Archbishop ordains three new priests

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin will today ordain three men into the priesthood.

Richard Shannon, Michael Kelly and Dan An Nguyen are among 11 trainee priests to be ordained in Ireland this year.

More than 50 priests from the Dublin diocese will join the men’s families and friends for the ordination ceremony at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral.

This year sees the highest number of ordinations involving trainee priests from St Patrick’s College, Maynooth for several years.

Monsignor Hugh Connolly, President of St Patrick’s College Maynooth, said it was a source of joy and gratitude to the entire college community.

“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,” he said.

The 11 ordinations is one of the highest numbers for several years – in 2003 there were nine; eight the following year; seven 2005; eight in 2006; and two last year.

Those being ordained are William O’Sullivan, Cork & Ross; John Coughlan, Elphin; Vincent Cushnahan, Down & Connor; Sean Corkery and Gerard Cremin, Cloyne; Tomas Kehoe, Ferns; Michael Kelly, Dan an Nguyen, Richard Shannon and Daniel McFaul, all from Dublin, and Stephen Crossan from Dromore.

There are 68 seminarians studying in Maynooth with 2008 designated Year of Vocation by the Roman Catholic Church.