The new deacons with the ordaining Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ, Bishop Philip Boyce OCD, members of the formation staff of the Pontifical Irish College, Anthony’s brother, Father Joseph Briody, and the acolytes who served the Mass of ordination. Three seminarians of the Pontifical Irish College, Rome, were ordained deacons on Easter Tuesday by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin, at the Church of Saint Alphonsus on the Via Merulana in Rome.
Rev. James Daly (57), originally from Midleton, Co. Cork, a former parish pastoral worker and teacher, and Rev. Robert Smyth (32), from Knocklyon in Dublin, a former management consultant, were ordained for the Archdiocese of Dublin. Rev. Seán Mulligan (46), from Knockatallon, Co. Monaghan, a former intellectual disabilities nurse, was ordained for the Diocese of Clogher.
All three are transitional deacons, meaning that they are due to be ordained to the priesthood later. Family members and friends of the new deacons travelled from Ireland to be present at the ceremony.
Rector of the Irish College, Msgr Ciarán O’Carroll said: “It is with great joy that we celebrate the ordination to the diaconate today of three seminarians from the Pontifical Irish College in Rome. On behalf of everyone at the Pontifical Irish College I congratulate James, Robert and Seán on their ordination.
“I wish them every happiness and blessing as they commence their diaconal ministries of service, of charity and of leadership in prayer and liturgy. May they experience God’s grace anew in their lives so that they may courageously proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, generously serving the people of God in their various dioceses with care and compassion.”