of eight studying at the college.

The Presentation Brothers organisation arrived in the town 175 years ago this year and is still associated with education in Killarney.

Primary school pupils and the principal of the “Mon” — as the all-boys school is still known locally — were in the audience yesterday, along with the Congregation Leader of the Presentation Brothers in Ireland, Brother Martin Kenneally.

Local clergy and local parishioners were also joined by religious colleagues from Kenya and India.

Callistus and Augustine have been studying at the Killarney Novitiate since spring as part of the final stage of their training programme, which includes multicultural experience, the ceremony heard.

The vows of poverty, chastity, and silence are taken after two years of study, and are renewed annually for up to six years.

Yesterday’s ceremony opened with a Tamil liturgical dance in which two Sri Lankan brothers and two Sri Lankan Franciscan missionaries strewed the path of the novitiates with rose petals.

Opening the proceedings, Br Richard English said the opening of the novitiate in Killarney in 2009, where nine novices had since been welcomed, gave “hope to not only the Presentation Brothers in Killarney but also to the wider community in the town”.

In his homily, congregation leader Br Kenneally paid tribute to Callistus and Augustine. “It’s wonderful to see the faith commitment made by these two young men. We need to encourage commitment and generosity throughout our society today.”

Br Barry Noel, the novice master in Killarney, said first professions such as these were rare in Ireland now. “Today we had two men from Ghana making their first professions as brothers. I would encourage anyone interested in our way of life to get more information about this vocation. Men are still being called to religious brotherhood. Our website, presentationbrothers.org, has plenty of details,” he said.

“I also want to take the opportunity to thank the people of Kerry for the warm welcome they have given our novices over the past three years. We have had nine men through our programme here now. There is a great bond between the Presentation Brothers and the people of Killarney in particular.”