Fr Robert McGivney blessing animals on a farm near Mulingar, Co. Westmeath A Mullingar-based priest’s literal interpretation of ‘tending to the flock’ has struck a chord across his rural parish.
With farmers working through a busy period of lambing Fr Robert McGivney undertook to bless lambs on the farm of friends in his community, an act which met with such positivity among others that the priest has found himself in great demand to bring blessings to farms far and wide.
Speaking to The Irish Catholic, Fr Robert said the small but meaningful initiative “is resonating with people. There have been lost of positive comments”.
Asked to account for its appeal of among farmers, Fr Robert said people saw the blessings as a recognition of their work.
Coming from farming stock himself, Fr Robert said he had been struck by the Pope’s famous call that “priests should be like shepherds living with the smell of sheep”. And while the Pope might be amused at Fr Robert’s literal interpretation of that call, the priest said, “it’s an important message priests must take on board. Religion is not something abstract, it’s real life.”