A former member of the Irish Defence Forces who now works as a solicitor was ordained to the permanent diaconate on Sunday.
The new deacon, Martin Reidy, became the first permanent deacon to be ordained in the Church of the Risen Christ, Kiltoom, Co. Athlone. A large congregation gathered including his wife and two children.
Bishop Kevin Doran, who ordained Rev. Reidy, said: “Among those who were inspired to proclaim their Faith in Jesus, because of their experience of how he lived and how he died, were a number of experts in Jewish Law and at least two Roman Centurions. Deacon Martin, as a solicitor and a former army officer, follows in that tradition.
“As a peace-keeper in the Middle-East, he has literally walked in their footsteps. He has seen for himself, how families and whole communities are, still today, impoverished and made vulnerable by the abuse of power, just as they were in the time of Jesus.”
Rev. Reidy said the ordination was “a wonderful occasion for the local Faith community”.