‘There is hope’, Clogher Diocese welcomes new seminarian

After six years with no entrant for the priesthood, Clogher Diocese welcomes its first seminarian. He is a former teacher in his 20s, and is entering the propaedeutic year this month. Gary Carville, Clogher Diocesan Communications Officer said this is the answering to all the prayers and hopes “that others will continue to answer the call.”

Mr Carville said many people are making inquiries about the priesthood and about the permanent diaconate. The diocese also has another seminarian who is in his final year of theology.

“He’ll be ordained a deacon at some stage in 2025 as well … We will have a man coming out in the next few years as a priest, we have a deacon next year … And we still have the young man going in and maybe others following him,” said Mr Carville. “There is hope. Absolutely. We’re very thankful to God.”

The Year for Vocation to the Diocesan Priesthood, which started in April 2023, had some impact on the number of inquiries and on this new seminarian listening to his vocation call, Mr Carville said. “It was a year of prayer for vocations, and I think that where there is prayer, where there is faith, that’s where vocations come from.”

“God walks with us and once God walks with us, he walks with us in love, mercy and hope,” Mr Carville said. “We’re going into a jubilee year, a holy year with the theme of Pilgrims of Hope and as people of God, we continue to live in hope.”